The fourth trimester is a common term referring to the 12-week period immediately after you have had your baby. It is a time of great physical and emotional change.
Newborns take up lots of time when as a new mother, you can be overwhelmed in the first few weeks by the demands of feeding, sleeplessness, and uncertainty. Combine this with the physical recovery after giving birth and the changes to your hormones, and it’s no wonder you can use all the help and advice you can get.
Early Physical Changes
In the early weeks after your baby arrives, your body is going through a lot of changes as it recovers from giving birth. Your hormones are wildly fluctuating, your internal organs are shifting back to their former positions, and your breast milk is coming in. During this time, you’ll also have some normal postpartum bleeding and may also be dealing with the discomfort of a tear or incision in the perineal area or a C-section scar.
Your breasts will become full and heavy as the breast milk comes in about 2-5 days after your baby’s birth. Typically, the breasts remain enlarged for at least the first few months of nursing, so you’ll need to go up a bra size or maybe two during those months. It’s advisable to buy comfortable post-pregnancy clothes, particularly nursing bras. You can save on maternity bras by looking for deals online. Some companies even offer special promotions on their bras when you bundle your order.
Smoothing freshly expressed breast milk onto cracked nipples may help them heal by offering antibacterial protection. If you’re a nursing mother, you’ll have breast milk on hand, making it easy to apply after breastfeeding sessions.
The Postpartum Life
Feeling more emotional during the weeks right after birth is common, so common it’s got its own nickname, “The Baby Blues.” Pregnancy Birth & Baby notes that a combination of hormonal changes, anxiousness over the welfare of your infant, and a lack of sleep all contribute to those emotions. Try to sleep when the baby sleeps as much as possible, even during the day. When you’re feeling tired, doing more exercise may be the last thing you feel like doing is exercising, but exercise can help you feel less tired. Try to get out for a walk if the weather permits since it’s a great way to exercise, and you can take your baby with you!
Take advantage of local daycare or sitters for help. If family and friends are not nearby, hiring a qualified sitter to keep the baby while you run errands or even nap can go a long way to helping you feel less anxious and better prepared for mothering duties.
Make Arrangements at Work Early
Kaiser Permanente points out that the most important thing you should be doing during this time is bonding with your newborn. That’s why you’ll want to leave work issues back at the office during those weeks. It may be hard but not impossible as long as you prepare early enough for your absence.
Get as much work done before you go, even work ahead if possible. You may want to consider hiring part-time help, a temp, or a virtual assistant who can see to some of the more important functions while you’re gone. It may help to schedule a virtual meeting every few days to stay on top of things and make sure you’re not overwhelmed with work when you go back. It might even be a good idea during those first days or even a couple of weeks to work remotely as a better way to ease back in.
By making arrangements early at work to give you more time to heal and recover, you’ll be able to bond with your baby in a satisfying way that’s good for both of you. Then prepare for all the physical changes you can expect so you won’t be surprised when they happen. And remember, this time goes by very quickly, so savor all those moments when you can.
About our Guest Contributor
Amanda Henderson is a preschool teacher and a mom to two wonderful, active boys.
She enjoys writing in her free time and recently decided to create Safechildren so that she would have a place to share her thoughts and favourite resources on parenting and child safety.
Other Posts By Amanda Henderson on One Motivated Mommy
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- 6 Tips To Help Your Kids Eat Better, Stay Active and Be Healthier
- Restorative Self-Care for Mothers with Children with Special Needs
- Trading Burnout for Fufillment: Practical Ways to Flourish in Work and Life
