What support do you have lined up for after your baby is born? Do you have family close by or able to visit? What kind of support are they able to offer you?
If you don't have family able to provide the support you need, you may want to look into hiring your village instead. Some families find having a housekeeper come in once or twice in the first few weeks at home can take a lot of pressure off them. They can keep the house clean and take care of the laundry / changing the bed etc. For more specialized support, you might consider hiring a postpartum doula. These amazing folks come to your home after you have the baby and support you in the early days and weeks as you get used to caring for your newborn. Postpartum doulas provide: Physical support Recovery from childbirth, whether vaginal or cesarean, takes time and care. A doula assists with healing practices, and provides comfort measures to help speed up recovery. They make you food, ensure you are getting adequate rest and help you troubleshoot what’s a normal part of the healing process and when medical help might be needed. Emotional support Adjusting to life with a newborn can be overwhelming. A postpartum doula offers emotional support, a listening ear, and reassurance both you and your partner, helping to ease the transition and reduce the risk of postpartum depression. Infant care assistance From diaper changing to swaddling, and bathing, a postpartum doula educates and assists with all aspects of newborn care as you need, allowing you to gain confidence in your parenting skills. Infant feeding support Whether you choose to breastfeed, bottle-feed, or a combination of both, a doula offers guidance, troubleshooting tips, and support to ensure a positive feeding experience for you and your baby. They also have resources for lactation consultants and other support if needed. Household help Light household duties, such as meal preparation, laundry, and tidying up, are part of a doula’s offerings, helping you to focus more on recovery and bonding with your baby. Night help Some doulas also work overnight, helping you with the baby at night. This can help maximize your nighttime sleep so you can be more awake to take care of your baby during the day. Want to hire a postpartum doula? I have some recommendations on my website.
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For many new parents, breastfeeding can be a source of anxiety and uncertainty. Will it go smoothly? How will I know if my baby is getting enough milk? What if I need help? In this article, we'll explore practical steps to prepare for breastfeeding success and where to find support when needed. Breastfeeding Preparation: Why Taking a Class MattersTaking a class while pregnant can help you to learn what to expect, how to get a good latch, how to know that your baby is enough as well as to troubleshoot what you will do if things aren’t going well at any point. Birth Class Seattle’s 4 hour newborn care class covers all this and more, Click here for more info on that. Finding Lactation Support: Your Lifeline in the Early Daysf things aren’t going well in the first days and weeks after birth, you’ll need the help of a lactation consultant. Most Seattle hospitals have lactation consultants you can meet with and I encourage you to ask for one while still in the hospital even if things are going well. After going home, it can be most helpful to receive lactation support in your own home. I encourage you to find a lactation consultant while still pregnant and put their name and number in your phone and on the fridge. That way you already know who to call when you’re sleep deprived and don’t want to make any decisions. I recommend the following out of hospital lactation consultants: Catherine Fenner IBCLC Betsy Hoffmeister IBCLC Joy Mctavish IBCLC Jocelyn Pierce IBCLC Connecting with Community: Breastfeeding Support GroupsBreastfeeding support groups can be a wonderful way to get general breastfeeding help while also building community with other breastfeeding parents.
Nurturing Expressions holds weekly support groups in West Seattle and Kitsap County Melody Hansen runs a monthly support group in the Wallingford neighborhood on the first Wednesday of every month La Leche League holds support groups throughout the Seattle area and beyond Breastfeeding is a journey of learning for both you and your baby. For most people it isn't instantly successful and putting together the right support before you begin your breastfeeding journey will help you on the road to success. |
AuthorEmma is a childbirth educator, prenatal birth and postpartum massage therapist, doula and overall pregnancy and childbirth junkie living and working in Seattle WA. She's British too which is where the tea bit come from. In England, if you want to have a chat with your friend about anything really, someone puts the kettle on for a nice cup of tea. It doesn't matter what the topic is, a nice cup of tea relaxes everyone, makes the conversation flow easier and generally makes everyone feel good. So you're invited to brew a cup of your favorite herbal tea, pull up a chair around Emma's kitchen table and let's have a good chat, (or chinwag as we say in the UK), about birthy stuff. Archives
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