Here we have some key information that can be communicated to women who have just given birth and their partners and/or families.
Gagan Kaur Cheema, Bilingual Health Educator at Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health MCWH, spoke about mother’s health during the first few weeks after delivery and also gave out some tips regarding the newborn’s health.
Life with a new baby is demanding and unpredictable, so the mother may not even get time for basics like shower and having meals. Some tips for her and the family are:
- Try resting or sleeping when the baby is asleep, instead of getting busier in other things like tidying up etc.
- Do as little as possible, keep housework to a minimum
- Keep meals simple, easy to prepare
- Ask for help from the visitors, they would often love to help the family such as shopping, cooking etc.
- Save energy by sitting down while doing household chores, even changing nappies or clothes of the baby
- Ask the father to take over baby’s bath or clothing that also gives a chance to the dad and baby to know each other while mum enjoys a rest in the meantime.
- Mum must remember that if she doesn’t care for herself she will not be able to care for anyone else
- If the mother or family/friends surrounding her note any signs of postnatal depression in the mother, it is very important that she seeks medical help. Talk to the doctor or child health nurse if you see any signs of post-natal depression in the mother. Please listen to the audio to know more about postnatal depression.
Baby’s behaviour in the first few weeks:
- Remember all babies cry, some less, some more than others, and some more than the parents expect! Crying is the only way they tell that they need you.
- Also remember that even though this is your baby, the relationship between you and him/her is new. When we meet someone new, it takes time to get to know them, their behaviour, such as things that upset them. This is exactly what is happening between the parents and the newborn.
- The chaos happening in the first few weeks will not continue forever. The baby will gradually settle into a pattern of sleep and feeding.
Gagan also emphasized the importance of breastfeeding, as all health professionals do. She said that breast milk contains all the nutrients in just the right amounts that are best for babies. Those babies on breast milk do not need any food or drink except for the first 6 months of their life, not even extra water.
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Gagan explained that human milk is made in response to regular and frequent feeding.
"A woman’s milk supply may reduce only when a woman’s food intake falls to very low levels (close to starvation). If the diet is inadequate while breastfeeding, it is the woman’s health and energy levels that will suffer, not her milk supplies."
Gagan also discussed some signs that baby may be unwell, although she repeated that this is just a guide, if worried you must talk to the doctor or child health nurse or ring 000:
- Sleeping a lot, lethargic and not waking for feeds
- Much more irritable (crying a lot) not calming
- Fewer wet and dirty nappies
- Dry mouth and skin
- Feeding less than six times a day
- Temperature greater than 37.4°C or less than 36°C
