7 People You Should Have to Help With Your Journey Through Motherhood
Becoming a new parent is a wonderful thing, but that doesn’t mean it’s an easy process. Those first few days, weeks, even months of motherhood can really weigh on a person. There’s sleep deprivation and the fact that you’re going from being catered to in your pregnancy to having to cater to this new, tiny human 24/7. Don’t fret, though, as help is available. Much like you would at a regular job, it’s important to delegate what you can to others in your life. And for those who are able to, this is the kind of team you’d want to hire to make motherhood a heck of a lot sweeter.
1. A Reliable Babysitter (Or Nanny): Undoubtedly, you will need help caring for your baby at some time or other. If you have a partner or other co-parent, you might not need it quite as soon, but it’s well worth it. You will eventually want some time to yourself. You might decide to work outside the home, or you may need someone to help with the baby during appointments. You and your significant other might appreciate the occasional date night. And having help when you’re sick is a godsend once you’re a mother. A good, reliable sitter can be a challenge to find at first, but once you do, do your best to keep them around.
2. A Regular Housekeeper: There isn’t all that much time left over for cleaning house when you’re spending your days feeding, burping, and changing a baby. You’ll do your best, but even those who subscribe to a minimalist or full-on Kon-Mari lifestyle will falter in early parenthood. It doesn’t even get that much easier with time (toddlers and preschoolers are notorious for trashing a room rockstar-style in minutes). Hire someone to come by once a week (or even just once a month) to help you deep-clean and tidy up your home. This will be well worth it when you’ve lost your keys for the 103409th time or can’t find the baby’s thermometer under the piles of junk.
3. An Amazing OB/GYN: Okay, so you should have already hired this person prior to giving birth. Regardless, it’s important to have a qualified, kind medical caregiver postpartum. You will want someone to give you proper care at your six-week check-up to make sure everything is healing properly. You’ll also want someone who is wise enough to ask you how you’re doing physically and emotionally (as postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety are real and can become dangerous if left untreated).
4. A Lactation Consultant: For mamas who want to breastfeed and have trouble, hiring a lactation consultant (LC) can be an incredible and powerful move. LCs are specially trained in assisting new moms to breastfeed by troubleshooting all potential problems and offering lots of support. LCs can often bring up issues a mom might not think of (such as a lip or tongue tie), teach the mom different holding methods (in case the baby prefers certain positions) and, of course, give mom kind words and a friendly ear so they feel more at ease.
5. A Receptive Pediatrician Your Child Loves: You’re going to want the best pediatrician possible to oversee your child’s healthcare. You want someone who is really good with children and makes visits easy and enjoyable. You want someone who listens to your concerns and doesn’t just see you both as another number. You want someone who connects with your child. You want someone who is big on consent (many doctors will proceed to poke and prod a child without making sure it’s okay).
6. A Badass Massage Therapist: New moms, you will all thank us for this later. We know we don’t all have the time or extra cash lying around for massages. Hear us out, though. You can often find solid deals on places like Groupon, and even if you can’t, some massage offices have membership and loyalty programs so you can save on your services. No matter if you’ve just had a baby or if you’re on your third — every mom can use a good massage.
7. A Quality Dry Cleaner: Laundry sucks when you’re a parent. Suddenly you have two or three times the amount of laundry you once had. Babies constantly spit up or poop-splode all over the cutest outfits (and it’s not just on their own clothes — they often target yours too). We advise that you keep your cutest of clothing options away from your baby, but overall, you’re going to want a good laundry service nearby. Some places allow you to drop off bags of laundry that you can pick up later. And if you’re doing the cloth diapering thing, there are also mobile cloth diaper services that are essentially the same thing (they pick up your soiled rags, wash ’em up, and bring ’em back).
Who else do you think would make a good addition to your motherhood “team”? Let us know with a Tweet @BritandCo!
(Photo via Getty)