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Your baby is here at last! Having a new little person to care for (along with all of those postpartum hormones) can be quite overwhelming. Here are some tips for making those first few minutes, days and weeks after birth go as smoothly as possible.
Receiving Your Baby RETURN TO TOP
Get baby onto your chest or abdomen and against your skin as soon as possible after the birth. You have been together for nine months, and you need each other now. Feeling the warmth of your skin, smelling you, and hearing your breathing, your voice, and your heartbeat will help the baby have a smoother, more comfortable transition to the “outside world”. Advantages of Breastfeeding RETURN TO TOP One of the first important decisions you will make regarding your new baby is what you choose to feed him or her. Educate yourself and make sure that your decision is an informed one. Here are a few of the many proven benefits associated with breastfeeding/breastmilk:
The First Nursing Session RETURN TO TOP Try to get the baby to the breast within 30 minutes after the birth. Even if the baby just nuzzles and licks, this gives him or her a chance to “imprint” upon the feel and smell of your breast, and will help to ensure future breastfeeding success. What awesome emotions that first nursing session can evoke! Nursing the baby soon after birth also helps the uterus to contract and shrink, which lessens your chances of hemorrhaging. Getting Help with Breastfeeding RETURN TO TOP Ask for help with breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is a skill that is unfamiliar to both you and your baby. The nurses and Lactation Consultants can help you with correct positioning and latch-on so that the first few nursing sessions go smoothly. You can also call your local La Leche League Leaders for suggestions (www.lalecheleague.org). Keep your baby with you RETURN TO TOP "Room-in" with your baby. Having your baby at your side, rather than down the hall in a nursery, will enable you to breastfeed on demand and learn your baby’s “hunger cues” (i.e., turning the head to the side and rooting, sucking on fists, etc.). Crying is a late sign of hunger, thus, it is important to learn to recognize those early cues. Rooming-in also facilitates bonding. After being with this little person for nine months, you will both rest easier next to each other. The First Days with Baby RETURN TO TOP Expect to spend the first few days (and weeks) doing little else but nursing and changing diapers. Because breastmilk is so easily and efficiently digested, most newborns need to nurse ten to twelve times in 24 hours. Some babies will even nurse more than that– this is normal. This time spent getting to know your little one will pass rather quickly – try to enjoy these precious first few weeks. Avoiding "Schedule Feeding" RETURN TO TOP Avoid the temptation to "watch the clock" or "schedule feed" your newborn. Most babies will naturally fall into the pattern of nursing that best suits him or her. If you are feeding your breastfed baby on a schedule, you will likely miss the cues when he or she is going through a growth spurt and needs to nurse more often for a few days to increase your milk supply. Once you are home, accept ALL offers of help! This is not the time to play hostess. Whenever anyone asks if you need anything, tell them it would be a great help if they could prepare a meal for your family or go to the grocery store for you. Better yet, keep a list of chores on the refrigerator, and when people ask what you need, you can refer them to the list! Too often, well meaning friends and relatives drop by to “help out” by holding the baby for hours on end. This is not very helpful, unless it is so that the new mom can get a nap or shower.I am pleased to recommend Mimi Riddle Merrill as a post partum doula. (See her list of services below.) She is better than any fairy godmother you can imagine! Days, nights, she does it all. Glowing references available. She books up quickly, so call today to secure her services for after your baby arrives.(336-402-3661 or mimicare1@gmail.com) Services may include: Rest with the baby RETURN TO TOP
Some of the best sleep you
will get in the post partum period are the naps you will take curled
up and cozy with your baby. Important: Avoid the temptation to "get
things done" while the baby sleeps. Make it a habit, in those first
few weeks to lie down and rest every time the baby does. Call a Lactation Consutant or a local La Leche League Leader (www.LaLecheLeague.org) with any breastfeeding concerns. There are very few problems that cannot be overcome with the right help. Unfortunately, tired and overwhelmed new moms often do not call anyone for help, suffering in silence before finally giving up. Don’t relenquish this very special part of mothering without a fight! What can seem difficult and inconvenient at first soon becomes an enjoyable and relaxing time of nurturing and bonding with your child. Seek out breastfeeding support early and often. Meeting Other New Moms RETURN TO TOP Try to network with other moms and babies. Being a new mother at home with a newborn can seem very isolating. Make the effort to meet other women who are in the same situation. Going to local La Leche League meetings is a wonderful way to meet other moms while also getting breastfeeding information and support. You can also contact the women from your childbirth class – chances are, they will be glad to hear from you. Due to the hormonal shifts that take place at birth, a certain amount of "baby blues" is to be expected. If, however, you find yourself still feeling down after about two weeks, or, if at any time you feel too depressed to care for yourself or your baby or begin having thoughts of harming yourself or your baby, call your midwife or obstetrician immediately. Consider Infant Massage RETURN TO TOP Infant massage has been shown to aid in digestion, neurological development, social development and also enhances mother-baby bonding. If you live in the Raleigh area and would like instruction on infant massage, you can contact Robin Rennells at 919.217.5049. Consider "wearing" your baby in a sling or front-pack carrier. This little one has been inside you for nine months, and will likely be a more content baby if he/she can feel, hear, and smell you. Remember, you are the center of your baby’s universe – what a privilege! Babies who spend their first weeks and months attached to mom will sleep, breastfeed and grow better. Surrendering to Your New Role RETURN TO TOP Finally, if you can learn to "surrender" to motherhood and "go with the flow" of your baby’s own needs and rhythms, life will be easier and more enjoyable. In the lifespan of your child, the period of time that they are entirely dependent on you is a mere drop in the bucket. Happy parenting!
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Copyright 2002 A Better Childbirth, Inc. |
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