Family-Visits, Keep Them Stress Free

On the day of giving birth, a mother’s mind will be spinning. There are so many things to think about and to do. She worries whether the baby is fully healthy and comfortable; she worries about her capacity to take care of everything. Perhaps the last thing she pays attention to is her own rest and well-bring. The constant flow of visitors will keep her busier still.

Not only mum, all the family members will get excited about a newborn. They will compete to be the first to hold the infant and to comment whether it looks like mum or dad. In a typical maternity ward, there’ll be signs warning that visits should be limited, because of the risk of infection. Those signs are not always heeded but the threat is real. It is the responsibility of all visitors to make sure their hands are clean before they pick up and cuddle an infant.

It goes without saying that if a visitor is down with a bacterial or viral infection, he or she should keep some distance from the baby. Babies are naturally immunized by breast milk but that does not mean they are protected against every type of germ. If an infant gets sick, its little body will suffer more than that of an adult because its systems have not fully developed.

Prolonged visits by family members take a toll on the mother too. Usually, a mother is too excited to sleep as soon as she gives birth. Her first thought is to see and hold her baby. So, when visitors flock, she will be awake whereas she really should be resting. A mother needs plenty of rest and strength because she has to breastfeed. Milk production itself burns calories daily. If you forget your own rest and chatter away about what went on in the delivery room with your family members, you might regret it later.

Night time is sleep time but try telling that to a week old baby. His/her sleep patterns will be so different from your own. Even in the daytime you will be drowsy. So, if you had a few visits from your family in the morning, keep the afternoon to yourself, for rest. Experts advocate quick naps for all new mums, because that’s the only way to get enough sleep. The trick is to sleep whenever the baby does. It will take about 3 to 6 months’ time for the baby to sleep through the night.

If you must entertain family members often, keep the visits short. Or you can take up their offer to help out in house work as you occupy yourself elsewhere. You probably won’t have time for washing dishes and doing the laundry but others can make them happen. Some family members won’t mind rocking the baby or changing diapers while you get some shut-eye.