HOME, SWEET HOME….really?

Tips to balance the newborn Fantasy with your new Reality

by Donna Ford & AJ Jonesco, Directors of Client Services

CAPPA Postpartum Doulas & Newborn Care Specialists

You have waited a lifetime for this moment – or at least 9 months. Today is the day you bring your brand new baby home for the first time. Elated? Terrified? Uncertain? Confused?  Sore? Yes, you may experience an entire range of emotions as you tackle one of your most rewarding challenges in your life - your newborn!

No doubt that you have plans and expectations for how this time is going to go. We want to help by giving you some quick tips to alleviate some of your uncertainty and give you confidence with your bundle of joy.

- Let it go! It's wonderful to prepare for baby’s homecoming and have a strategy for your first few weeks with your baby. But give yourself permission to let go and take things one day at a time.  Or one feeding at a time.  Or one minute at a time.  Even if your list of things to do didn't get touched, let it go and focus on giving love and care to your newborn.

- Flexibility is key! It is very likely that your sense of timing will feel accelerated. Time and the postpartum period are an interesting dynamic. Days and nights merge and it takes some time to establish a new balance and routine that works for your family. And that’s okay!  Take a deep breath and give yourself and your family the time you need to understand and care for your baby. Try not to strive for unrealistic goals or have expectations that are not flexible based on how you feel in the moment. Remember that these little ones are really quite simple; they are all about bonding, feeding and sleeping.

- Track your baby's patterns. Whether in a small notebook, your phone, or on a pad of paper, jot down your baby's feeding times, diaper changes, sleep patterns and anything you notice each day.  This will help you be prepared for your first pediatrician visit, and you can bring your notebook with you to show your doctor.  You'll be prepared and confident to discuss those first few weeks.

- Ask for support. As you return home, remember that you are recovering physically and emotionally with the added flux of hormones throughout your body. Recognize this and give yourself permission to let others support you. Communicate with your partner, your family, and friends, and accept help. Consider having in-home support or overnight help. A trusted family member or a postpartum doula can help make a plan to allow for your rest and fulfill your baby’s eating and sleeping needs. In fact, research shows parents who receive support can…

·       Feel more  secure and cared for

·       Are more successful in adapting to new family dynamics

·       Have more fulfilling breastfeeding experiences

·       Have greater self-confidence

·       Have less postpartum depression

·       Have lower incidence of abuse

By taking good care of yourself, you will better be able to manage your baby.  It will take time to understand your newborn’s signals and patterns but be patient this will come as you get to know him or her a little better. Remember, your baby is still growing at a rapid pace in those first few weeks. A newborn’s stomach size is the size of a marble. By a month, your baby’s digestive system will mature and feedings may spread out a bit. There is a lot of change in a short period of time, so expect that and listen to your baby’s cues as they learn to communicate their needs to you. Every baby is different – and you will get to know yours in no time!  Relax, be easy on yourself, and accept support, and know that this period is fleeting. Enjoy the journey – make it yours and every single day with your new baby. J

5 Top Reasons to Join a Mommy & Me Group

by Jill Campbell, PsyD, Mommy & Me curriculum Director at The Pump Station & Nurtury^®

1. This class is a great way to bond with your baby and learn about all things related to your baby’s development such as how your baby matures emotionally, cognitively, socially and physically. We incorporate songs and developmental play into every class.
2. We’ve all heard the expression that it takes a village to raise a child. The Pump Station & Nurtury’s Mommy & Me Program is the place where you come to grow your village of support. Here you will meet other women with babies the same age as yours. Being a new mom can be very isolating, but when you become part of our mommy & me community, you are sharing this experience with other new moms. We have created a safe haven where you will not feel judged. Many women develop life long friendships in these classes.
3. You will learn practical and useful information on topics such as infant sleep, language development, renegotiating your relationship with your partner, introducing solids, empathic limit setting, and so much more! 
4. Based on a mindful parenting philosophy, we teach new moms how to be attuned to their child’s inner world. We will support you in learning how to trust your intuition and parent in a way that honors your authentic self. Women gain confidence and trust in themselves in this new role of being a parent.
5. Our mommy and me facilitators are all trained licensed therapists with backgrounds in child development.

For more information on our Mommy & Me/Parent & Me Groups email ParentAndMe@PumpStation.com or visit the following resource links below:

• Mommy/Parent & Me Groups at The Pump Station & Nurtury
• Mommy & Me Instructors
• Instructor & Parent Approved Developmental Toys
• Testimonials

Combating Loneliness One Glass of Wine at a Time

Guest blogger: Laura Sexton

I thought having a baby would keep me from feeling lonely. I would have someone to go to the park with and have dinner with and just chat with. Then I had a baby. I was stuck in the house all day long. I was cleaning, nursing, changing diapers, doing laundry, singing songs, doing tummy time, never sleeping, fighting a baby who won’t sleep, trying to feed myself… the list goes on and on. Nowhere on that list was hanging out with my friends, going to the park, having a dinner out, chatting.

Then I found The Pump Station & Nurtury^®!

