Baby First Days

Baby First Days

The first few days home from the hospital are just as important to you as
they are to your baby. As new parents you will have gone through an exciting
birth that will have left you breathless and exhilarated. As a new mother you
will be emotionally and physically exhausted. As a new father you will be
overwhelmed by your new responsibilities. The first days at home are a time
to take a deep breath, sit back and relax, and take some time just for you.

During your first days at home it may be wise to limit the amount of
visitors that you welcome into your home. Other than your immediate family
and good friends you might want to ask other friends to wait a week or two
before they descend on you with gifts and wanting to hold the new baby. You
need time to recuperate and settle into the routine that a sleeping, feeding,
and often crying baby brings into your life.

As a new mother you will need to pay particular attention to the way
that you are feeling so that those "baby blues" don't creep up and surprise you
unexpectedly. It is normal to feel a bit out of sorts and sad for the first couple
of weeks after giving birth. Your body is going through some major physical
changes after the birth of your baby. Your hormones will be changing and you
likely will be feeling a lack of sleep. All of this can affect the way that you
feel. You should be patient with yourself, understand that all these feelings
are normal, and that in a couple of weeks things will feel better for you. If you
find that you are feeling more and more depressed, and find it difficult to care
for yourself and your family, you should consult your doctor so that he/she can