Bringing a New Born Home

Becoming a mommy will completely transform your life, and bringing a newborn home for the first time is such a precious moment in your life. To help ease any anxiety and concerns you have about the first 24 hours with your newborn baby, we’ve put together 5 tips for caring for a newborn baby and 5 self-care new mom tips. So, let us help you get prepared for when the doctor gives you the green light to bring your newborn baby home for the very first time.

5 Tips For Bringing A Newborn Home

 In hospital, your newborn will undergo a number of health checks to ensure they are completely healthy and happy to go home. From a head-to-toe examination to a heel prick test, if you’ve had a straightforward vaginal birth, you should hopefully be heading home within a couple of hours after delivering your baby. So, here are 5 tips for bringing a newborn home.

1. Be Warm, Cozy & Comfortable

Make sure your hospital bag includes seasonally appropriate clothing for both you and your newborn baby. While you might be warm in hospital in your pajamas, going to your car outside might be pretty chilly, so pack warm, comfortable clothing and make sure your newborn is nice and cozy too. This is also a good idea in case your baby falls asleep in the car and you don’t want to disturb them by changing them into a new outfit when you get home.

2. Keep Trying To Master Nursing

While you might feel a little alone when you bring your newborn baby home, with no midwife by your side, it’s important to keep trying to breastfeed if you plan on nursing your newborn baby. You should also try to get as much skin on skin contact as possible during the first 24 hours together.

3. Try To Identify Different Cries

Yes, the first 24 hours will usually be quite noisy as your newborn baby alerts you to their needs. During this time, try to carefully listen to their different cries to figure out which one means they’re hungry, which calls for a diaper change, and the noise they make if they’re uncomfortable. Over time this will become far easier to notice, but the sooner you try, with a newborn baby in the house the better.

4. Be Aware Of Burping

Since a newborn baby’s tummy is so small, they might need your help when it comes to gas. After feeding, your baby might become uncomfortable and need your help to burp. Gently pat them on their back while over your shoulder to encourage them to burp.

5. Don’t Be Concerned If Things Go Quiet

While some newborn babies are pretty vocal, some are also remarkably quiet and sleepy in the first 24 hours. This is completely normal but make sure not to wait until they cry to check their diaper or see if they are hungry.

New Mom Self care Tips

Congratulations, you’re a new mommy! To help you survive the first 24 hours with a newborn baby, here are our 5 top new mom tips!

1. Create a Gift Box For Yourself

A fun and creative new mom tip is to reward yourself post-birth. While you’ve spent the past couple of months buying newborn baby clothes, toys, accessories, and diapers, it’s also important to treat yourself as a new mommy. Pregnancy is no easy ride, and giving birth will certainly take its toll on you physically and emotionally. So, to give yourself a little reward after you give birth, prepare yourself a gift box of all your favorite things. Hopefully, this will take the edge off when bringing your newborn baby home for the first time.

2. Bleeding Is Normal

Yes, you’ll most likely experience bleeding after giving birth. It might feel similar to a heavy period and include clots, but rest assured that this is normal. If you pass clots larger than a fifty-pence piece, inform your midwife, who will be able to give you advice and support.

3. Hot Water Bottle For After Birth Pains

As if you haven’t experienced enough, after-birth pain is common as your uterus begins to contract to its pre-pregnancy size. Again it might feel like you’re on your period or similar to labour pains. Use a hot water bottle to ease pain post-birth.

4. Ice Up, Down There

Down there will be pretty uncomfortable for the first 24 hours but a top new mom tip is to chill sanitary pads and wear them during the day. These DIY ice packs can soothe stitches and the pain you’ll experience when going to the toilet after you’ve just given birth.

5. Ask For Support

Never feel ashamed to ask for help from family, friends, or even your midwife when you’ve just given birth. Taking care of a newborn baby can be pretty full-on,, and you’ll need some time alone to take a shower, use the bathroom and just feel like yourself again. It’s always OK to ask for help and this never means that you can’t cope. It just means you’re human!