Managing Fatigue After Your Baby Is Born
| by Sarah Veda | January 26, 2006
Those days right after your baby is born can be grueling. You’re likely in some pain from the delivery, and the baby is keeping you up all night. Here are some tips to help you cope in those first few weeks.
Let some things go
Prepare yourself ahead of time to focus on yourself and the baby, and let some things go undone. If you need a clean house in order to relax, have someone come in and clean for you. The last thing you need to do is try to keep everything going, plus care for a new baby.
Rest
Send the visitors away if you need to and take the time to rest. Everybody will tell you “sleep when the baby sleeps”, but for me that was a real problem. No matter how tired I am, I cannot necessarily “sleep on command”. But, I did learn that half an hour on the couch with a magazine helped me feel better, even if I didn’t sleep.
Ask for help
Having some help around the house can be a godsend. My husband took two weeks off work after our daughter was born, and it was wonderful. He totally focused on taking care of the both of us, making me feel much less guilty about getting some rest. But, even if you can’t have someone with you full time, there are certainly people in your life that would be glad to come and spend some time helping you out with the baby and with household chores.
Take a shower and get dressed
Sounds crazy, I know, since all you feel like doing is lying in bed in your bathrobe. But, if you get up in the morning and get dressed for the day, fixing your hair and makeup the way you normally would, it’s likely to leave you feeling more like your old self.
Eat and eat well
You may not really feel like it, but getting back to a healthy diet as soon as you are able will help you regain your strength. Drink plenty of fluids, to reduce swelling and help you get your system functioning normally again.
Finally, slow down and enjoy. The time will come, and very soon, when you won’t believe your baby was ever this small. So, just rest and enjoy this special time, and let your body heal.
Let some things go
Prepare yourself ahead of time to focus on yourself and the baby, and let some things go undone. If you need a clean house in order to relax, have someone come in and clean for you. The last thing you need to do is try to keep everything going, plus care for a new baby.
Rest
Send the visitors away if you need to and take the time to rest. Everybody will tell you “sleep when the baby sleeps”, but for me that was a real problem. No matter how tired I am, I cannot necessarily “sleep on command”. But, I did learn that half an hour on the couch with a magazine helped me feel better, even if I didn’t sleep.
Ask for help
Having some help around the house can be a godsend. My husband took two weeks off work after our daughter was born, and it was wonderful. He totally focused on taking care of the both of us, making me feel much less guilty about getting some rest. But, even if you can’t have someone with you full time, there are certainly people in your life that would be glad to come and spend some time helping you out with the baby and with household chores.
Take a shower and get dressed
Sounds crazy, I know, since all you feel like doing is lying in bed in your bathrobe. But, if you get up in the morning and get dressed for the day, fixing your hair and makeup the way you normally would, it’s likely to leave you feeling more like your old self.
Eat and eat well
You may not really feel like it, but getting back to a healthy diet as soon as you are able will help you regain your strength. Drink plenty of fluids, to reduce swelling and help you get your system functioning normally again.
Finally, slow down and enjoy. The time will come, and very soon, when you won’t believe your baby was ever this small. So, just rest and enjoy this special time, and let your body heal.
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