Tips and Tricks

AFTER BIRTH - GOOD TO KNOW

" When I left the maternity ward with my first child, I said goodbye 3 times. I wanted to be sure that they really thought I could be responsible for such a fine and fragile little person. I remember that the midwife laughed a little at the end and said that everything would be fine and that I could safely take him with me. I was not at ease - because everything was new! Everything was the first time. The trip home in the car, stepping over the threshold of our home, the first diaper change at home, the first night in my own bed, etc. Even though it was many years ago, it is still very clear to me. "

October 3, 2024

Julie Zangenberg

Julie Zangenberg er mor, iværksætter og en del af Tuttelu-universet. Her deler hun sine personlige erfaringer og bedste tips til en hverdag med børn, hvor nærvær og ro er i centrum - også i en travl juletid.

Coming home with a new baby can be prepared in many ways.

Ways I didn't know about back then, and that I wish I had known about. And I want to share that with you.

1. Food in the freezer . If you have leftovers in the days leading up to the birth, fill the freezer with food that is easy to heat. You will love it.

2. Maternity gifts . There are many options for maternity gifts. Why not make it easy for yourself? You can ask for packages, subscriptions, gift certificates, etc. For food, diapers, baby equipment, etc. Lower the bar and make it easy at a time when everything is new and your child requires presence and time.

3. Guests . Guests are lovely and it's totally okay that you and your partner want to show off your beautiful baby to the whole world. And maybe not? Because it's also a good idea to take care of yourself in the early days. It takes peace and space to recover from a birth and get started with breastfeeding and other routines in relation to the little one.
Keep your visits short and few and ask your guests to bring cake or food. They'll actually want to - they're happy for you and would be happy to help with turning on the dishwasher or something else entirely. Be clear and honest about your needs.

4. Recovery . Many people compare childbirth to a marathon. Yes, it is a tough physical and mental challenge you face – but that is where the comparison ends. All the work that goes into recovering from childbirth can be even greater for some than the birth itself. There may be after-partum pain, pain, tearing and stitches to be aware of, and much more.

Care – also for yourself

In addition, there is the mental challenge of bonding with and caring for a new little creature. It requires peace, sleep when possible, good food, and care in abundance.

It is not only the child who needs care. As parents, you also need to care for each other. It is a big change for all parties, and it takes time. The lightning of instinctive love rarely strikes the second the child is born, but must grow within you. You must include the child in your thoughts and view of life along the way, but also get used to the fact that you are now one more person in the home. You must get used to feeling all the big emotions that may come over you in the first weeks.

These feelings are often called the “baby blues.” It’s a hormonal upheaval that happens after you give birth. The body’s production of the hormones that sustain pregnancy decreases, grief hormones take over during labor, and other hormones take over again after birth when milk production starts. It’s no wonder that you and your partner are mentally affected, while you’re welcoming a new person into your arms and hearts.

You are doing the best you can, and it is important to remember

For some parents it happens quickly – and for others it takes time. Give yourself time and notice. Notice the tears that come – because they will come – whether they stop again. It is important to talk to each other during this time, as the big emotions or lack of them affect both parents.
Close each other in and feel each other.

Can you support and help each other? Talk to your midwife and health visitor about it. They are always happy to listen and help you further.

Your body must heal.

If you ruptured during birth, which approximately 50% do, you were most likely also stitched.
Keep it clean with water when you shower. Don't use extra soap or the like. It can only irritate the skin and make healing more difficult. A good "to do" for your partner is to prepare ice packs before the birth. Take regular pads and pour about 0.5 dl of water in. Then put them in small bags and in the freezer. Then you have cooling and pain relief ready for when you get home again. Tear a cloth diaper into smaller pieces so you can wrap a layer around the pad and put it in your panties. This cools and relieves the swollen abdomen and can take the edge off the pain.

If you have any doubts about your rupture in terms of healing, pain or anything else, please contact the maternity ward from which you were discharged or your own doctor. They can help you. Many hospitals have also introduced a completely new initiative where it is possible to have your stitches checked a few days after birth. This is to take even better care of the body and ensure that everyone recovers completely from the physical exertion they have just undergone.

There may also be after-parties.

For some women this is very painful. It is the uterus that contracts, and it does exactly what it is designed to do. During pregnancy it has filled up, all the way up to your ribs, and now it has to go down and be small and be behind your pubic bone again. We often see that the pain becomes more the more pregnancies you have been through. Here you can take panadil and ipren - however, you must be careful not to exceed the daily dose when breastfeeding. Talk to your doctor or the maternity ward. If that is not enough, contact the maternity ward or your own doctor again.

Having said all this – it is also the "First time" for all the wonderful things! To leave 2 and come home 3, to a world that will forever be different.

Also read Julie's article about Plucking pains

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