The birth of a child is viewed by many as the “finish line”. The life event that requires ALL of their attention and energy. Yes, birth is a life changing experience. Yes, it requires preparation (physical and mental). Yes, it is often the biggest day of a person’s life. HOWEVER, it is also the BEGINNING of a person’s journey into parenthood. Robin Lim summed it up beautifully in her book, ‘After the Baby’s Birth… A Woman’s Way to Wellness’ when she wrote, “You were pregnant for nine months; you are postpartum for the rest of your life” When a new life enters the world their family members will all undergo a shift. They will become a “mom”, “dad”, “nan”, “pop”, “aunt”, “brother”, etc. During this time of transition everyone in the family is trying to find their new role. The new parents may find themselves feeling anxious, overcome with joy, overwhelmed, everything in between, or even all of the above. Nan and Pop may want to help but not know how. Soooooo, here are our top 5 ways to prepare for bringing baby home! #1: Meal Prep
To avoid getting caught in this seemingly never ending cycle, I always recommend to expectant parents to meal prep during pregnancy. You can do this by picking a day and just going to town, or cooking extra each day for a few weeks and freezing the leftovers. This way, once the baby arrives you will have a freezer full of ready to go meals at your disposal! #2: Arrange Help Around the House Household chores can become tedious and overwhelming after the birth of a child. Our society often sets impossible standards for new parents, making them feel like they have to do it all, and do it all perfectly. Luckily for you, that is not the case. It is alright to ask for help, and there are many people out there who you can turn to. Start recruiting friends and family early. Explain that you might need some extra help around the house after baby arrives, especially during those first few weeks. Tell them if they come in and something looks like it needs to be done, you would love the help. Most people are relieved to have something to do when visiting you and your new baby.
#3: Give Yourself Time to Heal Whether you give birth vaginally or by cesarean section, your body will need to heal afterwards. Physically you may have an incision or tear that needs tending to, or your muscles might be stiff from pushing. Emotionally, your body has just expelled the placenta which will lead to a sudden hormone shift. This might leave you feeling overcome with joy one minute and sobbing into your pillow the next. You may also be feeling confused or anxious about your birth experience.
#4: Learn About Postpartum Mood Disorders Any individual who has given birth is at risk for a postpartum mood disorder. This is above and beyond the “baby blues”, lasting for longer periods of time and often needing help to overcome it. It is important to know the signs and symptoms of a postpartum mood disorder, and that it is ok to ask for help! #5: Build a Support System And last, but definitely not least; build a support system! You may have heard the saying, “it takes a village to raise a child”. You and your new baby will need a ton of people in your corner to help you have the best journey possible. It is important to set up these support systems in advance. Your support system might include family, friends, your health care providers, a postpartum doula, lactation consultant and/or local family resource centre.  And there you have it! Our top 5 ways to prepare for bringing baby home! Leave a comment below on how you prepared for bringing your baby home.
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But is it? I have been talking to moms in my community about what they did to care for their injured perineum after the birth of their child and received answers ranging from using a hairdryer to sitz baths. Each mother had found their own way to cope, but when a colleague introduced me to padsicles I knew they would take home the win! When talking to people who had used padsicles the only complaint was that they wished they had more! So what is a padsicle? Quite simply, it is a pad that has been frozen like a popsicle (see what they did there ;) !). What people put on a padsicle varies greatly from water to complex mixtures. At Bellies Birth and Beyond we use a mixture of alcohol free witch hazel, aloe gel and essential oil (provided by Healing Earth Apothecary) which acts as a disinfectant, has healing properties, and when frozen offers pain relief. AMAZING RIGHT?!? Who wouldn’t want a padsicle?!?!  $10/bottle Padsicle Mix Available Locally Now! So you take our pre made mixture (or make your own), spray it on a pad of your choice, wrap it up and freeze it for when your lady bits are in need of some extra TLC! Not only do you get all of the benefits to your sore perineum, but it also catches your flow acting as a two-in-one magic bundle of heaven! If you would like more information on padsicles we would be happy to answer any questions you have at [email protected]! |
The Authors:
Jennifer ByrneDoula, Childbirth Educator and lover of everything pregnancy, birth and babies! 
Jenna Mouland
Mom of 3, Birth Doula , CBE , Breastfeeding Educator, CIMI, and Photographer! Archives
May 2017
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