As a new mum you have responsibility for the welfare of your new baby but who looks after you? I’m sure you have made plans and talked about your pregnancy and the birth, but what about when you get home with baby? Making a few preparations before baby is born will mean you have arrangements in place when you will need a little help or assistance.
Of course, looking after your health and wellbeing during pregnancy will mean you are better placed to cope with labour and delivery and the immediate postnatal period. Remember self-care is not “me first”, it’s “me too”. By looking after your own physical and mental wellbeing, you are ensuring you can give your best to your baby. You cannot pour from an empty cup.
If you intend to make a postnatal care plan for your over-all post birth wellness, here are a few tips that may help.
- What products will you need after baby is born? Have a good stock of everything you may need for you (and baby) ready at home. Make some postnatal care kits and put them in the bathrooms you use. Ask for recommendations from other mums for the products they felt worked best for them.
- Make a list of all the professionals you may need help from after baby is born. Have your research done and get your recommendations early.
- Have your support set up. Know who your go-to people are. Most people will offer advice if asked but who do you trust most? Who will you listen to? Talk to family and friends about what type of help you may need and what they are happy to do for you. You do not need to do this by yourself. Asking for help is a sign of strength.
- What about practical help? Talk about who will do the everyday things – the cooking, washing, cleaning, and shopping. Who can you ask to help you in the early weeks? How will the workload be divided up? You may have a new baby but all the normal household jobs will be there too. Again, this is where your family and friends can help you too.
- Have you considered a Post Partum Doula? This is a a trained professional who offers emotional, physical, and informational support to a woman and her partner after baby is born. This would really benefit parents who do not have a large support network around them. Or perhaps a Maternity Nurse to help overnight for a week or two? There are plenty of options available for parents.
You should go back and review your plan regularly after baby is born as you see what is required. It’s hard to imagine exactly how tired you will be or how busy you will be before baby is born. You might find that you want to do more as you are feeling great, or that you need much more support than you expected as you had a caesarean section. Whatever the situation, you can both adjust the plan as needed. As with your Birth Plan, the key with your Postnatal Plan is flexibility, as babies are unpredictable.
We have created an online course for new parents to help them prepare for their little ones arrival. We cover the effects of delivery, the crying baby, sleep, flat head and tongue tie. We also look at the common issues we see in newborn babies here at our clinic, like colic, reflux and milk allergy for example. Packed with helpful tips and practical information, it will be course you can come back to again and again.
Our online course is perfect for busy parents who want to get the most out of their parenting experience. With our step-by-step guidance and support, you can trust that you will have the knowledge and confidence to provide the best care for your baby. With our help, you can give your baby the best start in life.