after childbirth: coping and adjusting

overview

it's easy to get too tired and overwhelmed during your first weeks after childbirth. be sure to rest whenever you can, and accept help from others.

• be kind to yourself.

  your new baby takes a lot of work, but your baby can give you a lot of pleasure too. don't worry about housekeeping for a while. allow your friends or family to bring you meals or do chores.

• limit visitors.

  it's okay to limit visitors to as few as you feel you can handle or to ask them not to visit for a while. it's also okay to set a limit on how long they stay.

• if you breastfeed, learn how to collect and store some breast milk.

  a friend or family member can feed the baby while you sleep or recharge. experts usually recommend waiting about a month until breastfeeding is going well before offering a bottle.

• eat a balanced diet so you can keep up your energy.

  also, drink plenty of fluids throughout the day. avoid caffeine and alcohol. caffeine is found in coffee, tea, cola drinks, chocolate, and other foods.

• get some exercise every day.

  walking is a good choice.

• reach out to other new parents.

  ask your doctor or child's doctor to suggest support groups for new parents. hearing that someone else is having the same experiences you are can help.

don't be afraid to call your doctor, midwife, or lactation consultant with questions. that's true even if you don't know what's bothering you. they are used to parents of newborns calling. they can help you figure out if there is a problem, and if so, how to fix it. if you have the baby blues for more than a few days, call your doctor right away.

nutrition for breastfeeding

eating well during breastfeeding helps you stay healthy. eat a variety of vegetables and fruits, whole grain foods, and protein foods. avoid fish high in mercury. and limit alcohol and caffeine. your doctor or midwife may suggest eating more calories each day than otherwise recommended for a person of your height and weight.