First time mom labor and After Birth Journey mother and baby
Okay, new moms… it’s first time mom labor and birth reality check-are you ready?! When it comes to planning for birth, preparing for birth, and managing labor pain, there is a lot that is a myth, fact, and just wishful thinking. It’s important for you, both mentally and physically, to know the difference!
A wonderful way to get the real scoop on pregnancy is through childbirth classes, and before you say that you don’t have time, there are online options at Birth Class At Home! These classes provide a wealth of straightforward information that lays all the cards out on the table for you–in a nice, straight, line.
For your benefit, and to give you a taste of the insights available in childbirth classes, I’ve put together a shortlist of labor and birth must-knows for any new mom.
5 Tips for the first time mom labor pain and Delivery Easier
- Guess What? You Can’t Plan Everything
It’s a tough pill to swallow, I know, but it’s the truth and the ones who will wholeheartedly agree are the very same nurses who will be there with you in the delivery room. They’ve seen it all, and I’m going to be deferring to their expertise several times throughout this article.
Almost all nurses will tell you that while it’s important to have a general idea of how you want your labor and birth to go down, it’s also really important to remain open, flexible, and to listen to your care provider. There isn’t one of them that doesn’t want to see this thing go off without a hitch-they are there for you and there’s only so much you can plan that their infinite experience can’t trump.
- Plan Less, Prepare More
This is where the importance of childbirth classes becomes your guiding light towards a safe, healthy, and infinitely easier labor and birth. No matter what your busy schedule is, it’s really important to carve out time to either physically go to a childbirth class, or to research how you can take childbirth classes online, at your own pace. I highly recommend picking up a class that goes over all the possibilities of situations that may arise and place an emphasis on labor pain management.
- Be Realistic About Labor Pain
And if this is your first pregnancy, then you need to prepare and be open-minded. Education is key to making informed decisions. This preparation is solely for your own benefit as it may very well come to pass that the pain is just too much.
At that point, you may screech a resounding “YES!” to the epidural and you need to know that that’s okay-every pregnancy is unique, and you need to be open to the fact that you don’t know until you know. But you also need to know how to manage pain until that point and also what the risks and benefits are to the procedure.
If it’s your intention to go through labor and birth un-medicated, know that it is the safest route with the least amount of risks. If having an unmedicated birth is very important to you, then I stress again that childbirth classes are the way to go, as they will teach you how to manage labor pain effectively.
- Communication with Your Doctor is KEY
Both before, and during, your labor and birth, do not feel hesitant to ask questions. Before birth, discuss any “planning” that you might be doing with your doctor to ensure that all of your birth plans are realistic and can actually even be executed-it’s better to know in advance! Also, discuss what your expectations are for labor pain and how you want to handle it.
- Help Your Nurses Help You
First, I always suggest to would-be moms to bake cookies in early labor and take them to give to the labor and delivery nursing staff. If it’s Girl Scout cookie time, take boxes of those. You will automatically make yourself very popular when you arrive bearing cookies!
During first time mom labor, your nurses will be able to answer any questions that you may have and will be willing to explain all things so you’re making informed choices.
They will be even more helpful if you arrive with your written birth plan and any specifics about your health history or your intention for your birth.
Don’t forget, if you are not getting along with your nurse for whatever reason, ask for a new nurse. You need to feel as safe and supported as possible.
Well, there you have it-be prepared, keep the “birth plans” reasonable, flexible. Be realistic about labor pain and count on the unexpected. Communicate ahead of time and discuss each detail with your care provider! You can be relaxed and prepared by signing up for online childbirth classes.
The best time to start your childbirth classes is in your 5th or 6th month, but it’s never too late. Don’t wait. Get started right away. Your labor and birth will be easier when you’ve “got the scoop” way ahead of time!
Mother and Baby: Surviving the First 24 Hours
Congratulations! Nine months have come and gone and the moment you have been waiting for has arrived; your new little one has made it safely. Now what?
While it certainly is quite exciting to welcome your new child to the world, many mothers are shocked by the experience that follows the arrival of their new little one. Before your little one arrives, prepare yourself for those first 24 hours to make it a less daunting experience.
After you go through the delivery and both mother and baby are fine, take a deep breath and take in the experience. Many first-time mothers feel that they are overwhelmed right after they have their baby and it’s no wonder; between the feeding, the changing, the crying, the lack of sleep and the drastic changes to your body, new moms are running on a short fuse and can easily become overburdened.
In order to survive those first 24 hours, rely on the help of others, and don’t be afraid to ask for help when needed. The doctors and nurses are full of useful information and are more than happy to help. Look to your partner and other loved ones for support, too. They love you and they love the baby and will only be too happy to help.
