Caring for your baby
So you’ve left the hospital with your new baby and you’re probably feeling a possibly overwhelming mix of emotions, from bubbling with nerves and excitement to worrying about how you’ll care for your newborn baby! For the first few weeks after you’ve given birth, you’ll be getting to know your baby’s needs, learning how to be a new mum and possibly welcoming lots of excited visitors too! Whilst settling into a routine is important, the best thing you can do at the start is be led by your baby and take one day at a time. Once you’ve got a couple of weeks or so under your belt, then you can start building up to a routine.
Follow your newborn’s routine
Newborns follow their own routine, sleeping and eating when their bodies need it, so trying to dictate a set routine will be difficult. You can however start to lead your baby towards a routine by firstly differentiating between night and day for them by adjusting the way you feed and interact with them, depending on what time of day it is.
Don’t worry too much about sticking to a rigid schedule, but do keep in mind that a daily routine is good because it helps you give your baby stability and enables you to plan your day better and give you the rest you need. It’s also about having the confidence to listen to your own intuition – most mums know instinctively what’s right for their baby but are worried about following their gut feelings. As time goes on and you watch your newborn you’ll gradually get used to what they need – whether it’s time for a feed, a nap or even just a cuddle!
Look out for your baby’s daily pattern
It’ll probably feel as though your newborn is changing their habits every day to begin with but you’ll soon notice that these will soon change only weekly, then every two weeks. It’s good to remember that every baby has their own pattern.
It’s good too to watch how your baby’s habits relate to each other. If something seems to be upsetting your baby, it’s usually because their natural pattern has been interrupted in some way. If this happens, take a moment to think about what might be different and perhaps try making sure that they are feeding well at regular intervals. Often, once you get their feeding pattern sorted out, everything else will follow! Your baby will be contented because they have a full tummy and will sleep well rather than dozing. Then, when the time comes to wake up, they’ll be refreshed and happy again!
Establish your own routines
We all have our own natural ways of doing things, so why not make the most of having an individual routine when looking after your baby? For instance, when you change a nappy at home, it’s great to have your own special changing space with everything you need close at hand and perhaps a mobile above your baby’s head to give them something to look at while you change them.
When you bathe your baby, it’s good to line up all the things you need beforehand and create a special bath-time environment to make things easy for you and safer for your baby. Having everything ready with a particular order in how you wash your baby will stop them from getting cold and will help remind you which bits you’ve cleaned! Click here to read more about bathing your baby.
You can even have your own routine for feeding – sitting in a comfortable chair, getting yourself a glass of water, and having a muslin square, cloth or bib ready for when you burp your baby afterwards.
Doing little things like this each time will help you form your own natural pattern as a mum, make caring for your baby easier and enable you to feel more relaxed and in control. You’ll be able to pay more attention to them and feel better about the time you spend together. It might mean a bit of preparation to begin with but you’ll soon get used to getting everything you need together and turning daily routines into some great bonding time!
Ask for help
Finally – nobody is judging you or expecting you to be the perfect mum all the time. All mums need help now and then – some more than others – so if there’s ever anything you’re concerned about, just know that all you have to do is ask for advice. Don’t be afraid to chat to your health care professional when they visit – they are there to help you and your baby after all. Or why not get in touch with someone on our team of experts? We are always happy to help you. Some of our advisors are mums too so have probably experienced similar kinds of things you’re experiencing!