Most people are very excited (and apprehensive) about having their baby. Typically new mothers spend 2-6 days in a postnatal ward getting to know their newborn.
Here are 5 things i would like to share with you to help you during your stay in hospital:
1) Get Help Breastfeeding Breastfeeding is challenging (for most). Get help with latching. Many women still find it painful even with correct attachment. Persist if you can, be forgiving of yourself if you can’t.
2) Ongoing bleeding is normal You will have blood loss from the vagina, no matter how baby was born. This will settle, usually over weeks. It will eventually settle to a discharge. Passing a clot is not uncommon. If you are concerned about the amount, please let someone know.
3) Get sleep while you can Most of my patients are very excited to finally be holding their baby. You may not sleep well for the first couple of nights. Of course, once that initial excitement wears off, exhaustion sets in, usually around the time baby is cluster feeding trying to bring the milk in
4) Change your habits Learn to sleep during the day (if you haven’t already). All hospitals have a rest period. Use it.
5) Start setting boundaries As excited as every family member, friend and acquaintance is, this is your time and you are a new family. Have a plan for ‘controlling’ visitors if needed.
Trust yourself. Have faith that you are rapidly becoming the expert on your baby.
“If Evolution really works, how come mothers only have 2 hands?”
– Milton Berle
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