Breastfeeding Mothers Need to Stand Up for Their Brand – Mother’s Milk vs Formula
Modern mothers seem to be wavering in their loyalty to their own brand of milk which is delivered mainly through breastfeeding their babies. Thanks to the brilliant marketing strategies of the formula companies, they seem to be questioning the biological truth that human milk is for human babies.
They have been led to believe that the way they feed their baby is a choice. The widespread availability of artificial baby milk has added to their anxiety and worry about whether they will be able to produce enough of their own milk to successfully breastfeed.
Even if they believe that the breast is best, they will often succumb to pressure from family, friends, and the medical establishment and begin to add the formula into the diet of their breastfeeding baby.
Breast milk is a living fluid that contains so many amazing and dynamic constituents that it is difficult to itemize all of them. It cannot be exactly duplicated in a lab as it is slightly different from one mother to the next. Each mother produces milk which contains antibodies that will help to boost the immune system of her baby.
The flavor profile of her milk reflects her diet and will influence how her baby develops its palate for solid foods. It packs a punch in concentrated amounts. This allows the baby to get its nutrients in proportion to the size and capacity of its stomach. Gradually the amounts taken in will increase as there is room.
The formula, although the name sounds scientific, is just processed food. It is always the same except when the “additives” and “chemical formulations” are periodically changed to generate some kind of brand loyalty among members of the medical establishment and consumers. Whether you give one ounce or twenty ounces, essentially the only thing that changes is the calorie count.
Comparing breast milk and formula is like trying to compare apples and oranges. They are both fruit, but the taste, texture, and impact on digestion will vary. You could never tell if you were allergic to apples by eating oranges.
When both kinds of milk are mixed together in the same stomach any negative reaction will generally be blamed on the mysterious breast milk, rather than on the cow or soy-based artificial baby milk.
Formulas are produced by large and powerful drug companies. They are masters of marketing their products. Unfortunately, any efforts by government bodies or individuals to promote breastfeeding and breast milk seem to pale in comparison.
How to Choose the Best Baby Formula
As every health care provider and therefore the World Health Organization will tell you, the simplest sort of baby milk is breast milk.
However, for various reasons, breastfeeding is not always possible. The mother or baby could also be ill after the birth, or perhaps the baby had to be in an incubator for a short time and will not feed. Maybe the mother didn’t manage to breastfeed, or her work situation didn’t allow it.
New mothers often take a long time to get breast milk or whatever comes with it does not enough for baby. Then the baby is given the formula from the hospital.
Whatever the reason, there’s an answer for babies who aren’t ready to breastfeed – which is baby formula. There is an entire sort of baby formulas on the market – from soy baby formula to organic baby formula, manufactured by various different companies. If you’ve got decided to bottle-feed your baby, the question is which is that the best infant formula for you?
Milk or Soy Baby Formula? Similac strong moms rewards
Mostly, the baby formula is split into two main types – milk-based and soy formula. Although one shouldn’t provide a baby actual cow’s milk until the age of a year, the milk in the formula has been weakened and modified in order that the baby can digest it easily.
Over the years, scientists have done whatever they will develop a baby formula that resembles the nutrients in breast milk as far as possible.
Hence, the formula for babies contains various minerals and nutrients that your baby needs. In the case of milk formula, these nutrients are taken from cow’s milk and specifically adapted to fit your baby’s immature digestion.
If there’s a history of milk allergies in your family, you’ll need a lactose free baby formula. The most common of those is soy formula, which is predicated on soya and contains many added vitamins and nutrients.
As cow’s milk formula is usually considered to be preferable if you think that using it might be a possible problem you ought to consult closely together with your healthcare professional to make sure that you simply are giving your baby the foremost suitable formula that you can.
Once you have made your choice of formula, you should make sure that you buy the type that is most suitable for your baby’s age. Most formulas are sold according to stages.
The first stage is typically for babies up to 6 months, the second stage is for a year, and therefore the third stage is for babies over a year. In this way, the baby receives the right nutrients in accordance to their stage of development. Do your best to stay to the right formula stage. If you switch too early, you may find that your baby will become constipated.
Other Factors For Feeding Baby
There are many companies on the market that sell baby formula, including Wyeth, Nestle, Similac, and more. Similac formula is one among the oldest, having been alive since the 1920s, and other established companies have also been around a while.
It is not always very easy to settle on a brand of formula. Some of even the foremost famous companies are shrouded in controversy thanks to their excessive and sometimes dishonest ways of selling infants’ formula in developing countries.
And in Israel, which is a developed country, a terrible tragedy occurred several years ago when a popular company sold formula that lacked Vitamin B1 due to an unknown production malfunction. As a result, several babies died from beriberi, while others were left permanently disabled.
