How to Prepare for the First Days Home with your Baby
Are you wondering what the first couple days home with your baby could look like with proper support and preparation? This blog post will equip you to leave the anxiety behind knowing that the safety net you created will hold you through this transition into parenthood.
Before you think this is another blog post giving you a list of to-do’s, I want to assure you that the intent of this post is to free your mind up for the days ahead. The brain fog that comes with pregnancy and postpartum is a real thing. In my experience, it comes long before you’re holding the baby in your arms and tends to overstay it’s welcome. So ladies, this blog post will be short and easy to digest.
In a few days, weeks, or months, you will be bringing home a new baby. That is so exciting!! AND, it’s okay if you feel a tad overwhelmed at the same time. No matter if this is your first or fifth baby, I am sure you can relate to a wide spectrum of emotions that come with introducing a new child to your daily rhythms. In response to these emotions, many of us feel the urge to DO something—to set up the nursery, to cancel all our plans, to clean the whole house from top to bottom, to watch all the YouTube videos on labor and delivery, to binge our favorite show knowing we may not have the time to ourselves in the near future. It is natural and helpful to put our minds and hands to something practical to prepare. One of these things may resonate with you, or maybe it is something entirely different. I want to share with you a couple things that have gone a long way as I prepare to welcome newborns into our home.
Clear Your Calendar
Okay okay, I know this may step on some toes of those who have every day planned out weeks in advance, but I want to say it anyway: clear your calendar. A LOT of things change in the days after giving birth. Your body looks, feels, and functions differently. Your baby is learning how to eat and sleep, entirely dependent on you to help to do so. Plans that you made before having your baby that once sounded good and fun may now be a source of worry as you calculate how much needs to be done in order to get out the door. Give yourself grace to say ‘no’ to things you may normally say ‘yes’ about without reserve.
Now, this doesn’t mean you can’t make plans. If you want to get out in the sunshine and see some close friends or family a couple days in, go for it. If you want to schedule a check-in with a lactation consultant, mental health therapist, or chiropractor ahead of time—go for it. You get to choose. Don’t feel pressured to bounce back into your old routine or do what your friend who just had a baby a month ago did. Schedule what feels right for your family, and cancel the rest. All the other things can wait.
Ask for Help Before you Need It
It may feel odd to ask for help before you know what you need, but do it anyways. Your future self will thank you. Obviously some needs will arise based on your own personal experience, but there are some things that every postpartum mother appreciates. As you read these next few lines, take a moment to shoot a quick text to the people who immediately come to mind when you think about these ideas.
Meal Train - nothing says "I love you” like a warm, delicious meal in the days after giving birth. Did you think pregnancy hunger was intense? Just wait until you experience a nursing mother’s appetite. This does not need to fall on one person to bring all the meals. Simply ask one friend to get the meal train started, and they can send a link to others in your community.
Cheer Ups - there will be some low moments in the midst of all the sweet ones. Who is the person you’d like to see or talk to when things get tough? Tell your partner who that may be so they are free to text them and say “hey, plz give ___ a call or bring her a coffee to chat for a bit. She’d love a friendly face.”
Postpartum Support - it’s no surprise that we are BIG FANS of extra support during the postpartum season. Our team of doulas and newborn care specialists are trained to meet you and your baby’s needs from the start—day and/or night. Nothing helps you sleep better than knowing your child is in good hands. Learn more by clicking the link below.
Now I did say this would be short, so I will end here. If you are wanting to dive deeper into preparing for the first couple days home with your new baby, we created a resource just for you. The free guide covers:
Gathering essentials for Mama
Stocking Baby Supplies
Need-to-Knows of Baby Care
How to Identify Safe Spaces for your Baby