No matter how many kids you’ve taken care of or how many times you’ve been to the delivery room, no one really prepares you for what awaits you. Every child is different and comes with lots of downs and ups. Everything takes you by surprise, and you pose and ask, am a first-time mother? Some of the experiences your child takes you through leave you surprised and crush your motherly prowess. Some mothers also go straight into the confinement period to the extent that they order a month of confinement food catering in Singapore.
Where you thought you have it all figured out and can hack the journey like a solder, the baby takes you through a foreign road. You will experience a tsunami of emotions, and you will feel physically and emotionally wrecked. You will not even differentiate between Monday and Sunday. Your TGIF moments will disappear thanks to your baby’s ever-demanding nature. These events may make you forget some of the most important things you are supposed to do after your baby is born. So that you are not caught napping, this article will give you a heads up on some of these things.
Rest
We know you have heard this advice at least a dozen times before in other articles and from the people around you, but it is we say this with the best intention. Moms simply do not get sufficient rest. So we are here today to tell you how to let your body properly rest.
If you can afford to, get an external helper. If you practise the tradition of confinement, you can consider getting a confinement nanny. They will take care of pretty much all your needs during confinement as well as your newborn’s needs. A confinement nanny will prepare confinement meals daily for you and prepare your bathwater when you would like to bathe.
On the other hand, if you prefer to take matters into your own hands, you can also DIY it! It would be helpful if you already have family members or friends who are experienced with childbirth and confinement so they can share and advise how you can go about it. Do browse the various DIY confinement packages in the market as well! If you are not familiar with it, a confinement package typically contains packets of confinement herbs that can be used for bathing and preparations of daily confinement soup and beverage.
Pamper Your Body
The postpartum stage is a crucial period to let your body rest and recuperate. At this point, you should take things slow and not put a pressure on yourself to ‘bounce back’. Feed it with good, healthy foods and let it relax at all times as well as stay in comfort and warmth.
You can also opt for body treatments like postnatal massage. This massage is widely favoured by many moms as it not only helps them shape up but also help with breast issues like engorgement. Some new moms are bound to lose a lot of sleep, so massage is even more helpful to these moms in promoting good night’s sleep. If you are experiencing any discomfort that can be relieved with a massage, we highly recommend you to go for it as the benefits are abundant!
What about working out? Even if you have always been athletic, you do not necessarily have to start your workout immediately after giving birth until you feel physically and emotionally ready for it. If you really want to start being active again, you can, however, start with Kegel exercise that does not require too much of your effort. It can be done even when seated on your couch. During labour, your pelvic muscles weaken and this could lead to urinary incontinence. Urine may leak at a slight cough or laughter. Kegel will help strengthen those muscles and bring them back to shape.
Register for an Insurance
You may forget to sign your child up for their insurance coverage only to run into a panic in case of an emergency. Once the baby is born, call your insurance and settle all the paperwork necessary for the medical cover. This will give you an easy time during vaccinations or in case, the baby is unwell and needs urgent medical care. Let your insurance take you through what is covered and what not to avoid nasty surprises. Understand your cover limit too to plan accordingly.
Take Proper Meals
Your diet after birth is extremely crucial as it will greatly aid in your wound healing and overall postpartum recovery. Therefore, when planning your recovery, your postnatal meals should be placed as one of the top priorities.
On top of that, you will also need extra calories if you are breastfeeding. You can burn hundreds of calories from nursing alone. If you feel the need to increase or suppress your milk flow, modifying your diet also works! If you do not have much knowledge in the kinds of confinement food that can help in your recovery and milk production, opting for confinement food delivery is the next best thing to do. Go for one that is credible and preferably with a menu that is curated by experts like a nutritionist.
Notify the Registrar
Your baby will require a birth certificate, that’s the only way the government will recognise them. Before leaving the hospital, you will receive a birth notification document that you will attach when applying for the baby’s birth certificate. You may be tempted to push this for a later date, but procrastination does not make things better. If you are too tired to visit the registrar, your partner can do it for you.
Take Photos
Your baby will grow so fast, faster than you think. Very soon, you will start noticing the baby clothes no longer fit, and their needs are changing pretty fast. You will need to document all the milestones that your baby achieves. You can store them on a flash disk or back them up in iCloud. You can even take videos once the baby starts making those small steps or starts crawling.
Update Your Will
The coming of your baby is a fantastic thing, and you can’t imagine anything happening to you. However, it is essential to prepare for the worst since life is unpredictable, and no one knows what tomorrow holds. In that case, list down all your assets and factor in the welfare of your baby. If you have no idea how to go about it, you can consult a lawyer who will guide you. You can choose either an executor of your will or power of an attorney in case things take the worst turn of events.
Motherhood is a remarkable journey and brings immense joy and happiness to the family. As you take up your new role as a mother, you will have to deal with so much that life will throw at you. Amidst the confusion, life still goes on, and even the people around you require your attention. Take each day at a time and prioritise your activities. Write them down if you have to and you will find the journey fun and bearable. What other things should you do after the baby comes? Share with us. We will be glad to hear from you.
