What to Remember When You Get Home from the Hospital

So, you just had a baby. Chances are, you’re feeling a little loopy. Your body is still very much reeling over the major life event that has taken place. Your adrenaline is still pumping. You might have medications still in your system. You’re overjoyed, you’re in shock, you’re in love. There are so many things to be feeling that it might seem impossible to get any thinking done.

But, the first 4 days of postpartum are incredibly important. There are several things that need to be done during this transitional period, whether they involve self-care, baby care, or hospital paperwork. We’ve gone ahead and compiled a list of these things to act as a guide to your first few days as a new mom. This way, you can do less thinking, less remembering or researching, and more cooing at your new baby. Let’s look at the list:

SELF-CARE

Rest, rest, rest

If there’s one thing you’ll hear about postpartum is: you need to rest. The more you can rest your body the more your body can fully recover. You need to rest especially in the first two weeks. While I was postpartum I heard the same but never get a clear explanation why. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

So here’s why: your placenta is the about 8.5 diameter, the size of your dinner plate inside your uterus. When that ‘dinner plate’ leaves that’s when postpartum begins. The dinner plate wound is what takes approximately 6 – 8 weeks to completely close. And that’s why it’s important that the first days/ weeks home is all about ‘rest’. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

If you’re are in your third trimester now is the time to line up help. Who will quarantine with you before baby comes? Can they cook or help with chores? If there are siblings’ line up help for them as well. ⠀

Another way to guarantee your rest is to take things slow. Your baby needs lots of love, lots of cuddle. Take your time settle in, find your grove and rest. Remember it took 9–10 months to grow a baby, healing will take time.

Heal

And speaking of healing. After birth, you’ll definitely need to give your body time to heal. If you had an episiotomy, tear, or a c-section your healing will be a little longer. No matter the type of birth or ailment you have, give your body time to do that, don’t rush it, you’re going no where no time soon. And, here’s the thing with healing you don’t need to sit and live through pain. Our postpartum recovery kit has five products to help you speed up your healing and recovery. Our postpartum kit addresses the emotional, physical and mental aspect of healing no matter if you gave birth vaginally or via c section. New Mom self-care tip: midday baths are highly recommended — so pour yourself a bath and soak in our herbal sitz bath. A sitz bath is like making tea in your bathtub, only you’re the tea bag. Ours is made with organic healing herbs such as shepherd’s purse, yarrow flower, sage and comfrey leaf. Together they slow bleeding, soothes and relieves pain discomfort from tears, soreness and swelling.

Tending to your internal wounds is at the top of the list for self-care in the days following the birth of your new baby. But there are also external wounds that needs time to heal as well. The emotional aspect of postpartum as your process your birth story will have an effect on you mentally as well. So be kind to yourself, listen to your body, and give yourself time and grace.

Communicate your needs.

Even though you’ve just gotten home from the hospital, it’s not uncommon for family members to be knocking down the door to see the new baby. If you didn’t quite talk to everyone about boundaries and guidelines for baby visits ahead of time, it’s time to have that talk now. Maybe your comfort level and needs have changed, too, and that’s okay. But making sure everyone is on the same page will make your first few days postpartum much easier. It’s hard to get the rest you need if you’re feeling uncomfortable. So speak up, or have a partner or close family member relay messages. In the end, this time is about you and your baby and the bonding relationship you two are growing together. Everything else can wait.

BABY-CARE

Resting, latching, and bonding.

Like with your postpartum body, your teeny tiny baby has been through quite a lot. They’re tired. Most of all, they’re experiencing a lot of new things. Air, your skin, your breath, your house, your family member’s voices. They’re learning how to eat, whether it’s via your breast or a bottle. That’s new for them, and they’re learning how to use their mouths the best way possible. It can be tricky, and they can get frustrated. And yes — they cry. They need to know that everything is okay, and you’re there to be that reassurance for them. So during these first few postpartum days, you’re resting together. Getting to learn more about one another, and bonding.

Your baby’s umbilical cord will also be a delicate spot on their body for a bit. Small amounts of blood around the area is normal. You’ll be seeing a doctor in the coming days, so you will be able to voice any concerns about the cord area at that appointment. Typically, though, this healing process is a breeze and goes by without any issues. The cord usually falls off between one to two weeks after birth. Even then, it’s important to keep the area clean and dry.

PAPERWORK

The first doctor’s visit.

Many first time moms are surprised at how much paperwork needs to happen at the hospital and in the days to follow birth. Between the birth certificate, hospital bills and patient forms, Social Security registration, new patient’s paperwork for the pediatrician, lactation class registration, and more (props to those who have multiples!) there’s a lot to take care of.

What’s more, most hospitals require that you have a pediatrician lined up along with a wellness appointment scheduled within 48–72 hours. Ensuring that all new moms babies are checked in on is great, but it doesn’t mean we can’t complain about having to make that first trip away from the house. Particularly if you had an episiotomy or tearing, the last thing you may want to do is drive in a vehicle and sit in a waiting room with your new baby. You’re still sore! If you’re able to, bring your partner or family member to help carry the baby in and out of the doctor’s office for you. Carrying a heavy car seat, if you can avoid it, is the last thing your hips need right now. Ask for help!

With COVID in full effect, your first doctors appointment will look different. Here’s one scenario: when you arrive at the office someone will come out or you’ll call to let them know you have arrive. This is how you will be checked in, after check you enter the office and go directly to a room to wait on your doctor. No more waiting room for the time being. Make sure you ask what your pediatrician what is the office practice.

COVID CARE

Know the restrictions in the hospital you will give birth

COVID-19 and the restrictions placed on hospitals is still very much affecting labor and delivery, as well as the experience of being a new mom altogether. It’s no secret that we live in a different world now in 2020. So if you’re having a baby for the second, third, or even fourth time, you might be surprised at how different the process is.

Before you approach that 40-week mark, your doctor should have spoken to you about the hospital rules or protocols regarding COVID-19 testing, visitors, etc. If not, make sure to ask or be prepared for a surprise.

If you’re scheduled for induction or a C-section, many hospitals are requiring COVID-19 tests to be taken 48 hours prior to the appointment. After taking the test pregnant patients are advised to stay home (self-quarantine) and avoid visitors for 48 hours prior to their scheduled induction or C-section.

As far as visitors, this seems to vary from hospital-to-hospital. Some labor and delivery units are restricting the number of visitors allowed to 4, 2, or even just 1 partner.

“Although variation exists in visitor policies, many hospitals have instituted a limit of 1 adult visitor for each patient in labor and delivery units. As recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, this visitor should be screened for symptoms prior to entry. Other hospital systems have further limitations based on geography (no visitors from the New York City area) or patient location (visitors are not permitted to postpartum units).

However, there are also some hospitals who are not restricting the number of visitors, but simply require that all who enter the hospital are in accordance with mask protocols. All in all, that’s a small price to pay for getting to be one of the first ones to see the new baby!

Those first few days of your postpartum period are going to be a whirlwind. You’ll feel oh-so-busy, but it will feel like nothing’s gotten done. There will be tears, laughter, adrenaline, new baby smells and snuggles, and a whole lot of love.

At CODDLE, we are here for you during one of the biggest periods of your life. Whether you’re using one of our products to help your body heal quickly and naturally, reading one of our eBooks to stock up on research-based information, or scrolling through our blog for inspiration and support — we are here for you.