What Doctors Wish New Mommies Knew
September 13th, 2008 by Christine
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It’s a most unique and magical time of life, those first weeks home with your newborn. It’s also one full of uncertainties and frustrations. Along with friends and family, your pediatrician can be a wonderful wealth of information about not only this new little person living in your home. Remember your pediatrician works for you, and cares about your child.
1. Don’t be afraid to call your Pediatrician.
When a physician chooses to go into pediatrics, they understand that phone calls from parents at all hours is part of the package. They expect to hear from parents at all hours with concerns; do not be afraid that you are overreacting or that you will be perceived as an hysterical parent. Once when I made a phone call about something that turned out to be nothing, my pediatrician said in response to my apology, “You are a loving mom who had concerns about her baby. I wish all parents were like that.” Keep that in mind the next time you’re not sure if you should call or not. During normal business hours you can also call with questions that aren’t specifically about an illness but are related to other aspects of your child’s well being.
2. Spitting up is a baby’s job.
New babies almost always spit up frequently and in quantities that seem alarming. This is generally due to the fact that the muscle that closes the entry to the stomach isn’t fully developed and thus unable to do it’s job. I remember with my son it seemed that he managed to spit up more than he could possibly be taking in nursing. More than once I comforted myself by taking out a teaspoon of water and dumping it on a counter. It’s amazing how much space a relatively small amount of liquid takes up; it looks like far more than it really is. It can be helpful to burp several times during a feeding and trying to feed in as upright a position as feasible. No matter what, rest assured that this, too, shall pass.
3. Babies cry and cry and cry and cry.
You’ve changed them, fed them, burped them, they’ve napped, you’ve bundled them and unbundled them, you’re holding them, you’re not holding them…and they are still crying! It can be so frustrating when it seems that no matter what you do, your baby is miserable. “Why is my baby crying?” is likely something you’ll lament often in those early weeks. The thing is, babies cry. It’s their only means of communication, and there may be times that they are crying and there is literally nothing you can do to make them stop. I promise you, eventually those cries will begin to sound different, and it’s a wonderful feeling of accomplishment when those lines of communication from your baby become clear.
4. Poop happens, and it can take on a variety of appearances.
Meconium. Mustard-seedish. Mayonnaisey. GREEN!?! Ah, yes, the poop of the newborn. Expect it several times a day, and just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, you’ll find something in that little diaper that will freak you out. The intestinal system of a newborn is so foreign to us that what is actually perfectly normal for them seems highly problematic to us. For example, many babies, especially breastfed ones, will poop liquidy stool several times per day. It isn’t diarrhea, it’s just the not-yet-fully-formed intestines doing it’s thing.
5. Mommies and Daddies need to be babied, too.
It’s so hard to forget to take care of yourself in those early weeks. I swear, I aged five years in as many weeks with each child. It sounds cliché, but you need to get your rest, eat well, and exercise (once you’ve got your OB’s clearance). Just as important in my book is to remember you are still you. You’re a parent now, a Mommy or Daddy, but you are still that person you were when you were forty weeks ago, the one your spouse fell in love with. Make an effort to stay connected to things that are important to your…like friends, hobbies, your hopes and dreams. And try to sneak in some special time with your spouse, even if it at midnight while you take turns burping your newborn.
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March 2nd, 2008 at 11:07 am
Thank you for sharing this!
I'm a new mommy and this was great information to read. =)
September 14th, 2008 at 3:36 pm
Amen to #1. I was one of those "I don't want to bug" the pediatrician moms. Our first was only 2 days old when she started pooping every 10 minutes. I called and left a message with her service but no one returned my calls. I didn't want to bug her by calling back. Hours later, I did and she told me ALWAYS call if you don't hear from me within 15 minutes! Turns out, our little girl was allergic to something in my breast milk and was dehydrated. She had to be put in the hospital overnight.
Now I tell new moms, your first responsibility is to the baby. Don't worry about seeming like a pest. CALL!