To make sure you're well nourished in
those first few weeks, store meals and
extra groceries while still pregnant. |
Domestic Bliss
After your hospital stay, you"ll be eager to get your new baby
home. You"ve probably got the crib ready, the changing
table well stocked, and a kitchen full of baby bottles-but
what about your own sleeping, bathing, and feeding needs?
To make sure you"re well nourished in those first few
weeks, store meals and extra groceries while still pregnant.
Friends or family may help you with this, or you can prep for
yourself. "I made extra batches of everything while I was pregnant
and froze them, and I shopped and shopped for groceries,"
says Johanna Whetstone, 39, mom to 3-year-old
Carter and 1-year-old Gavin in Los Angeles. "I didn"t want to
have to think about dinner or lunch, or whether or not we
had butter." Having paper plates and utensils can help cut
down on the number of dishes to wash, says Katie Cartwright,
35, mom to 3-year-old Olivia in Bacon Hill, New York.
Personal supplies are a must, too, from toilet paper and
tissues to nursing pads and nipple cream. "I was not prepared
for the postpartum mess," adds Rebecca Woolf, 24,
mom to 10-month-old Archer in Los Angeles. "You won"t
want to run errands in the first weeks, so stock up on tons
of maxi pads and throw-away granny undies."
You"ll soon discover that showering becomes a luxury. Get
an infant seat to put the baby in while you attend to your
personal hygiene. "Bouncers are perfect for a bathroom, just
so you can pee or take a shower," notes Cartwright.
Sleep is another rare indulgence in the weeks after your
newborn arrives. Strive to sleep when your newborn sleeps,
work with your partner to spell each other when the baby is
awake, or have friends and family lend a hand while you
squeeze in a nap. Just be sure to select helpers carefully. "In
many situations, mothers or mothers-in-law will come to visit,
which can be good, or sometimes stressful," notes Curtis.
"I recommend no overnight visits from family for the first
two weeks and hiring a non-family member
to help out-one who will cook, clean,
and/or look after the baby," says Brann. A
postpartum doula could be a good call (to
find certified doulas near you, visit
dona.org or icea.org). "Doulas do a lot of
hands-on education, whether it"s breast- or
bottle-feeding and infant-care skills, or how
to put the baby in a sling so you can make
a bed, do a load of laundry, or eat," notes
Jacqueline Kelleher, a certified doula in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, director of
postpartum services for DONA International
and author of Nurturing the Family:
The Guide for Postpartum Doulas (Xlibris
Corporation, 2002).
"I really appreciated the care I got from
my midwife and doula," says Cartwright,
who had a home birth. "Since I had some
issues learning to breastfeed, it was great
to have that personal support." Try to give
yourself an emotional break as well.
Woolf, who also had trouble breastfeeding,
says, "Don"t beat yourself up when a
certain thing doesn"t work out. Because
I"d had a breast reduction and was unable to produce
enough milk, I had to supplement with formula, and I was
really hard on myself-more than I should have been."
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