|
|
|
Babies: How to Get Your Children Excited About the New Arrival
The sudden appearance of a new baby can be rough on the other children in the family. Daily routines are disrupted and suddenly mom and dad are too busy to pay attention to older siblings. Worst of all, the new baby is the instant star of the...
Cats With Feline Diabetes Can Still Lead A Happy Life
“Your cat has feline diabetes.” If this is your vet’s message after examining your beloved friend, it will come as a shock. Yes, your cat has a serious disease. But you can treat it!
I got the message myself early 2003. My (then) 10-year-old...
Changes During a Woman's Menopause
As baby boomers move into midlife, a woman's menopause does not have quite the alarming effect that it did some years ago. However, it remains a time of change in her life, as the ovaries start shutting down causing hormones to fluctuate. When this...
Chinese Pregnancy
Chinese Pregnancy Traditionally in China, when once people got married, they would immediately get ready for having a baby. That is why symbolic things such as dolls or lotus seeds would be put on the beds of the newly weds on their wedding day so...
Hospitals Around The Country Are Now Banning Vaginal Birth After Cesarean Delivery
Are you hoping to experience a vaginal birth after having had a cesarean delivery? You may find your hopes are squelched by modern practitioners.
Hospitals around the country are now banning vaginal birth after cesarean delivery and insisting women...
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Sleepless Challenge
For me, it was "welcome to motherhood". Ready or not, I was in for a wonderful experience. But my first challenge was to overcome the first few months of literally no sleep. It was my first baby, and I felt the pressure of doing everything "just right". I wanted to be a perfect mom. But I quickly learned that parenting was going to be a lifelong journey and that I would make plenty of mistakes along the way.
After stumbling out of bed frequently for middle of the night feedings I'd wake up around 6 a.m. to my newborn crying a joyful solo for yet another feeding. After about three weeks of this, and then another month I was completely worn out! Following a cesarean section, I immediately thought I could be Supermom, Grand Interior Decorator, and the House Cleaning Company all at once, and of course I thought I could simultaneously juggle the responsibilities of a baby that I was so certain would sleep through most of the day and night.
After a few restless nights, and having noticed that my sweet infant was rarely sleeping at all, be it night or day, I began to really wonder about her. Was this going to be the norm? Did infants really stay awake for hours at a time demanding a feeding every hour and half? Was I doing something wrong? I couldn't help but wonder if this pattern would ever end. I'd read all the many parenting articles that tell you when your infant should stop waking up so frequently and begin sleeping peacefully through the night. Well, I dare say that my little one kept waking up again and again for nights on end. After a few months I began to think I was the only mother out there suffering from severe sleep deprivation! Of course, I knew that I wasn't REALLY the only one, but it sure hits home when it happens to you.
My young one is now an active toddler, and things have definitely improved as far as her sleeping habits go, but I learned quite a few things during those seemingly never ending nights of sleeplessness and days of extreme fatigue. If I had to do it all over again, I definitely wouldn't have tried to be the Grand Interior Designer and the House Cleaning Company (and following a c-section at that)! Here are some handy tips that I should have used and will keep in mind when I have my next baby:
•Rest, rest, rest! Okay, it sounds trite, and while pregnant you've probably heard everyone in the world tell you to rest, but once you've given birth it's even more important that you still adhere to the resting phase the first few days you are home from the hospital. I can't even begin to explain how much rest is needed after a cesarean section…but in either type of delivery, your body needs time to recuperate, so take it easy. What does resting mean? It could mean using paper plates so there are fewer dishes to wash. It could mean having a friend or relative come sit with you a few hours a day and help you around the house (which is especially helpful if you have other younger children). And if you have older children, it could mean having them help out with more chores around the house. Most of all, it means to just let some things go. The dusting doesn't have to be done right away…perhaps it can wait a few more days, or weeks even.
• People say to sleep while the baby is sleeping. Well, that didn't work for me, mostly because I was attempting to get things done around the house that I couldn't do efficiently when my daughter was awake. So here's what I say: REST
while the baby is sleeping. Sit down, take a break. Schedule that time, and give yourself at least 30 minutes to do absolutely nothing.
•Thicken baby's milk. I breastfed my daughter for several months. In the beginning nurses were telling me that breastfed babies need to get fed more often because breast milk apparently "goes right through" their systems. After my daughter was a few weeks old they gave me the go-ahead on thickening her breast milk with rice cereal (about a teaspoon full). It did wonders for her nightly waking ritual. Instead of waking up every hour and half she slept about two hours longer than usual. I say that's good for mom and baby! Of course, check with your pediatrician first, and again, there are differing views on thickening baby's milk, so do (or don't do) what you feel is best.
•Breastfeeding mothers take a break. For mothers who nurse, I highly recommend pumping so the baby can be given a bottle by other members of the family while you rest up. Breastfeeding is a demanding job and takes quite a bit of energy reserves. Did you know you burn approximately 500 calories during one nursing session? That's equivalent to the amount of calories I burned on the treadmill a few days ago. So there's another reason for you to take a breather.
•Take your prenatal vitamins. Keep taking these. You'll need them, especially during this time of recovery. Your body needs all the minerals and vitamins necessary to boost your immune system and promote overall health. You'll be glad you took them daily.
•Continue to eat for two. If you are nursing, this is an especially important concept, since you'll need to eat enough to keep your milk reserves flowing. It's very easy for postpartum women to want to begin dieting right after giving birth. However, the healthiest choice is to simply continue the intake of nutritious foods, and to eat enough to keep your energy levels up, because you will definitely need energy in the wee hours of the morning! In addition, doctors recommend that postpartum, nursing women intake anywhere from 2000-2400 calories per day. So eat, and eat healthy.
