Taking Care of Mom After Childbirth
You probably had a long list of projects you planned to get done during your maternity leave. However, you now realize that you forgot one thing: This is not a vacation. Instead, it is a time to heal, to get to know your new baby and to learn how to be a mother. So forget everything except these three things.
The healing part is very important. Your body has been through a massive change over the past nine months; don't expect to return to normal for a while. While our society considers women "healed" at six weeks—when many women get the green light to have sex and return to work—it will really take the next nine months to return to normal. So relax. And follow this advice:
• Sleep when Baby sleeps. You will probably never be as tired again as during the first few months of motherhood. Forget about "getting things done" while the baby sleeps. As soon as she starts snoring, you need to hit the sack, too. Gradually, as you regain your strength, you'll be able to stay awake longer.
• Do your chores with Baby. Babies love to watch you. They don't think that laundry, cooking or shopping is boring, especially if you talk to them.
• Get out of the house every day. Even if it's only for a walk around the block.
Add A New CommentWe value and respect the experiences of all of our HerWriters, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.
Add A New CommentComments
There are no comments yet. Be the first to get the conversation started.