By Barb Lines
(Part I)
Many growing families prepare for their pregnancy and birth by spending so much time doing research, attending childbirth classes, reading books about their developing child, visiting their care provider and interviewing and hiring a doula that they forget to plan for what to expect once they bring their new bundle of joy home!
Can you picture this? You’ve been so supported during your pregnancy and labor. Your partner, your family, your doctor/midwife, your doula have been showering you with love, attention, physical and emotional support and lots and lots of information about your pregnancy and the realities of labor. Everyone is buzzing around making sure you have a car seat and diapers. You been to prenatal yoga, you’ve picked out your favorite babywearing gear and labor outfit. You’ve set up your music library for labor. You’ve made sure your doctor/midwife/hospital is cool with your birth preferences.
The day finally comes and you have an amazing labor and birth experience.
Now what? Suddenly you are in your home. Just you, your partner and your baby. Seriously, now what? Baby is eating… a lot. Is this normal? Baby is sleeping…..a lot. Is this normal? You are not sleeping… at all. Is this normal? You haven’t showered in 3 days… Is this normal? Your body is recovering from an intense, emotional, hormone filled, exhilarating, physical experience. Your adrenaline is still pumping, but you are exhausted. All your friends and family are calling, texting, Facebooking, tweeting and showing up at your door. Meanwhile, baby wakes up, smacks his lips and asks for more. And you still haven’t showered!! You think… really? No one told me about this part. I must be the only new mom having to deal with this. I have never been a mom before. I have no idea where to start. What happened to the part where I get to lay around and stare and my beautiful child? The realities of your new life are just now becoming clear.
You might have forgotten about the part where you also need to sleep, eat, recover and shower. Did I mention sleep? Oh, and by the way… baby needs to go see the pediatrician at about day 3. So, yes… you will need to eat, sleep, shower, get dressed, get presentable, feed the baby, change diapers, and be out of the house by 9:00am. Are you kidding me? Is this normal?
Yes, it is all normal! Visit our blog next week to learn how you can set yourself up for success these first few weeks at home with your new baby– and hopefully get a shower!
