Even if you plan everything perfectly, (the nursery is set up with a changing table, diapers are stacked from floor to ceiling, the baby’s monitor has extra batteries, baby clothes are washed and put away), you will still need to count on the unexpected. Even with blue skies and sunshine, it’s takes a village when a baby is born!
Families Basic Needs:
We would all love to think of ourselves as superwoman, but sometimes it’s just not physically possible. If child labor weren’t hard enough, caring for a baby that’s up every few hours will be exhausting. Having someone from your “village” available to manage the everyday tasks, will allow you to heal and restore. Since it’s all in the planning, decide before you have the baby, who that trusted resource will be, and have that person commit to staying with you for a week or two.
Someone will need to cook and clean and it shouldn’t be you! Use that time to regain your strength and as the second week arrives you can start helping out slowly and plot your course for managing. No need to feel guilty or useless, remember, you just had a baby, a major feat!
Little Ones Need Attention too:
Sometimes the most challenging part is feeling guilty because you can’t pour into your other little ones, like you normally do. They are also excited to see the new addition to the family, they don’t fully understand why mommy and daddy are so tired and not as available as they had been. What a great opportunity for your extended “village family” to step in and create special memories with them. Having this one on one time, will last a lifetime for them all. If you run out of family, start enlisting friends – most would be happy to take one day off of work or even a couple hours.
Postpartum Issues
Most people need help during the first 2 weeks having nothing to do with Postpartum Depression – it takes a lot out of a body to birth a baby and then care for it around the clock, but let’s not confuse the two. Postpartum Depression is serious and usually requires a doctor's attention.