Surviving The First 6 Weeks

As you nestle down with your new baby in the crook of your arm, smelling their sweet hair and feeling their tiny fingers for the first time, you hope these quiet moments will last forever.

But the rollercoaster is just about to begin. The first six weeks of your baby’s life can be overwhelming, not to mention exhausting. They have a way of turning everything upside down. Managing to cope can be a monumental gauntlet, especially in the early days as you get used to your baby and their individual needs. Sleep deprivation, recovering from childbirth and baby blues can make those first few weeks incredibly overwhelming. Even though we’ve read all the books and soaked up the advice, we will never be truly ready. There are, however, some very basic ways to survive those first six weeks.

Caring For Your Body

You’ve had nine months of everyone asking you how you’re feeling as friends and relatives anxiously await news of the new arrival. Their concern for you was first and foremost. As soon as your baby is here, that attention can be swiftly moved on to baby as Mum carries on and amazes the world with how well she is doing. But in truth, Mum is in recovery mode and needs plenty of rest and support. Your body goes through some incredible changes throughout pregnancy and suffers so much through birth. It can take up to a year to recover so don’t rush yourself and certainly don’t underestimate what you have gone through.

The emotional and physical upheaval of having a baby can knock you for six. Even though you are no longer pregnant you still need the support and help of those around you. Your body will take time to recover and any stitches you have will need plenty of care. Whether you had a vaginal delivery or caesarean section, give your body time to recuperate by accepting as much help as possible from obliging friends.

An Emotional Rollercoaster