The
First Week Home with your Baby
By Anne
Cavicchi
The
first week of your baby's life brings big adjustments for
both of you. You are adjusting to being a mother and caring
for your baby and your baby is adjusting to life outside
the womb. It is a time of great joy -- and possibly immense
fear! Although you've been preparing for the birth of your
baby for months, now he is here and depending on you for
everything which can seem overwhelming. Don't expect too
much of yourself during these first days! If anyone offers
you help -- take it!
During
your baby's first few weeks of life, he will be concentrating
on getting to know you and his surroundings. Your baby needs
to be handled so that life outside the womb seems as little
different as possible to life inside the womb. Your baby's
needs, while they may seem overwhelming to you, are really
simple: food, warmth and comfort from cuddling. Wrap him
snugly and warmly, hold him closely, handle him slowly,
and feed him when he's hungry. Your baby will have the routing
and sucking reflexes as well as tongue thrust. These are
needed to get nourishment from the breast or bottle. You
can also use this time to bond with your baby with lots
of skin to skin contact.
Whether
you decide to breast or bottle feed, feeding in the first
few weeks is not an effortless process. Try to have early
feeding sessions in a quiet setting with as few distractions
as possible. Make sure you are in a comfortable position
as it takes new babies a while to eat and you don't want
to end up stiff and sore. Cuddle and caress your baby as
feeding time is a wonderful opportunity to show your baby
how much he is loved.
If
you are breastfeeding, be patient while you and your baby
are getting the hang of it! The benefits of breastfeeding
are many and in order for it to be successful, it is important
to start out right. Keep in mind though it may take several
weeks until you both feel comfortable and get a feeding
schedule down.
Most
new moms feel and experience:
Although
it may be tempting to try to be a 'supermom', now is not
the time. The best advice that I received as an new mom
was to accept the help of others, eat regular meals and
sleep when the baby sleeps. Now it's my turn to pass that
advice on to you.