Another factor to require into consideration is baby formula prices, which may be quite high, especially within the beginning when it’s your baby’s sole source of food. The cheap baby formula might make things easier on your family’s budget, but the question is whether or not it’s still good for your baby.
On the opposite hand, if you discover two formulas made by different companies with an equivalent nutritional composition, but one is cheaper than the opposite, you’d probably choose the one that is less expensive. At an equivalent time, your decision cannot only be supported by financial considerations.
Choosing the simplest formula for a baby is therefore not always such a simple decision. While you are still in the hospital, you may receive a whole load of baby formula samples, which can confuse you even further. (This depends on where you live, though, as marketing newborn formula has become illegal in some countries.) You may choose to rely on your friends’ recommendations.
However, the best way to handle the situation is to ask your healthcare professional for independent advice that is purely based on health issues and is untainted by any form of marketing bias.
Once you have chosen a baby formula, you need to learn how to make sure that the bottles are sterilized, watch the expiry date, and follow the instructions on the packet very precisely.
Healthy Eating Habits for Healthy Moms and Babies
A nourishing diet is crucial for breastfeeding moms because they are the vesicles of nutrients at a time when crucial physical and psychological developments are taking place in their babies.
The fewer toxins and preservatives you allow into your system while breastfeeding, the better your baby’s chance of developing into a strong child and later adult. If you are a new or expecting mom, here are a few tips for maintaining an optimally healthy diet and baby:
- Stay hydrated: It is important to stay hydrated when (if) you are breastfeeding. Drinking lots of water will help you replenish the fluid you lose from breastfeeding. Drink at least 8 if not more glasses of water a day.
- Eat your fruits and veggies: All of the vitamins and nutrients we need to support physical development and maintain our immune systems are found in fruits and veggies, and the greener the better. Babies need as many nutrients as they can get, so you need to make sure your body is a vitamin temple.
- Avoid the processed food trap: Processed food is a major danger to new mothers because it is an easy alternative when they are tired and lacking energy, but it can be very harmful both to mom and baby. Processed food drains you of energy, fills your body with unhealthy preservatives, and weakens your immune system. All of these negative health benefits are then transmitted to your breastfeeding baby.
- Make a plan: Healthy eating requires conscious planning, and this is especially true when you have an infant. A new baby can be a new set of stresses that you have never experienced, and this can throw you off and make you susceptible to developing bad eating habits. Work with your partner to develop a grocery shopping and meal plan of action that facilitates nutritious eating. Make lists, use a weekly meal planner, or make healthy food in bulk and deep freeze it. However, you decide to do it, being organized about your eating habits will help you eat healthier.
7 Money-Saving Strategies for New Moms and Dads
Infants are wonderful, and at the very same time, all of us know they’re a little bit costly. You adore that little package of happiness, however, it appears like there’s always something new to get! Let’s face it – babies can be tough on the funds. Here are 7 money-saving suggestions for getting those essential baby products.
- This is pretty simple however it’s an excellent warm-up for saving money. Some mothers receive duplicate products as shower or new-baby presents. If you receive 2 or three of something, keep the nicest one and return or exchange the various other(s) for those baby products you still require.
- Be brilliant when you’re getting a stroller. A stroller must be safe, light-weight, and comfortable for your baby, have a reclining seatback, and be able to deal with uneven surfaces. There’s no need to invest an arm and a leg on a costly design with all the bells and whistles. Instead, look for a lower-end design made by a manufacturer with great evaluations. You can include the accessories and additions you require as you require them.
Consider what you’ll be doing with the stroller. If you are a runner, then obtain a jogging stroller. Otherwise, it’s not necessary. If you intend to use it only for browsing the clothing isles at the shopping center, a narrow and low-cost umbrella stroller might be answered.
- Consider breastfeeding. It’s an alternative that’s healthier for your baby as well as lets you save $20 to $40 every week in formula costs. And if you are breastfeeding, you possibly don’t require a pricey breast pump. It’s a pricey item that you only require for a short time. You can consider renting out one from the medical facility or a local baby shop. And you will absolutely wish to have breastfeeding covers. The best ones are big muslin cotton and can be located on Amazon by the Lambie & Me brand.
- Dress your baby pleasantly however not in high fashion. The most recent styles of baby clothing might be charming, however, they’re no comfier compared to more economical conventional cotton knit gowns or t-shirts. Your baby won’t care what she or he is using or the styles as long as it’s comfortable. I suggest having 2-3 “great” clothing sets available for outings or church, however, overlook all the fluff– it’s truly unnecessary and uneasy for your baby.
