The first 40 days are the most crucial days for a mother. They say you are supposed to take rest and sleep as much as you can and so on and so forth.
But imagine what it is for your baby. She was so happy in your womb and bang there she comes out in this new world. Your baby would just want to cling to mommy because she is familiar with her smell, her voice, the sound of her heartbeat which gives her a sense of security.
Here are a few tips to make sure your baby is comfortable and settles in fast.
No diapers- Please for the love of God have mercy on your baby. Their skin is super sensitive and can easily get a rash if you keep them in diapers all day. You need to make homemade langotis for your little one. The ones that are soiled with stool can be thrown out and the ones wet with urine can be washed and reused again. Now, how to make langotis? Easy peasy! Tell Mil or Mom to go to a kapade wala shop to purchase soft pure cotton piece of cloth or what we call as 'thaan' in hindi. Wash the cloth. Cut them in squares. Fold them into a triangle and make a little hole so you can put one side of the triangle through to tie the langoti. These are very comfortable for your baby. Later after 2-3 weeks you can use langotis of Tiny Care company. You can order them online or go buy them from any baby shop. Just make sure they are of soft material.
Swaddle your baby -This a practice that has been implemented for a long time where you wrap your baby in a thin cloth or muslin cloth. Swaddling makes your baby feel snug, warm and secure. Some people say that if you swaddle your baby it makes them feel like she is in your womb. Because when your baby grows in your womb she hardly gets any space to move. So her movements are very small. So the swaddling re-creates that feeling which makes your baby feel like she is being hugged, just like she did in her mother's womb. Swaddling your baby makes them cry less. But you need to make sure that you don’t wrap the cloth too tightly. They should have enough space to move their legs. Swaddling also makes you baby sleep longer. So go ahead and swaddle away mommys!!
Massage your baby - Some people say massage your baby. Some doctors say you massage, you don't massage, it doesn't really matter. But in my opinion baby maalish is the best part of her day. First of all create the environment for baby massage. Turn off the air conditioner, put away your phone, place a cloth underneath her so as not to mess up the bed sheet. Make sure you get your babies fresh change of clothes out of the cupboard before you start. Keep oil in a bowl so it doesn't spill when taken directly from bottle. So you are all ready and set. Expect the unexpected. Giving your baby a massage is bonding time with your baby. Make sure you are not too rough. Be gentle and calm! You can massage them for about 10 minutes tops and give them a bath after that. After their bath they are tired and usually want to sleep. So, make sure you have the milk feed ready so they would sleep longer.
Breastfeed on demand - Breastfeeding is hard! Initially your baby would want to be stuck to your boob all day. Now if she is drinking or not drinking God knows. Give them as much feed as they want. If your nipples are sore you can use a nipple shield. You have to make sure that it is washed and sterilized before use. You can also add little ghee to your nipples if they are cracked. But make sure you wipe them clean before you feed your baby. You are the only source of nourishment they have. Just make sure you eat well and drink a lot of water.
Co-sleep with your baby. Please, for the love of God, share a bed with your baby. Later, when they are a few months old or so, you can make them sleep in a cot or a palna or co- sleep on the same bed, whatever suits you. But in the first few months make sure your baby sleeps next to you. Anything can happen to your little precious one. Plus, the baby feels more secure and safe if they have mommy next to them. It would also make it easy for you to breastfeed change and pat dry the baby. Less movement at night helps the baby sleep peacefully.
Let your baby sleep! Some babies tend to sleep most of the day and are awake for a couple of hours at night. This can be hard on you since you also have to be awake for a couple of hours at night. But some mothers tend to not let their baby sleep during the day so that would sleep at night. This process does not change their cycle. It would just make them more cranky and upset. Just let the baby sleep when it wants to sleep. If possible you also sleep so that you aren't cranky and tired. The baby’s sleep routine changes over a period of time. So it's just temporary. I'm sure you can deal with it!
Give things times. You would get used to the routine. Just go with the flow. You’re going to be a great mom!!
You got this!
Disclaimer - I do not endorse, or have got any financial reimbursement from the companies I have mentioned. Their products have been used by me and my baby and hence their names are mentioned.