So you’ve done all your birth prep, which is amazing - but have you thought about the next bit?
Having a newborn can be a BIG adjustment, and while it can be magical it can also be bloody hard at times!
I’ve put together things you might want to consider thinking about, or chatting about with your partner, to help you prepare.
Visitors
Do you want any visitors in the first few days/weeks? If so, who do you want (or not want!)?
If you do have visitors, can they help you? Most people genuinely do want to help but just don’t know how, so make the most of the offers!
What support have you got?
What support might you need, and who can provide it? Have you got family or friends nearby who can cook, do some washing, shop for you or hold the baby while you sleep?
Have you considered a doula?
It might also be worthwhile researching local feeding support in advance, so you have it to hand if needed.
How might you deal with sleep deprivation?
You’ve probably been told that newborns don’t sleep. Every baby is different but mine were great at sleeping - but they’d only do it if someone was holding them!
Think in advance about how you might maximise your sleep. What opportunities might you have to grab even a little bit of sleep? Can your partner/family take the baby for a while so you can nap?
What are you going to eat?
Good nutrition is so beneficial when you have a newborn, but it can be hard to find time/energy/spare hands to cook.
Can you batch cook meals and freeze them?
Can you plan easy meals and have a shopping list written out, so when your baby arrives someone can go shopping for you (or you can stick it into an online shop?)
Think about your recovery
It’s likely your body will need some time to recover from birth. You’ll also have postpartum bleeding, and your milk coming in can impact you physically and emotionally.
How can you make yourself comfortable at this time? Comfy clothes, blankets?
Have a look into ways you can help your recovery, and have things you like the sound of ready.
Looking after yourself, and each other
How are you and your partner going to work together as a team, and ensure you look after each other?
What aspects of self-care do you want to prioritise? Do you only feel yourself if you shower every day, or does your partner need to go running twice a week or they’ll go insane?
Work out how you can both might find a small amount of time each day to prioritise yourselves!
If you don't have a partner, think about what's most important to you for your own wellbeing, and how you might be able to make that happen.
Make your lives easier
Think about how you can make your lives as easy as possible!
For us it was getting a tumble dryer…our bills haven’t thanked us but we have TIME!
Maybe it’s getting a food subscription, Amazon prime, using disposable nappies for a while if you plan on reuseable ones eventually, or having a changing area upstairs and downstairs.
Whatever will help YOU!
Remember it can take time
Life will look different for a while, and there may well be tough times. But when you're in the depths of it remember that it's temporary, and try to enjoy as many moments as you can.
Please don't be afraid to ask for support when you need it, whether that's from family and friend, your local community, medical professionals or health workers.
Opmerkingen