7 Things You Need to Know After Giving Birth

Giving birth can stir up many different feelings and emotions. It can range from happiness and excitement, all the way to anxiousness and fear. No matter what you’re feeling, it’s completely normal.

Even though you may feel you’re ready to raise a newborn, there will always be important tips and things you may not have learned or may have forgotten during this tough period of your life.

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There is no perfect or one way on how to raise a newborn or being a good mother or caregiver. As long as you stick well to the basics, everything will be okay.

So, whether you’re about to become a mother for the first time, or have gone through this process before, but need to freshen your memory, here are 7 important things you need to know after giving birth to your child.

1. Eat Enough and On Time

Post birth is probably the only time in your life where you may find it hard to even get a small amount of food in. This is because looking after a newborn child is a twenty-four hour, seven days a week job. This time in your life means that you have less time to eat, less time to sleep and generally less time for yourself.

Even though this may seem basic, many mothers often overlook this. You need to eat. Make sure all your foods provide sufficient nutrients and are calorically dense. You need it for energy and strength to raise your child and also to get sufficient nutrients to heal your body after giving birth.

2. Try To Get More Sleep

The reason why parents struggle to sleep is that newborns sleep about 16 hours a day for three to four hours at a time. This makes it impossible for you to even sleep the recommended minimum of 6 hours a night.

Although you may think sleep can be sacrificed, do not underestimate its importance. Sleep helps your body to recover faster and also beneficial for your mental wellbeing.

Getting enough sleep during this challenging period will never be easy, but it still needs to be done. You need the energy derived from resting to raise your child responsibly.

3. Communicate with your Partner

You need to openly communicate with your partner as honestly as possible. If you are not on the same page, you will struggle to raise your child. You need to be aware of what their responsibilities are and vice versa.

During this tough period in your life, you need to be aware that you are not alone and that your partner carries just as much responsibility as you do.  By speaking to your partner before you even give birth will establish the foundations of starting a supportive family.

4. Stay At Home

Post birth blues is a real thing. At times you may feel everyone is out and about and getting on with their lives, while you’re at home doing the same thing every day. This type of depression is quite common for mothers with newborn babies.

No matter if this is your first child or you’ve done this before, the depression of staying at home is inevitable. But you must remember, this is an important time for you to rest.

Giving birth and raising a child strains your mind and body. You need to give your body time to rest, recover and heal. Don’t confuse staying at home as inactivity. You can still move around and practice home exercises to get going.

You can still take a step outside for fresh air with your baby. Staying at home also means you can be attentive to your newborn child and learn more about them.

5. Stick to What Your Gut Tells You

During pregnancy or giving birth, you’ll find yourself constantly bombarded with advice, online resources and information that at times will conflict with each other.

But no matter what you hear or from who you hear it from, always stick to what your gut tells you. Part of being a parent is taking responsibility for your child and how you raise them. It doesn’t mean ignoring other people’s advice, suggestions, and help.

Those with more experience than you such as your parents or doctors will always be useful resources to you. However, if you ever find yourself doubting certain things, stick to your gut. A mother’s instinct is more effective than you may think.

6. Make Use of All Your Resources

As having a child can take a mental and physical toll on you, try to get as much help as possible. That means communicating with your partner, your parents, friends, medical practitioner, and support group.

Getting a helping hand from wherever possible can give you breathing space, a different perspective and the assistance you desperately need. Be aware that, being a mother of a newborn will give you a lot of work, but with a caring and supportive network, it doesn’t have to be done alone.

7. Check in With Your Doctor

Whether you’re struggling to cope with the new responsibility or find that everything seems to run smooth, you need to keep checking in with your doctor.

Your or your child may suffer from health complications that only your doctor will be able to suspect. No matter the issue, whether it’s yourself or the child, your doctor will always be able to assist you in giving the best advice and the correct course of action.

Head over to the Okadoc app to immediately book an appointment with your health practitioner.

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