From the Hospital Home after Giving Birth
As you transition from the hospital home after giving birth the ride will seem almost surreal. You’ll probably be tired, maybe even a little anxious. Your comfort level will fall anywhere on the scale from 1-10. 1 being slightly uncomfortable and 10 being “holy crap I feel like I was hit by a truck”. I’m sorry, but you can sugarcoat and cricket and it’s still a cricket. We’ve put together a little blog to help your transition be a little less stressful.
First on our list is a pillow!
This one goes out to all you rock star cesarean moms! After being stuck with needles and having your abdomen “massaged”, there’s absolutely nothing that sounds appealing about touching your incision. Holding a pillow against your abdomen while you navigate a seemingly treacherous stretch of roadway will help make the ride less painful. It also helps to do the same when coughing or sneezing. Lord has mercy with those sneezes!
Learn, install, and know your car seat before the big day.
Trying to wrangle a car seat around in your car and having no idea how it works is a rookie mistake! We love rookie and experienced parents alike, we’re only picking on the rookies in good fun! To make the transition easier from the hospital home after giving birth, read your car seat’s manual with your partner. Learn to install it together. Be sure to practice it! You want your baby to be as safe and comfortable as possible, especially in the car! Check out the Car Seats for the Littles, it’s an excellent resource for you!
Make sure baby has fed well before leaving.
Sometimes discharging from a hospital can be a challenge in itself. It can be a hurry up and wait game of sorts. Then a few hours after you’ve all but given up on departing your nurse appears. Discharge papers are finally signed and you can go home now! Take a few minutes to make sure baby is fed well and do a quick diaper change.
Have your Postpartum & Infant Doula at the ready.
And by at the ready I mean book her for the transition! First Coast Doulas are here to help you transition from the hospital home after giving birth and beyond! We’ll meet you at the hospital, provide support and assistance and focus solely on you and your baby! We can show you some ways to safely soothe your newborn on the ride home. When you arrive home your Doula can get you all settled in. Talk about relief!
Grab those Tucks medicated pads!
The hospital has them, you love them! Perhaps you have a love/hate relationship with those things, but I think most of us can agree; they make life a little easier! Just ask for an extra pack to take home when packing your bag to come back home!
Peri Bottle!
It’s like a bidet in a bottle, only better! That peri bottle can mean the difference between feeling like you’re peeing shards of glass and relaxing just enough to pee with some sense of normalcy!
Mesh Panties & Ice Pack Pads
After this glorious event we call birth you’ll have earned your trophy panties! Your very own pair of sexy mesh mama panties you have heard others talk about!! Welcome to the mom club! Ask for an additional pair to two before you leave for home, they just work!
Take the back seat!
That first trip can be…a trip! Make it as stress-free as possible and maybe snap chat your bestie who is waiting to be flooded with all the baby mush!
Delegating chores early on!
Creating a postpartum chore list will allow you to focus on resting, healing, and bonding with you newborn. For 2-6 weeks let others focus on taking care of you! First Coast Doulas supports new families and helps keep the flow of the house moving. This allows families the freedom to be in the moment and to get enough rest to sustain and thrive!
