07/13/2021
Birth is hard work! Not only for the person pushing the baby out but also for the baby! It’s not so easy navigating your way out through a birth canal while being squeezed and pushed by the uterus that was keeping you warm and dark! Or imagine minding your own business and along comes a surgeon with a knife to cut open your home and pull you out into a bright cold room! Some babies are really really sleepy for the first 24 hours and all they need is skin to skin and comfort of continuing to hear your heartbeat and the smell of you. Did you know that your areolas have glands that secrete a smell that imitates your amniotic fluid. It helps babies find the breast because their sight is not great at first. You might also notice your areolas became darker in pregnancy!
The fourth trimester starts at birth & is about as long as the other trimesters of pregnancy. It is your time to recover, rest, heal & figure out your new role caring for a completely dependent little person. When we say “sleep when the baby sleeps” we know you can’t literally do that every time but do try to remember that you both need recovery time. Don’t be afraid to delegate your other tasks, ask friends and/or family to help without a second thought. We weren’t meant to do it alone, we were meant to be supported and cared for while we nurture new life. Another thing I love to suggest is rather than that fancy $300 baby gadget, spend that on a postpartum doula who can provide you with support, help, knowledge & care! Also enjoy these adorable pictures of Claire falling asleep at her newborn photo shoot! 📸 credit Hand Wash Only Photography
