Are you prepared for life with a brand-new baby? Our expert mama shares what to expect, plus tips to help you through those first few weeks as a brand-new mom.
MyRegistry contributing writer Savannah Walsh is a Canadian blogger, a mom of five little ones, and the face behind That Caffeinated Mom, where she talks pregnancy, birth, and everyday mom life in her own relatable and very candid storytelling style.
You just got home from the hospital with your brand-new bundle of joy. Your home is buzzing with excitement as everyone from friends to family to neighbors wants to meet your baby.
“How much does he weigh?”
“How’s she sleeping so far?!”
“How was the birth?”
“Look at all that hair!”
Everyone is hyper-focused on the baby, which I get! It’s exciting to welcome a new little person into the world.
But someone else was also born that day: a brand-new mom.
The first few weeks after birth are a blur, to put it simply. It goes by in the blink of an eye (partly because sleep deprivation means you can’t tell how many days it’s been), but at the same time it can be the longest few weeks of your life.
My first postpartum, I was prepared for sleep deprivation and exhaustion. I was prepared for a constantly pooping and crying baby. I was prepared to be continuously washing baby clothes and soothers and burp cloths.
But that’s not what the fourth trimester is really about—and that I wasn’t prepared for.
I remember it like it was yesterday. It was Day 3, and the first day my daughter’s dad was returning to work a graveyard shift. It was 2am, and she’d been crying for two hours straight (and in the short time we had known each other, that was a first). I had tried everything I could think of, from feeding to changing to swaddling to burping. And nothing. was. working.
Finally after a panicked 3am visit from my mom, a lot of crying (and not just the baby), and a bit of mom jiggling… she was asleep. I was absolutely exhausted and went to get into bed myself when I realized I’d left my water bottle in my boyfriend’s car. I burst into tears (think Rachel-reliving-putting-her-slippers-on-the-wrong-feet kind of tears). But why? I didn’t really care about the water bottle, and let’s be honest, I don’t even really like drinking water. I knew through my tears that I was being ridiculous, but I couldn’t stop crying. Ahhh, postpartum hormones.
For me, Day 3 is always the hardest. It’s a day of serious transition, when your pregnancy hormones are starting to lower and your breastfeeding hormones are starting to rise. But I didn’t know that at the time. I thought I was full-on insane. I didn’t even tell my mom or boyfriend that this happened because I was so embarrassed and confused.
“Is there something wrong with me? Am I not meant to do this? Is this just how I am as a mom?”
Postpartum hormones and mood swings were so much more than I imagined. Those first few weeks, I was up and down and a weird mix of both. But let’s be honest, it makes SENSE.
The first few weeks post-birth are a complete ride, and we seem to forget that every single new mom is stuck on that ride all the way through. You’re sleep deprived, physically and emotionally exhausted from your birth (if you had a C-section you’re also recovering from surgery!). You’re experiencing crazy hormone shifts, having essentially the worst period of your life, with extreme nursing cramps from your uterus trying to go back to its original size. Your breasts are leaking all over, and you’re hot and sweaty all the time… Am I forgetting anything? Oh, you’re also trying to get to know not only a brand-new little person, but also yourself as a mom.
It’s a LOT, and that’s OKAY. It’s okay to be overwhelmed, and it’s okay to need help. And above all? It’s okay to not know what to do all the time. But let me share some things about my postpartum rides that have surprised me.
- Postpartum bleeding is unpredictable as heck. One day I would almost not need a pad and the next I’d be back to a full-on mama jumbo pad. Highly recommend keeping a few extra postpartum diapers around for the first two weeks!
- You smell like cheese. No, I am not kidding. You get breast milk all over the place (and even if you choose not to breastfeed you’ll often leak at first). But hey, if it makes you feel any better, I don’t think anyone can really smell it besides yourself… and maybe your partner.
- Your cravings are more intense than when you were pregnant—for me at least! They would come on fast and furious, and no, Jay, I don’t care that it’s 4am, I want an Egg McMuffin NOW.
- On that note, you’re starving.
- You’ll often wake up drenched in sweat, and I don’t mean a wet forehead. I mean getting up and changing your clothes.
- Your hair falls out. Like, at the end of a shower you can borderline make yourself a wig. Hormones are a joy.
- Peri bottles are your new best friend. (Even you, C-section mamas!)
Friends and family: Ask how mom is doing too. Ask how her recovery is going, how she’s feeling emotionally and physically. Bring her a meal, and even if she says no, just drop it off (but don’t ask her to entertain you!). Offer to help with laundry or to hold the baby so she can shower or take a nap. Bring her favorite trashy magazines and some yummy treats.
And most important, let her know you’re a safe place. Safe for her to text that today is a hard day. To answer the door unshowered, hair a mess, not wearing a bra, without worrying about judgment. To not have to go to your social events if she isn’t feeling up to it. To call you at 3am when her baby won’t stop crying and her boyfriend just left for his first work shift post-birth. Be there to support and love her, not just the baby.
The fourth trimester is as important as the three you experience while pregnant. It’s a hard but rewarding roller coaster for everyone, but having the right tools to help you get through it can change your postpartum experience for the better. I would highly recommend adding some of these items to your baby registry to help ease the postpartum transition. (Don’t have one yet? It’s easy to create a baby registry and fill it with everything you need.)
Let your friends and family start their support right from the beginning with gifts to help you postpartum. Each one will be one less thing on your mama to-do list!
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Lansinoh Lanolin Nipple Cream | Amazon
$7.72
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About the Writer
Canadian blogger Savannah Walsh is the mom of five little ones and the face behind That Caffeinated Mom, where she talks pregnancy, birth, postpartum struggles, and everyday mom life in her own relatable and very candid storytelling style. Savannah has created a space for moms from all walks of life to connect over motherhood by telling the real-life story of a regular mom, including the tough parts of motherhood we sometimes shy away from. When Savannah had her first baby, she knew very little about the mom world and quickly felt overwhelmed by the number of options available to her, from baby brands to parenting advice. Over the years, she’s tried just about every baby and kid product there is, along with developing her own parenting style and devising ways to stay sane while balancing a busy household. Savannah joins us every month on MyRegistry to share her stories, mom tips, and favorite baby products.
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