You have just given birth to a precious little bundle of joy. You are
exhausted, joyful, moody and delighted all in one. If you have given birth in
the hospital you will be thinking about bringing the baby home and all that
entails.
If you've had a home birth you may be
thinking to the days right after birth. There are things you can do before and
after the baby is born to make that special first week or so less stressful on
both you and your wee one.
The first thing you want to do is to make
sure you have your car seat in the car and ready to go. If not they may not let
you take the baby home.
Be
Prepared Not to Cook
This can help
tremendously. Arrange to have the food department taken care of ahead of
time. You can cook extra meals before the baby comes and freeze them so all
hubby has to do is take them out of the freezer and put them in the oven. If
you can, enlist friends, church members and family members to bring meals in
for a week or so. Try to put back a few dollars to order a meal. Not having to
worry about cooking will be very helpful especially if you have other children
at home.
Plan to Rest.
If you have other children this can
be hard to do but try anyway. Nap whenever the baby naps if you can. Put
your older kids in their bedroom for quiet time. If you cannot go to sleep when
the baby does at least lay on the bed and rest. Let others do for you. This is
not the time to worry about having the perfect house.
Let family members pitch in and
do some of your chores. Use paper plates and disposable cups. And even if you
are going to use cloth diapers you might consider disposable ones for the first
couple of days.
Limit
Loving Relatives
Be prepared for the onslaught of loving
relatives who will want to cuddle and coo over little Jr. For some women this
is no problem, for others, especially if they are first time nursing moms it
can be a real source of stress. Plan for your husband to run interference and
field phone calls. Let your relatives know ahead of time that you will be only
seeing one or two at a time and at YOUR convenience. It is probably not a good
idea to let young children handle your little one unless they are the brother
or sister. This is just not a good idea especially during cold and flu season.
Stay Home.
Avoid large groups and outings for a while.
This is more for the baby than you although you don't need the stress of long
periods out somewhere at first either. Short trips out are better. The baby doesn’t
need all those germs and things passed around in groups. Babies also get
stressed by being handled a lot and being in strange surroundings.
Relax.
This is so important, especially if
you are a first time nursing mom. Neither you nor baby can get used to each
other if you don't relax. Have a special chair that you sit at with a stool or
ottoman to prop up your feet. A pillow under the baby helps too. Babies can
sense tension and it makes them fussier.
Don't Forget Brothers & Sisters
If you have young children at home who are going to be jealous if gifts are
brought to the new baby be prepared for that. Encourage close friends or family
to bring small gifts for them too. The dollar store is great for this. You can
also have some small gifts wrapped and ready to give out as needed. You might
have a big brother or sister cake made or a dinner in their honor with their
favorite foods. Just be sure to include them. Referring to the baby as
"little sister or brother" or referring to the older sibling as
"big brother or sister" can make a real difference. It gives them a
sense of belonging to the baby. Reading aloud while you feed the baby,
special outings with dad, things like this help a child adjust.
Limit Trips Up and Down Stairs
Keep a small basket stocked with extra diapers; lotion and baby powder
downstairs if your main changing area is upstairs. This will keep you from
having to run up and down the stairs. Include extra onsies or pajamas.
Pamper
Yourself
Don't be afraid to cater to you during this
time. Have some of your favorite magazines ready to read while you feed the
baby. Stock up on herbal teas. Spend some special time with your husband,
remember he is adjusting too.
Watch a video together, enjoy dessert by
candlelight or give each other back rubs. Simple things that take about a
half-hour to do that you can schedule into your busy time adjusting to life
with baby.
Your first few weeks at home can be pleasurable and relaxed. They do not have
to be stress filled or hectic if you take the time to prepare and think ahead of
time.
Copyright Belinda J Mooney