Ah, the newborn haze. Despite the long and late hours, it’s truly a beautiful season–one that is as fleeting as it is magical. You bring a tiny human into the world and then you get to watch them experience everything for the first time. You get to watch them come to life one swoon-worthy moment at a time. The sleepy smiles, little coos, and bright inquisitive eyes remind you to slow down to savor every second of it.
But of course this is always easier said than done (whether it’s your first or fourth babe). Below I’m sharing a few tips and tricks that have helped us through the newborn haze. Take what works for you and leave the rest! Although, if you haven’t read my last post on Postpartum Mama Essentials I’d start there as it provides a solid context for how I’m approaching my fourth trimester with baby number four.
BREASTFEEDING
- Enlist a drinking buddy. In order to keep my breastmilk supply up and my healing in check I found myself a drinking buddy (aka my husband Daniel) who makes sure my cup(s) are never empty.
- Stock up on your favorite teas and healthy beverages. While I mostly drink a ton of water, it’s been quite chilly here lately so tea has been my jam. More specifically I am constantly sipping on Earth Mama Organics’ Herbal Teas because of their high quality, specially formulated for mamas teas.
- Keep your own small toolkit of breastfeeding relief supplies. I am loving these Booby Tubes for easing tender breasts and this Nipple Butter for soothing sore nipples.
SLEEP
- Explore a simple bedtime routine for baby. For our own sanity, we like to start exploring a very basic routine towards the end of week one/beginning of week two. We’ve found it smoothest to begin baby’s bedtime routine once the other keiki have settled down for the evening. This means that we’ll bathe her (if needed) by 8pm, swaddle her, play her song*, I’ll nurse her, and we’ll rock her to sleep. She will then sleep in 2-3 hour increments for the rest of the night. What does bedtime look like for each member of your family? What could a simple bedtime routine look like for your baby?
- *During every pregnancy we choose one song to play towards my belly at the end of each day. Once the baby is born we will play the same song every night at bedtime but also when they’re upset. So far this practice has helped soothe all four of our babes. Kahlo’s song was Wagon Wheel by Old Crow Medicine Show. Tamayo’s was Home by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. Melibea’s was Queen Bee by Taj Mahal. Neruda’s is Surf by Mac Miller. What is a song that you could handle listening to over and over again?
- Sleep when the baby sleeps. Nap when the baby naps. Rest when the baby rests. No matter how you put it, this is the holey grail of postpartum advice. This is one of the few seasons in life when everything else can wait. Personally, I’m not very good at sleeping when needed but I am committed to resting my body as much as possible during this time. This was easier for me after reading Heng Ou’s The First Forty Days – The Essential Art of Nourishing the New Mother. How will you honor your need for rest?
MAKING TIME FOR OLDER SIBLINGS
- Pick 1-3 daily family rituals to stick with. I started with carrying on our bedtime routine of reading each keiki a book followed by singing them lullabies. Next we transitioned back to family dinners at the dining table altogether. I do my best to hold these times sacred for all of us. I’m looking forward to reinstating our morning dance parties soon as well. What basic pre-baby rituals does your family love the most? Post-baby start with one and perhaps build up to three.
- Say yes to all the read alouds, the board games, the servings of make believe food. I may be taking it easy and moving slow still but I’m doing my best to say yes to all the activities that I can do with our older three keiki. Since I’ve mostly been parked on and around the couch with baby, our living room has become a hub of creative movement and imaginative play. It’s amazing how much can be accomplished and enjoyed from the comfort of the couch! Where will you be spending most of your early days with baby? How can you organize this space for versatile family fun?
- Invite older siblings to join you in observing and caring for the baby. We are two weeks in and our keiki know where all of the baby’s necessities are. They are familiar with how to safely hold her and simple ways to help calm her down. In fact, all of our keiki ask to hold the baby so we oblige as often as we can. At nearly three years old, Melibea has taken to carrying around her baby doll and nursing her alongside me. Even tummy time is a shared event! What are 2-5 different tasks surrounding baby that your older keiki could partake in?