I was having trouble feeding my baby girl and did some online research. A group of women meet at a Breastfeeding Support Group on Tuesdays at The Pump Station & Nurtury^® in Hollywood. I had to go.

The first week I was nervous. I had brought a bottle of breast milk with me in case I had to feed my little girl. I didn’t feel comfortable breastfeeding her yet, much less in public. I wasn’t sure if I’d speak up or just sit and learn. One of the first things the leader of the group asked was whether or not we had all gone out together to do something. Maybe Mommy Movies at The Grove or a cup of coffee. No one had.

The following week, a little braver, I left the bottle at home but still quietly prayed my daughter would sleep through class so I wouldn’t have to breastfeed her. Again we were asked if we had gone out. Two women raised their hands.

All of us made our way to the group because we needed support from other breastfeeding moms. We came because we had questions about breastfeeding. We kept coming back to the class because we enjoyed learning more each time and we were starting to see familiar faces that made us feel less alone in the journey. There was that person you knew you’d see and you could ask them about their life already knowing a few details and they would do the same for you. It started to feel like friendship.

As the weeks went by and the friendships developed a couple moms decided to go to coffee after group. As they walked up Vine and came to Sunset a thought occurred, “why not wine?” They were already up near restaurants and the group had just discussed the safety of drinking alcohol while breastfeeding. So they had a glass of wine.

They came to the next group and nonchalantly mentioned wine to a couple moms. After class, away we went; six women pushing strollers up Vine to Sunset and over to Ivar where there is a cute little place called Stella Barra. Now we go there on Tuesdays after group, just in time for happy hour. We sit in a corner where there are some leather couches and chairs. No one bothers us.

Once too shy to breastfeed in the support group I am now empowered by this group of women to feed as I eat (or drink). There is no fear in a group of momma bears. Only once were we approached. An Australian fellow ventured over to us to say that he had been texting his wife about this amazing group of women and he wished she had some friends like that when their baby was smaller. We invited her to join us as we had decided we would all certainly be there the next Tuesday. Even the moms who have aged out of the 0-4 month group come back weekly to partake in a glass of wine or two.

We all need friends. I had no idea how much I needed other Mommies in my life! Here we bond, grow, and learn from each other with a lovely glass of wine in our hands and a baby on the breast.

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The opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The Pump Station & Nurtury®. Please consult your physician / pediatrician concerning any medical questions you may have.

Top 5 Reasons to Hire a Postpartum Doula

1. It takes a village.
Historically, women of the families have always supported one another through the emotional dynamics of pregnancy and birth. Now, we sometimes live far away or don’t have the traditional family support to lean on. A doula comes into your growing family to share the transitional journey and helps to support you on an emotional, physical and educational level. She can connect you with resources to create your own customized village of professionals and experiences to help your little one’s development get off to a great start. From Mommy-and-Me support groups to specialized referrals, your doula is well-connected to an entire village of baby specialists and can help you anticipate future needs.

2. Every new team needs a coach.
Both you and your baby are learning a new skill. Although breastfeeding is natural, it is a learned skill and good coaching can help to make this experience successful and gentle for you and your babe.  Our postpartum doulas are experienced in lactation education and support.  They can help you establish an effective deep latch – and they can refer you to The Pump Station & Nurtury’s lactation specialists, should you need extra support. Your doula can also educate you on all aspects of breast pump usage and milk storage practices, as well as formula guidelines, sterilization, and bottle feeding options.

3. YOU Deserve a break today – or tonight!
A postpartum doula works 8-12 hour day or overnight shifts with your family beginning the day you bring your baby home up through the first few months of life. Daytime support provides an excellent educational opportunity for hands-on demonstrations in calming or soothing a newborn. Having overnight support helps mom get cumulative sleep during the time period when her prolactin levels are highest, thus giving her optimal benefit in producing breastmilk. Nighttime care also helps keep your family or daytime support team healthy and rested to better support you the next day.  A trained newborn expert, your doula works with you to support your parenting choices and suggest solutions to make you a happier, more efficient parent. They can help establish patterns and routines to help your family track baby’s needs and create balance and rest for all!

4. Because babies should come with a personal instruction manual…but they don’t.
Based on the AAP recommendations and your personal style, your doula will help you establish safe practices with the latest safety-approved standards and products. Doulas stay current on trending baby care topics and pass their knowledge and experience on to your family. Doulas work to customize support for your family, and create a routine that will build healthy practices leading to successful childhood development through nutrition, brain development, and healthy sleep routines.

5. Extra hands=Extra love for baby and the whole family!
Every family needs a spare hand with a new baby in the house! Through their professional experience, a doula can help you understand and respond to your baby’s cues and individual needs which is so helpful as every baby is unique. Doulas assess the family’s needs and will jump in to help with whatever the top priorities are for the moment (which may range from baby care, baby laundry, nursery organization, meal preparation to light household tasks) or just be an empathetic ear to share your story. Extra hands=peace of mind because you know baby is in good hands!

Resources:
Before Baby Visits
Postpartum Doula Services
Sleep Consultations