•Keep others in your life. Don't ever feel alone or isolated. If you don't have relatives nearby who can help, seek for help within your community: churches, civic groups and non profit organizations, as well as friends. In addition, there are a host of online communities and discussion groups specifically geared toward pregnancy and parenting issues that are helpful for new moms.
Most of all, do the things you like to do most: read, meditate, write, and work on crafts. Do something you truly enjoy every day for as much as you can. With time, your baby will start sleeping through the night, and one day you will realize that you can finally catch your "z's".
Demetria Zinga is the founder and owner of www.faith-media.com, a technology and consulting firm which specializes in web design and hosting, graphics and print designs, internet marketing, and e-training. She is also the founder of www.christianladies.net, an interactive ezine, blog, and podcast for Christian women.
About the Author
Demetria Zinga is the founder and owner of www.faith-media.com, a technology and consulting firm which specializes in web design and hosting, graphics and print designs, internet marketing, and e-training. She is also the founder of www.christianladies.net, an interactive ezine, blog, and podcast for Christian women.
|
|
|
|
|
| Pregnancy.org --> Preconception, Pregnancy and Early Childhood ... |
| Offering online communities, interactive tools, price robot, articles and a pregnancy calendar. Content spans pre-pregnancy to after birth. |
| www.pregnancy.org |
|
| Pregnancy Week by Week Calendar Pregnancy Symptom and Pregnancy ... |
| The pregnancy calendar can help you find information on pregnancy and childbirth, including a week by week pregnancy calendar, baby shower games, ... |
| pregnancy.about.com |
|
| Healthy Pregnancy |
| How soon after a missed period can I take a home pregnancy test and get ... Pregnancy can be a joyous time. But it also can be a time of uncertainty and ... |
| www.4woman.gov |
|
| Pregnancy Info: Birth, Baby, and Maternity Advice |
| Advice for mothers to be concerning pregnancy, getting pregnant, baby care and maternity. |
| www.pregnancy-info.net |
|
| Pregnancy & Parenting: For Today's Mom - iVillage |
| From trying to conceive through your child's teen years, iVillage Pregnancy & Parenting offers up-to-date and informative articles, features, expert advice ... |
| parenting.ivillage.com |
|
| Pregnancy Calendar: Your All-in-One Guide to Pregnancy and ... |
| A multimedia journey through the first nine months of an unborn child's life. A graphics intensive - visual journey through pregnancy. Needs plug-in. |
| parenting.ivillage.com |
|
| Pregnancy: Humorous week-by-week calendar and free pregnancy tickers |
| Humorous week-by-week pregnancy calendar and pregnancy tickers - 100% free. |
| pregnancy.baby-gaga.com |
|
| MedlinePlus: Pregnancy |
| Search MEDLINE/PubMed for recent research articles on Pregnancy: ... Select services and providers for Pregnancy in your area. Select Location, AL - Alabama ... |
| www.nlm.nih.gov |
|
| Pregnancy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
| Human pregnancy is the most studied of all mammalian pregnancies. ... Though pregnancy begins at implantation, it is often convenient to date from the first ... |
| en.wikipedia.org |
|
| POP! The First Human Male Pregnancy - Mr. Lee Mingwei |
| "Mr. Lee Mingwei will be the first human male to ever birth a baby from his own body." Art project by Virgil Wong, thematizing gender roles, childbearing, ... |
| www.malepregnancy.com |
|
| Baby Gaga: Stroller Reviews, Baby Tickers, Pregnancy Calendar |
| Baby-Gaga offers top quality guides, reviews, and stores for baby strollers. Free baby birthday ticker and pregnancy calendar also available! |
| www.baby-gaga.com |
|
| Pregnancy, Pregnancy Information, Pregnancy Community - Powered by ... |
| Monitor your pregnancy with BabyCenter's free weekly e-mail newsletters and online library of pregnancy information created to help you have a healthy ... |
| www.pregnancy.com |
|
| Pregnancy Week-by-Week sponsored by StorkNet |
| Pregnancy Week-by-Week Guide from StorkNet, your online pregnancy and parenting resource. |
| www.pregnancyguideonline.com |
|
| American Pregnancy Association : Promoting Pregnancy and ... |
| Articles on pregnancy wellness, complications, loss, labor and birth. |
| www.americanpregnancy.org |
|
| Pregnancy Discrimination |
| The Pregnancy Discrimination Act is an amendment to Title VII of the Civil ... Discrimination on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical ... |
| www.eeoc.gov |
|
| Pregnancy Today |
| A community for expectant parents, offering many unique features to guide you through pregnancy. |
| pregnancytoday.com |
|
| Pregnancy Center - MayoClinic.com |
| Pregnancy Center — comprehensive information on pregnancy symptoms, healthy pregnancy, childbirth options, labor and delivery. |
| www.mayoclinic.com |
|
| Pregnancy |
| Information Resources · More about Pregnancy/Childbirth Complications and Concerns ... Pregnancy Choices. Family Planning and Contraception ... |
| www.noah-health.org |
|
| Unplanned Pregnancy and Abortion Information from Option Line |
| Provides information on abortion alternatives, free pregnancy tests, adoption, connects you with local centers for free counseling, mapping to local centers ... |
| www.pregnancycenters.org |
|
| WebMD Pregnancy Center - Learn the early signs of pregnancy and ... |
| Sign up for our Pregnancy & Parenting Newsletter! ... Get daily facts, tips and suggestions customized to your stage of pregnancy. ... |
| www.webmd.com |
|
|