Are you already going home with your baby? You might think of what to expect with a newborn week by week. Some may say that the newborn’s first 6 weeks is the hardest, the first two weeks of the newborn is the hardest or the first few weeks with a newborn is the hardest but enjoying the first week with a newborn is also important because your baby is a blessing!
Well, the birth of your baby can be life-changing and you might feel the heavy responsibility inside you. Your baby will teach you a lot of things but your baby’s first-week development may be rewarding to watch even if your first-week postpartum is emotional. The first weeks with your baby is a special moment and there’s no certain way to be prepared for it. So, we listed some things that you can do for enjoying the first week with a newborn.
Things you must have before bringing your baby home
Before bringing your baby home, you need to prepare things like postpartum clothing essentials, postnatal checklist, etc. Here are some of the things:
- Diapers, wipes, burn cream
- Cute and warm outfits
- Breastfeeding supplies or formula feeding supplies
- Crib or place for your baby to sleep
- Good quality baby monitor
- Postpartum care kit
- Blankets
Enjoying your first week with your newborn
Relax and go with the flow
If you are getting nervous about bringing your baby home, especially when you are a new mom, don’t panic and stress yourself out. Relax and remember to treasure every moment with your little prince or little princess. You are not the only one who’s world has changed. Your baby is also trying to adapt to his or her new world and it is hard for him/her too. If your baby cries all night, embrace that and calm him down. Don’t rush on dressing your baby up and let him/her adjust slowly.
Keep your baby warm
You must remember to keep your baby warm and confined. A newborn’s first-week sleeping pattern is hard to predict so don’t plonk your baby to a massive crib and get him/her a crib that can make your baby feel secure. One of the advisable baby loungers is a Dockatot because it is portable and it can make your baby feel secure because he/she can be close to you at all times.
Learn the dos and don’ts of nursing
Nursing your newborn is something you need to learn to do. It can be overwhelming but remember to expect that it will hurt for the first weeks. It’s normal to feel pain with your baby’s first latches but it will eventually subside. It’s also normal to have chapped or sensitive nipples for the first weeks so there are care packages for new moms. It is advisable to take some affordable breastfeeding classes before your labor so enjoying the first week with a newborn will be easier with breastfeeding.
Your baby isn’t as fragile as you think
Well, it’s just unhealthy to have a huge fear about bringing your baby home and being picky about details. Know when to bring your baby to the hospital and don’t panic over little things, don’t panic on every detail of breastfeeding. Go ahead and do the recommended things on taking care of your baby if you want but make time for bonding and relaxing with your baby.
Relax, rest and have time to bond
First-week postpartum can be stressful but you can still plan to relax and cuddle up with your baby. If you can cuddle up and play with your baby for a week, that will be awesome for you and it will help you both to adjust as a new family. If you want breastfeeding to be easier for you, you can look up to some breastfeeding clothes. You can also watch movies or nap together. Take pictures in the first week home and it’s alright if it’s candid. Give yourself some time to feel human again before dressing up for formal snapshots.
Lastly, give yourself permission to be lazy once in a while and enjoy every second of your baby’s first week at home!
Read also:
- What You Need to Know About Newborn Overeating
- How Much Should a Newborn Eat: Guidelines to Follow?
- The Surprising Facts About Newborn Snorting and Snoring
- The Best Newborn Baby Carriers Styles for Multi-Tasking Moms
