Kamerine from National Capital Doulas has written a piece for us explaining what it’s really like to have a newborn. National Capital Doulas is a group of three birth doulas that have been certified with DONA International. They have also completed additional training with Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association (CAPPA), Birthing From Within, The Gena Kirby Rebozo Method, ProDoula birth and postpartum doula training and in breastfeeding. In addition to this training, Kamerine has three years experience. What does a birth doula do? The goal of a birth doula is to help you to have the most positive birth experience possible for you. More information about National Capital Doulas can be found here.
We don’t all get pregnant with the same ease or at the same age. We don’t all labour the same, at the same place or for the same length of time. Our babies don’t all come out the same way. But what unites us all is the experience of having a new baby. The overwhelming emotions and the tiredness that accompany life with a newborn.
Having a baby is no walk in the park. Often women go into labour already exhausted, work really hard, and then get to gaze into those little eyes that are only open for so long every day. Those little eyes that are attached to those perfect little bodies. Little bodies with little tummies that need to be filled so often.
New babies have stomachs the size of a cherry. Tiny tummies fill up fast but also empty fast, and babies quickly learn what it feels like to be hungry. And how do they react? They cry!
Crying is baby’s way of communicating. Hungry? Cry! Tired? Cry! Wet diaper? Cry! Cold? Cry! Overstimulated? Cry! You get the idea.
As parent we are programmed to respond to our baby’s cries. We fumble through diaper changes in the dark. We struggle to keep our eyes open while nursing. We sing, we rock, we bounce our new baby for hours and hours.
And we do it all on a few hours of broken sleep.
Having a baby is not easy. Having a baby is exhausting. It’s not getting to shower regularly. It’s getting covered in bodily fluids. It’s endless loads of laundry. It’s recovering from labour and possibly major abdominal surgery. It’s eating whatever food is right there.
That’s not to say that having a baby isn’t worth it. Having a baby is also amazing. Incredible. Exciting. One of the biggest and most important things you will ever do. Having a baby, to borrow a saying, “is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.” (Elizabeth Stone)
To make the transition to parenthood easier there are many things you can do. Classes can help prepare you, hanging out with friends with babies can give you hands on learning. But nothing can really prepare you for the way you are going to feel when you finally see YOUR baby. Nothing can prepare you for being 100% responsible for that little person.
Having some help at home in the first few days and weeks can be a life saver. A postpartum doula can help get you settled into your new role as parents, helping with household chores and baby care, so that you can rest and focus on your baby. More information on postpartum doulas can be found here.
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