10 TIPS after the maternity hospital leave!

Pregnancy went well, as did childbirth, and it was time to see the exit door of the maternity hospital. How do you make a good start with your baby the first few days you come home?

 

 

 

Nine months have passed and you are leaving the maternity hospital with your baby hugging and heading home. You will now have the opportunity to realize the new situation, as a tiny creature depends on you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Many young moms experience moments of panic and despair upon returning home, feelings that are normal. Until now your baby was just a fuzzy image on the ultrasound screen. Now you have it in front of your flesh and bones and need your utmost care.

 

That's why we give you 10 helpful tips to make the transition from pregnancy to motherhood a little easier.

 

 

 

1. Fill your refrigerator. A fridge and freezer, filled with a variety of foods (fruits, vegetables, milk, yogurt, cheese, meat, fish, etc.), would be a welcome addition to the early days with the baby. A few weeks before birth, set up your fridge and cook double the amount of food you will store in the freezer. Even if you have no energy to cook, make sure your refrigerator is full of vegetables, washed and cleaned, and yogurt, which you need to consume while breastfeeding. If so, ask your partner to fill your refrigerator.

 

2. Find sources of breastfeeding help. Speaking with IBCLC Certified Breastfeeding Advisor, Member of the International Breastfeeding Resource Center Program (ILCA) and LLInternational Gynecologist and Obstetrician, Milena Ruzkova, explained to us that breastfeeding is the main problem . Whether for lack of information or fear, many moms in the nursing home leave breastfeeding, losing all of their valuable benefits and depriving them of their child. The Breastfeeding Association of Greece and the Certified Breastfeeding Advisers are always there to help you breastfeed without problems or to address them if they arise. Seek out a counselor and start preparing early so that breastfeeding can become a source of pleasure for you and for your baby to be more connected.

 

3. Build a support team. Even if you classify yourself as people who rely solely on their strengths, childbirth is a "strange" time in a woman's life. Physical and psychological rearrangements are on the agenda, while taking care of the newborn. So you will need a support team. Talk to your partner or other people in your trust beforehand how they can help you relax and talk to someone when you feel 'down'. Even a breastfeeding consultant can provide valuable support.

 

4. Few and good! After your return from the maternity hospital there is no need to undertake any obligations at once. Especially in the first week you need total calm. After all, as you will find out for yourself, in the beginning all you have to do is breastfeed and change the baby. You will gradually get used to it and be able to plan your daily routine. Pass the message out that it is advisable to avoid visits (except of course to the people you want to see) so that you have time to relax. Calmness in the first few weeks after birth is very important so that you can find your rhythm in breastfeeding and help the baby to breastfeed properly. If you are constantly on the cheetah with people coming into your home, you and your newborn will be upset. In addition, it is important to accept the idea that your home will not be a classroom model in the first place. Your partner or your mother can help you with the basics.

 

5. Sleep as much as possible. The truth is that lack of sleep is one of the biggest obstacles with the newborn at home. As babies need feeding during the hours you usually want to sleep (between 10pm and 3am) prepare yourself mentally and physically for this change and make sure you sleep when your baby is sleeping too. Don't waste time giving your baby sleep to do chores! Treat feeding as a unique opportunity to bond with your baby or imagine working the night shift. Also, many parents have the baby next to them as they find it easier to get up for feeding. Moreover, the faster you respond to his call, the faster he will calm down and manage to go to bed. Take advantage of an hour a day to get a nap, entrusting baby care to grandmother or aunt so you can regain strength for your baby.

 

6. Make your rest a priority. According to Ms. Ruzkova, childbirth, either physiologically or with caesarean section, is a stressful physical and emotional experience. In addition, it abruptly introduces you to a new situation: having an infant in your hands. That is why resting is an absolute priority for you to put aside. Eating well, drinking plenty of fluids, taking a relaxing shower, and even taking a 5-minute walk to the neighborhood kiosk, when you feel ready, will help you cope with breastfeeding and cope with breastfeeding needs.

 

7. Hold your baby hug. One way to feel better is to hold your baby in your arms. This gives the baby emotional security, making it much calmer. The mother's breast, as Mrs Ruzkova has typically told us, is also called an external uterus. Think of it as simple: 9 months the fetus was separated by the placenta walls from your heart, which of course, it was constantly listening to. After birth the sound that made him feel safe ceased to exist. So imagine how much quieter it would feel in your arms to hear your heart beating again! In addition, babies are sensitive to touch but also to your voice.

 

8. Don't leave daddy out! Many women tend to underestimate the role of the father during pregnancy, especially during lactation. And Dad can offer a lot of things to the baby. The newborn needs constant contact with his or her parents in order to feel safe. In addition, dad will never learn to take care of the baby unless you let him or her in the process. Breastfeeding is not an exclusion for Dad!

 

9. Let things evolve slowly! Both breastfeeding and "bonding" with your baby will not all become suddenly correct in a day, nor will there be any magic recipes. You will be anxious, angry, desperate, but eventually you will find a way to get close to your little creature. There is no reason to doubt your quality as a parent! One tip is to respond immediately to your baby's crying. This will help you understand what he wants each time, and build a strong bond between you.

 

10. Have the emergency phones ready. Whether it is your sister's cell phone or your pediatrician's phone, you have all the phones you need during pregnancy so you don't have to look for them at the last minute.