One or two lines...these few minutes while waiting to see the result can be the longest ever. And the moment you see the positive result, you know that your life will change forever! You go through all the pregnancy roller coaster ride, you get into labor, and you give birth to your little bundle of joy. Having a baby on the way can be the most exciting and nerve-wracking experience one family can have.
It can be a little overwhelming at first, knowing that an actual living thing’s life will be 101% dependent on you. You have to make sure that everything is going to be okay, and every parent expecting a baby goes through the anxiety of whether they are doing enough for the new member of the family. In this article, we will give you a few tips that could benefit expecting parents.
Reading plan:
- Plan for your After-Birth Care
- Make checklists
- Read about breastfeeding
- Delegation is key!
- Rest and rest some more
- Take time to pamper yourself before your baby arrives
- Snap photos as much as you can
- Your baby will not need much
- Start accepting the fact that Parenthood is a 24/7 job
- Trust your gut
- Conclusion
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Plan for your After-Birth Care
Before anything else, make sure you give the TLC that your body needs to recover from the nine months of conceiving. Prepare the supplies you need for postpartum care, including postpartum pads, postpartum underwear, pain medicines, and ice pads. If you want to understand what are the most important postpartum products you might need, you can check our blog post about the 10 must-haves postpartum essentials we recommend.
You must prepare for and plan for the help you will need in the first few weeks after birth. It can be a bit overwhelming at first but rest assured, you can always ask for help from people around you.
In the hospital, you will be surrounded by experts that you can ask for help. You can ask the nurses to assist you and demonstrate to you the basics like burping your newborn, how to hold your baby, and even how to change the diapers. Most hospitals also have lactation experts and feeding specialists to help you get through your first few days of feeding or nursing your baby.
Family and friends are most often than not available and willing to help you. If you are comfortable with it, then by all means, get all the help you can use.
In the hospital, you will be surrounded by experts that you can ask for help. You can ask the nurses to assist you and demonstrate to you the basics like burping your newborn, how to hold your baby, and even how to change the diapers. Most hospitals also have lactation experts and feeding specialists to help you get through your first few days of feeding or nursing your baby.
Family and friends are most often than not available and willing to help you. If you are comfortable with it, then by all means, get all the help you can use.
Make checklists
Checklists are essential, especially for expecting parents. Make checklists for your hospital bag, for your home supplies for when you go home with your little one, and for the baby furniture you will need for the first few months. The checklists will help you ensure that you have all you will need when the baby comes, and you will have enough supplies to make it through until your next trip to the store (which may take a while!).
Please, share this blog post with your friends, on social media or other parents-to-be. You can follow us on the social media channels we use the most like Pinterest and Instagram or join our VIP Moms Club for moms who want to receive great offers for our newest products on Amazon and Etsy!
Blessings,
Wallecom Team
Read about breastfeeding
This will help you decide if you will exclusively breastfeed, mix-feed, or formula-feed your baby. As they say, breastmilk is best for babies, but the most important thing is your baby is fed – whether it’s breastmilk, formula milk, or mixed. You have to understand that even if breastfeeding is the most natural thing in the world, it is not the easiest thing to do.
Delegation is key!
Whether it’s just between you or your spouse or with your family and friends, PLEASE delegate tasks that others can do. You will be surprised how many people are actually willing and excited to help you in this exciting part of your life.
Rest and rest some more
This may be one of the best tips you can take as expecting parents. Try your best to get as much rest, and relaxation before your little one finally comes – because it is an understatement to say that you will have countless sleepless nights in the days to come.
Take time to pamper yourself before your baby arrives
Watch a movie. Have a haircut. Get a manicure and a pedicure. Go to a spa. Treat yourself. Nothing is better than making yourself feel good and look good. You can try new activities like swimming for pregnant women or drawing. The first 2-3 months in the postpartum period are rarely the best time to try new activities. Many mothers are tired, “swimming in emotions” and busy with the baby.
Snap photos as much as you can
Taking photos of your pregnancy journey until the time when your baby arrives will make everything more memorable. You can just look back on these photos and see how far you’ve come, how great you’ve grown, and how much you’ve changed in this wonderful milestone in your life.
Your baby will not need much
Buying things for your baby can be very exciting and overwhelming as well. But you have to know that your baby does not need a lot! Do not stack up on one sized clothing as your baby will jump to the next size in the blink of an eye.
Of course, do not buy too many things. Your friends and loved ones will also be as excited to buy presents for the new member of the family. You will get many presents and you do not want to receive products that you have spent money on. You will need to set aside a budget for diapers and other essentials. You do not know if you will be able to feed your baby with real breast milk or you will have to buy baby formula.
Of course, do not buy too many things. Your friends and loved ones will also be as excited to buy presents for the new member of the family. You will get many presents and you do not want to receive products that you have spent money on. You will need to set aside a budget for diapers and other essentials. You do not know if you will be able to feed your baby with real breast milk or you will have to buy baby formula.
Start accepting the fact that Parenthood is a 24/7 job
It is not going to be easy, but each sleepless night will definitely be worth it. Each and every parent has a different experience, a different journey. Stop comparing, and start appreciating. Some people may have it easy, some people may not, but in the end, it is all about making your child feel safe, happy, healthy, and comfortable.
Trust your gut
Listen to your intuition. Every parent has it differently, and all you can do is trust your gut when making decisions about you and your child. Parenthood does not come with an instruction manual, and that is why you have your instinct to guide you in this wonderful process. Relax and take a deep breath.
There are a lot of resources for new parents that can help you take that anxiety off your chest. Many people will be willing to help you, and there are also a lot of experts who can share their experience and know-how on parenthood and its quirks. Read on these resources:
There are a lot of resources for new parents that can help you take that anxiety off your chest. Many people will be willing to help you, and there are also a lot of experts who can share their experience and know-how on parenthood and its quirks. Read on these resources:
- ‘Expecting Better’ by Emily Oster, published by Orion
- ‘The Modern Midwife’s Guide to Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond' by Marie Louise, published by Ebury Publishing
- ‘The Concerns and Interests of Expectant and New Parents: Assessing Learning Needs’ by Jane Svensson, PhD, MPH, CM, Lesley Barclay, PhD, MEd, CM, and Margaret Cooke, PhD, CM
One last piece of advice – I do not know if you believe in God, but Jesus was the one who supported me while I was giving birth. Long story short, I was lying naked, prepared for a C-section. Right there, at this moment, I was praying so hard…I wanted to give a normal birth, not doctors cutting through my stomach. And after 60 minutes, the doctors came, out of the blue, and told me: “Put your clothes on, there are other women who with emergence cases!”. After that, I was able to deliver normally. It was a minor miracle, but I know that Christ heard my prayers. So…if you have not prayed before, it might be a good moment to try!
Conclusion
Many mothers read about the time in the hospital, the delivery process and forget that this is a short period. The time after they get home is much longer and often underestimated. There are other things that most future parents forget and we hope that this blog post was able to give you some great advices on how to prepare yourself for the upcoming events.
Please, share this blog post with your friends, on social media or other parents-to-be. You can follow us on the social media channels we use the most like Pinterest and Instagram or join our VIP Moms Club for moms who want to receive great offers for our newest products on Amazon and Etsy!
Blessings,
Wallecom Team
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