This is a guest post from Amy at Deliberately Here.
You’ve done it! You’ve made it through 9 long months of pregnancy, labor and delivery. Now you’re finally home with your precious bundle of joy. I have to admit though- not every moment will feel “precious.” Especially if you’re up at 3 am with a fussy newborn.
The postpartum phase with your newborn is a big adjustment for you both. Your baby will be adapting to life outside the womb and you’ll be dealing with leaky boobs, a sore bottom and sleeping in 45 minute stretches.
I’ve found that the secret to making your postpartum phase a breeze is having the right postpartum essentials. Specifically, a few new mom must haves to make caring for yourself and your newborn as easy as possible
Here is your newborn and postpartum must have checklist!
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What is the fourth trimester?
Before we get to your “new mom must haves,” let’s go over what exactly the fourth trimester is.
The fourth trimester is the first three months of your baby’s life outside the womb. Experts explain that babies should ideally live inside the womb for another three months before coming into the world. (Another three months of pregnancy?! I know my swollen ankles and needing to pee every hour beg to differ.)
Instead, babies have to be “evicted” from the womb at 9 months, because the brain would be too big for a safe delivery. So, to ensure your baby continues developing well after birth, it’s important to treat your baby like a fetus for another three months. To do this, you need to recreate the womb environment as best you can.
How to have a smooth transition to the fourth trimester
In order to recreate the womb environment for your baby, you don’t need to worry about “spoiling” your baby. (Ever have someone tell you that you’ll spoil your baby from holding her too much?)
Hold, comfort and attend to your newborn’s needs in the way you feel is best. This ensures that your baby continues to develop outside the womb just as she should. It also ensures she has a smooth transition to the outside world, instead of an abrupt one.
How to recreate the womb environment
When people think of pregnancy, they think that the womb is a dark, quiet place. The one mistake that most new parents make is assuming that their newborn will sleep best in a dark room with no noise.
It may surprise you to know that the womb isn’t as quiet, dark, and peaceful as you think. For example, babies can see rays of light piercing through mom’s uterine wall!
Babies also constantly hear the loud sound of blood rushing through their mom’s body. Some experts believe the womb can be as loud as a vacuum cleaner!
Life inside the womb:
- Confined
- Dim (not pitch black)
- Fairly noisy
- Warm
- Jiggly
During pregnancy, your baby is squished on all sides by your uterus. She sees rays of light at times. And she hears the constant rush of blood through your body, plus many other muffled sounds (like your voice.) She’s always warm and has gotten used to rocking, jiggling and bouncing.
Knowing this, it’s no surprise that your newborn would cry when placed in a motionless bassinet in a dark and silent room. This doesn’t feel like “home” at all!
How to help your newborn adjust to the outside world:
- Create a cozy sleep environment with the right sounds & lighting (Jilly’s Exhausted Mom’s Starter Kit has the best tips on this!)
- Swaddle your baby throughout the fourth trimester.
- Hold your baby a lot (& use a baby carrier)
Ever wondered why your newborn won’t sleep on his own? His bassinet feels very different than the womb, so he prefers the comfort of mom or dad’s arms while being rocked to sleep. Being “held” is what he’s been used to for the past 9 months, after all.
Let’s go through the ultimate list of newborn & new mom must haves that will make your fourth trimester as easy as possible.
14 Must Haves for New Moms
(All Your Postpartum Essentials in One List!)
The fourth trimester can be an overwhelming time for new moms. It’s the furthest thing from “glamorous” wearing adult diapers and having leaking nipples. (Actually, leaking everything.)
Adjusting to motherhood and life with a new baby isn’t easy. Especially when you factor in sleep deprivation and having a tiny human who is 100% dependent on you.
Many moms – and dads – struggle with the first 3 months of their baby’s life. But there are a couple of things you can do to make these 3 months easier on you, your partner, and your baby.
Here’s your complete list of new mom must haves
- Baby carrier
- Breastfeeding kit
- SwaddleMe swaddles
- Nipple cream
- Peri bottles
- The Happiest Baby on the Block book
- A breast pump
- Get out of the house
- Breast pads
- Nursing pillow
- 4-in-1 cover
- Heating pads (or hot water bottle)
#1: Baby carrier
There will be days when your baby wants nothing other than to be held. The second you put him down, his eyes pop open and the crying begins. Pick him back up, he’s happy as a clam.
These are the days you end up sitting on the couch snuggling your precious baby. (Just so you know, there’s nothing wrong with this!) But you can’t help thinking of all that needs to get done. This is where a baby carrier comes in handy.
There are hundreds of different brands and styles of baby carriers, and it’s important that you find one that your baby likes.
Some babies prefer wrap-style carriers, while others like buckle carriers better. I tried a handful of different carriers and was starting to feel discouraged because I couldn’t find one that my son liked. Then I came across the Infantino Flip Advanced 4-in-1 Convertible Carrier. As soon as I put him in this carrier, he would completely relax, and most times fall asleep. (Jilly’s baby loved the Ergo carrier so much she called it “The Tranquilizer!”)
Using a baby carrier allowed me to get things done around the house (or go for a walk) even when my baby wanted nothing but to be held. It allowed me to keep him close to my body (exactly where HE wanted to be) while still having my hands free. A win-win!
