NEWBORNS

Having a new baby is a big change. 

Mothers experience a wealth of emotions when they have a new baby, mainly due to the hormone changes that are going on in their body. Having the responsibility of a little one can be overwhelming. A range of emotions can be expected. You may be physically and mentally exhausted from the birth, suffer from some pain and tiredness, feel happy that labor is over, relieved your baby is ok, sad that the labor was not what you expected, feel joyful and be tearful. You can also have a combination of emotions!

Healthychildren.org is a great website for parents written by pediatricians and has a good article explaining the difference between baby blues and depression and when to seek help.

https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/prenatal/delivery-beyond/Pages/understanding-motherhood-and-mood-baby-blues-and-beyond.aspx

Bringing your baby home from the hospital, can all seem a bit overwhelming. The 4 weeks after the birth is sometimes called the 4th trimester, this is the time that you and your baby will begin to get to know each other.  It is all new and life as a new mom takes time to adjust. Dressing your baby can seem complicated at first! Feeding, pumping, countless diapers and lack of sleep can take its toll. Take it slowly- there is no rush. And no routine. There will be days when you do not have time to take a shower, you have not changed out of your pj’s and that’s ok!!

It takes compromise and negotiation with your partner about how your roles will alter with a baby.

So how can I help you?

We can chat about bonding with your baby. What does that mean? Communication- many moms are uncomfortable and don’t know how to talk to their baby. What do you say to them? If you have not been around babies, it can all feel a bit strange. Communication includes the cues (the signs) your baby is giving you. Your baby cannot speak but she can tell you if she is hungry, full, or tired.  

Why is my baby crying?

What is normal development? What is tummy time? Separation anxiety- when does that happen?

We can discuss feeding (the basics) and sleeping. What is sleep regression?

We talk about being reflective and not reactive. How can you keep calm if your baby is crying.  Most parents are triggered by their crying baby and learning how to cope with that can be hard.

Lots of thoughts surface when we have a baby- we think about our childhood, our relationship with our parents, the future for our baby and of course, the juggling of roles and expectations from your partner and  the work/ life balance.

Having a baby is not always joyful, it can be stressful and challenging, and it can be messy with uncertainty. It helps to talk about your feelings.