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The past month has been such a wonderful yet wild ride as a new mother!
Ask me five years ago if I could see myself being a mom, and I really wouldn’t have had a definite answer for you. However, after just one month of being a parent, I couldn’t imagine life without my little guy.
But the joys of being a new mom is also accompanied by the sleepless “Fourth Trimester.” If you are thinking of having kids, or if you are currently pregnant, here are a few things that you can do before the birth that will help you after the arrival of your new family member.
Sleep
I have found that the most challenging part of the last several weeks is the lack of sleep.
When you are pregnant or even thinking of getting pregnant, get as much shut-eye as possible! I know my sleeping pattern will gradually get better when the baby is a little older, but the first few weeks with a newborn is taxing on your sleep hours because you have to wake up the baby every two to three hours for a feed, even through the night.
Get the Basics on Breastfeeding
I recommend reading up on breastfeeding if that is how you are planning to feed your baby. I found breastfeeding a big learning curve, being a first time mom.
It was extremely difficult in the first few days for me, especially since my son lost 14% of his body weight in the first week after birth. To help him gain the necessary pounds, we had to supplement his meals with formula finger feeding while on a very strict feeding schedule.
All moms are different, and the time can vary when the milk comes in. However, if you have a solid understanding of breastfeeding before the birth of your child, hopefully you will have an easier time getting ready to constantly feed your baby.
Prepare and Freeze Meals
When you’re tired from little sleep, the last thing you want to do is make a meal. Plus when you have a newborn, they seem to always want to feed when you’re about to think about dinner.
Having ready-made home cooked meals that can be easily thawed and served will make it so much easier.
Are you friends with an expectant parent? Help them with the gift of prepared meals that they can put in the freezer - it will really be appreciated in the first few weeks after the baby is born.
Chat with Experienced Moms
Pick the brains of the mothers in your village! Whether it’s your own mom or your best friend, they will all have great ideas on how to survive the first few weeks.
Learn from their experiences and accept help when offered.
Tidy Your House
When the baby arrives, you will have little time to clean so try and tidy your home before the birth of your child.
Something that I’ve really liked having around the house are storage organizers and baskets to help with arranging the random baby items like the burp clothes, wipes, diapers, etc.
Pack Your Hospital Bag and Check Your Car
Even though I was hoping to have a home birth, I ended up having to go to the hospital so I recommend having a bag ready even if the hospital isn’t a part of your birth plan.
You might also want to check your car and ensure that it has enough gas and that it won’t fail you when the day comes. Also make sure you (or someone on your birth team) know where the car seat is and learn how to install it, as you will need it to transport your baby home.
One the greatest and scariest feelings I had ever experienced in my life was the moment I left the hospital - all off a sudden you’re responsible for this cute little tiny human! But the cliches are true - the amount of love that you feel as a parent is infinite.
Reach out if you have topic suggestions for this column on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook (my social media platforms are all under @weslawong), or email us at KelownaNow.
The Kelowna Doula Association is also holding an event this weekend - A film screening to support a local growing family in partnership with Mamas for Mamas. More information can be found here: https://www.kelownadoulas.com/blog
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