- Buy a little extra-large baby clothing. Infants outgrow their clothing extremely quickly, however you can extend your spending plan by buying baby clothes that are a couple of dimensions to huge. Your baby will grow into them swiftly, and you’ll save a bunch of money.
- Patronize consignment shops. This is where you locate the attire that is barely worn since babies outgrow them so swiftly. This is also where you can locate furniture, toys, and various other products that are on your list to get.
- Rather than getting a pricey baby diaper bag, make use of a large shoulder bag you already have. Large shoulder bags make fantastic baby diaper bags. The majority offer you lots of room and plenty of internal compartments to save all your baby’s needs.
These 7 money-saving suggestions for parents can help you invest your money sensibly and lower your baby-related expenditures. Before making any sort of purchases|, stop and consider whether your baby truly needs them, and if they do, whether the low-cost or pre-owned choice is a better answer.
And if you are a future new mother and examining what is necessary, sign up with some new mommy groups on Facebook and ask others that have walked the path prior to you.
Sex and the Breastfeeding Mom
Is breastfeeding compatible with healthy sex life? Of course, it is! Sex may be the last thing on a new mother’s mind, whether or not she breastfeeds. But eventually, those familiar desires will return, and parents of a breastfed baby might find themselves with a new set of concerns intruding into their intimate relations.
Decreased Libido
A nursing mother may find that her sexual desire does not return for quite a while following the baby’s birth. This is hardly surprising, considering the usual state of sleep deprivation. The hormones that produce milk can interfere with the libido as well. And after a day of nursing, a woman may feel “touched out” and consider her partner’s desire for intimacy as just another chore.
New moms’ thoughts usually center on the baby, and it can be difficult to shift those mental gears during the first few months. Fathers should understand that this is normal, and shouldn’t push a new mother to have sex before she’s ready.
Doing so can build resentment and anger. Instead, re-acquaint yourselves with each other by cuddling, giving massages, and participating in other activities that don’t necessarily lead to intercourse.
Night Nursing and Co-Sleeping
It’s hard to concentrate on sexual enjoyment when a tiny baby sleeps nearby. Every movement or sound that the baby makes becomes a distraction, and it never fails that just when things start to heat up, the baby wakes for a feeding.
The solution may be a change of scenery – the bedroom isn’t the only possible location for sexual pleasure. Being interrupted, however, is just a fact of life for parents. It happens whether the baby is five months or five years of age; you’ll adjust.
Further complicating matters, many parents choose to co-sleep with the baby. Instead of sleeping with the baby between the parents, consider a “sidecar” arrangement. Some cribs can be tucked up against the side of the bed with one rail removed, and attached securely so there isn’t a gap. When the baby is older, he can sleep on the outside of the bed next to a sturdy rail.
You might also consider putting the baby to bed in his own crib at bedtime, and bringing him into your bed if he wakes later in the night. This gives you ample opportunity for a “couple time” before the baby needs your company.
Decreased Lubrication
Due to the hormones involved in lactation, mothers may find a reduction in lubrication during sexual intercourse. This can cause pain and discomfort, but it’s easy to solve. Several lubricants are available for intimate use – KY Jelly, Astroglide, and Replens are some products made specifically for this purpose. Don’t use petroleum-based products such as Vaseline, especially if using a condom.
Traveling with a baby checklist on airplane
Let-Down Reflex
Especially during the first several months of breastfeeding, mothers may find that it takes very little to trigger a let-down. Nipple stimulation during sex or sexual pleasure itself may cause the breasts to leak milk – often in quantity.
It’s quite normal to find yourself in a puddle of milk after sex (gives new meaning to the “wet spot”, doesn’t it?) Put down a towel before you begin. Some men are put-off by this phenomenon; others see it as an incredible turn-on.
If it becomes bothersome, leave your bra on with breast pads inserted. Spontaneous let-downs, no matter what the trigger, will diminish over time.
Birth Control
Breastfeeding itself is a form of birth control if certain guidelines are met. It’s called the “Lactational Amennhorea Method”, and to make it work, you have to breastfeed exclusively (no bottles or solids), breastfeed at least once during the night, and not resume menstruation.
After six months, or if these conditions aren’t completely met, another form of birth control is needed. The one you choose depends on just how important it is to prevent pregnancy.
The Bottom Line
Parenthood requires a lot of adjustments for a couple, but it’s also an opportunity for growth. As with most other parts of parenting, keeping a healthy sex life after the baby’s arrival requires cooperation, sensitivity, and a good sense of humor.
Intimacy is important to a good relationship, but intercourse isn’t the only way to achieve it. This time in your lives can be frustrating and challenging, but babies are little for such a short time. Enjoy it while it lasts.
