"...according to La Leche League, feeding a newborn takes forty hours a week or more. You'll change multiple diapers a day, wash several loads of laundry, and you will handle these new responsibilities in a sleep-deprived state." (p. 219)
Postpartum Plan
"The things that help most are fairly low tech and designed to get your basic needs met: sleeping, eating, connecting with your baby, and making sure that your emotional support system is strong." (p. 220)
"Usually it takes at least three to five months (but sometimes longer) to establish a pattern...first long nighttime sleep (five to six hours)." (p. 220)
"...sleep when your baby sleeps." (p. 222)
"If you are serious about sleep and can budget for it, night nurses, overnight nannies, and nighttime postpartum doulas are available to lovingly handle your baby through much of the night. They also help teach you about healthy sleep routines, scheduling options, swaddling, and other skills. Consider hiring a service for even one night a week through several weeks or asking a friend or relative to do an overnight." (p. 224)
"...stay in bed until (you) amassed the correct amount of (sleep) hours..." (p. 225)
"SLEEP, DEPRESSION, AND WELL-BEING
Up to 85 percent of all new mothers in the U.S. experience postpartum 'blues' during the first ten days or so after birth...during the first twelve months, between 10 and 20 percent of new mothers, as many as 850,000 women in the U.S., experience diagnosable postpartum depression. Sleep Disorders in Women: A Guide to Practical Management (Current Clinical Neurology), 'Increased sleep, which can be improved with daytime activities such as light exposure and exercise, may be more therapeutic in treating the depressed state than counseling, psychotherapy or antidepressant medication.'...being in labor during the night, coupled with sleep disruption at the end of pregnancy, might result in a higher incidence of postpartum blues. ...survey 2007 called 'Sleep in America,' National Sleep Foundation...'Poor sleep is associated with poor mood.' Among postpartum women in the study, 42 percent report that they rarely or never get a good night's sleep...what awakens them most during the nigt, 90 percent of postpartum women say giving care to a child. Nearly one-half of postpartum women say that they have no one helping them with child care at night. Sleep also helps strengthen your emerging role as a primary caretaker. ...2007...Journal of Perinatal & Neonatal Nursing...four overlapping stages...'committing, attaching and preparing for the infant during pregnancy; becoming acquainted and attached with the infant, including learning how to car for the infant and restoring maternal health; moving toward a 'new normal'; and achieving a maternal identity.'" (p. 226-227)
"You need protein, carbohydrates, fresh fruits, vegetables, and calcium in the form of tasty, healthy snacks...this is not the time to diet. You need energy! ...before you have the baby, prepare some simple dishes that can be doubled--lasagna, burritos, soups, potpies--and freeze the extra portions. Stock up on simple, nutritious foods: yogurt, baby carrots, fruits, nuts, hard-boiled eggs." (p. 227-228)
CHORES
"Decide in advance who is planning to come 'visit' and who is planning to come 'help.' The visitors can wait a few weeks until you've gotten to know your new baby..." (p. 228)
"...you are not a hostess right now." (p. 229)
STAY CONNECTED (Personally, I like BSF. It is a wonderful way for moms to get and stay connected with other women.)
YOUR RELATIONSHIP
"...2000...Journal of Family Psychology...two-thirds of couples experience a significant decline in marriage satisfaction--including less-frequent or less-satisfying sex, more conflict, and more emotional distance--after the first baby arrives." (p. 230)
"...most studies suggest men want sex--and more of it--shortly after birth while women need more time." (p. 231)
"When your body has recovered, sex--even quick, less-than-fabulous sex--can help give both of you a viseral memory of the romance of life before kids. When you're ready, start thinking about regular date nights." (p. 232)
CALL IN THE EXPERTS
"If harmonizing your sleep, meals, chores, and key relationships still seems too overwhelming, look into hiring a postpartum doula." (p. 232)
"Postpartum doulas charge around $25 to $40 an hour in big U.S. cities." (p. 232)
WHEN THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENS
"One in three women in the U.S. now gives birth by cesarean section, major surgery that significantly lengthens postpartum recovery time. These mothers won't be able to drive for about a month and lifting will be difficult for some time. In this situation it is even more important to have backup help. Doulas will give you ideas on how to get this support, for instance a father might be eligible for a longer family medical leave from work if the mother underwent surgery." (p. 234)
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