The weeks after giving birth are such a blur. It’s a beautiful time and a period of your life you’lll replay in your head over and over when your baby has all grown up, but when you’re in it it’s so hard. You’re healing, running on scraps of sleep and trying to keep up with a baby that needs you all the time. If it’s your first, you’re also learning everything there is to know from scratch, and a lot of the time many of us do this with less support than we’d like. There’s no single thing that makes this time easy, but a few smart choices do take the edge off and are worth investing in if you’re able to do so.
Food
Food is the biggest thing to get right. If you were super organised you might have batch cooked some meals before you had your baby, but if you didnt get the chance then you’ll probably find yourself scrabbling around wondering what to eat. When you’re tired and sore it’s so tempting to reach for toast or cereal, but proper meals are what help your body heal and give you enough energy to get through the night feeds. Subscribing to a meal kit service like Hello Fresh Gousto is one option, you do still have to do some cooking but all of the prep is done and ingredients delivered to your door so it’s a bit easier. If you can afford it, finding a healthy place that does takeaway could get you through the first few weeks without having to cook. Try and choose nutritious things and order each evening so everything arrives hot and fresh with no hassle.Snacks matter just as much as meals because you often don’t get time to sit down. Keep a drawer or basket filled with things you can eat one handed. Cheese and crackers, yogurt pots, boiled eggs, banana bread etc. If you do have support, people like helping and so if friends, family and neighbours offer to bring you food then that can be a huge help.
A cleaner
One of the easiest wins is paying for a cleaner if you can. Even a fortnightly visit from a company like Sparkly Maid means you’ve got someone to tackle bathrooms, kitchen and floors keeps the house feeling liveable. That way when your baby sleeps you can rest yourself instead of having to worry about what jobs need to be done around the house. If money’s tighter, book a one off deep clean before the baby arrives and then just focus on little daily resets.
Feeding help
Whether you’re breastfeeding or using bottles, some extra support is never going to be a bad thing when you have a new baby. A lactation consultant can make the early weeks a lot less painful. If you’re bottle feeding, buy enough bottles to last the whole day so you’re not stuck endlessly scrubbing at the sink. A night caddy with bottles, muslins and snacks saves stumbling around half asleep.
Looking after your body
Once you’ve had the all clear, a session with a women’s health physio is money well spent. Learning how to use your breath and core again makes a huge difference when you’re picking up the baby a hundred times a day. A visit to a hairdresser once a week to have a wash and blow dry doesnt cost the earth and can leave you feeling a lot more refreshed and like yourself again after a baby. And some nice little comforts are always good too, soft clothes and pjs and some pampering skin and hair products are great to use as and when you can