Following on from the last couple of posts about the immediate postnatal period, here are a few very practical suggestions for getting things off to a good start:
1. Rest as much as possible. You are not being lazy, you are allowing your body to heal, adjust and make milk for your baby. Even if you are bottle feeding, there are enormous changes taking place in your body and adequate rest is essential for your physical, mental and emotional well being. Get someone else to take care of other children - even for a couple of hours and try and go back to bed in the afternoon. Have the new baby's cradle right beside your bed so that instead of getting up each time she wakes, you can just lean over the side of the bed and scoop her up.
2. Eat properly: If you are breastfeeding this is not the time to begin a diet.. You will need approximately 400 calories more each day than when you were pregnant. Make sure that you are including plenty of good protein sources too, such as dairy products, eggs, meat, pulses and grains. Keep a plastic container in your fridge filled with healthy and filling snacks, such as chunks of cheese, hard boiled eggs, fruit, rice cakes, nuts, yogurt etc. so that you can always grab something to keep you going if your baby is constantly feeding or needing attention at mealtimes. You will get very hungry and thirsty, and if you don't feed yourself - then your milk supply will suffer.
3. Make good use of your baby's sleep times. This isn't the perfect time to catch up on dishes or laundry, it's a good time for you to either sleep or take a bath. Good things to add to a bath are lavender, geranium or rose essential oils. 5 drops diluted in a little unscented body wash, work well for relaxation, mood balancing and wound healing. If you're alone and it seems impossible to find the time, or you're worried you might not hear your baby wake, then bring him into the bathroom with you. Instead of bright overhead lighting, use couple of safely placed candles to create a relaxing atmosphere, and he's more likely to stay relaxed and asleep.
4. If you have stitches or a a perineal tear, you can greatly reduce pain, discomfort and infection by flushing with warm water several times a day. If you don't have access to a bidet - then perching on the edge of the bath and spraying the area with a shower attachment works just as well. Make sure the water is comfortably warm and rinse the area for about two minutes at a time, especially after you've used the toilet. Pat dry with a soft towel kept only for this purpose and change it everyday. This really does make a difference.
5. Engorged breasts can be relieved by leaning over a bowl of hot water and applying a hot wet wash cloth to any swollen or hardened area, gentle massage in a stroking motion down towards the nipple will get the milk flowing, but don't be tempted to empty the breast completely, just enough to relieve pressure. Allow your baby to suckle frequently and take paracetamol (acetaminophen). The swelling will settle down after around 48 hours and is a normal reaction to breastfeeding hormones. If you're bottle feeding - your breasts will also swell around the fourth day, but don't try to express any milk as this will make them worse. Wear a good supportive bra and leave them well alone. They will gradually return to normal. Cracked nipples can be prevented by ensuring that your baby is correctly positioned and by using a good salve. I highly recommend Lansinoh cream which is a very greasy ointment made from pure lanolin. It's highly protective and healing.
6. Emotionally overwhelmed? Some women sail through this period with remarkable ease but many of us don't. If you are feeling exhausted, irritable, tearful and an emotional basket case - this doesn't mean that you are inadequate, weak or a useless mother. It means that you are experiencing a normal reaction to massive life changes and need to be gentle with yourself and allow yourself time to adjust. Every woman is different and you are discovering how to do things your way with your baby. You don't have to try to be like anybody else. Allow yourself to experience this short time fully with all its ups and downs, and know that you are learning and growing as a woman even if it sometimes feels as though everything is out of control. If things don't resolve in a week or so - then talk to your midwife or doctor.
I'm also very happy to answer personal questions here if you feel you'd like some extra support.
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