A Guide To Your New Family's First Weeks - Meriter Health Services

Mother Care
The first weeks after giving birth are a time of change and adjustment for a woman and her family. Fatigue is a real
problem for new mothers. This can remain for months after the birth. Along with fatigue, a woman faces new
responsibilities. By taking care of herself, a woman is able to meet the challenges and appreciate the joys of parenting.
Rest
While in the Hospital
• Take naps as often as you can.
• Use the “do not disturb” sign.
• Use the phone shut-off feature. (Read your room
binder for more information.)
• Encourage friends and family to visit you at home
after you have rested.
• Keep your baby with you and rest together. Most
new moms rest and sleep better when they are
close to their babies.
At Home
Some new parents find it easier to rest once they
return home. Others find it more difficult. Rest,
along with eating, feeding your baby and caring for
your baby should be your priorities. As for all other
responsibilities of life at home, it would be best
to leave these for a while. Ask someone else to do
them or, minimally, share those responsibilities with
someone else. Discuss these responsibilities early
with your husband, partner, family and friends.
New parents will find that temporarily adapting their
sleep and awake patterns to their baby’s patterns
allows for much more rest than struggling to change
a baby’s schedule to fit mom’s and dad’s. This is
also much healthier for your baby. It is healthy
and normal for babies to wake and feed frequently
(especially at night). If you find at times you can
only settle your baby by holding her, remember this
is normal and good for both of you.
As you proudly share your new child with the world,
remember that you are parents first and hosts last.
Make sure to take time just for you and your baby.
Pain Management
If you are experiencing pain after delivery, your nurse
will provide you with appropriate pain medication.
Do not be afraid to ask! She will ask you to assess
your pain by assigning it a number from zero (no
pain) to 10 (worst pain). Based on your report she will
help you decide on a plan for pain control. Please tell
your nurse if your medication is not helping relieve
your pain or if you are experiencing bad side effects
from it.
If you need pain medications to take at home, your
provider will write you a prescription that you should
fill at a pharmacy. Review the medication information
listed so that you are familiar with how often you may
request a certain medication, know its potential side
effects and know why you are using it.
Medication Information
A list of medications that may be prescribed for
you to take while you are in the hospital or at home
are listed on page 15. The information will help
you know more about the medications you may be
taking. If you have questions, you can ask your nurse
while in the hospital or call your provider’s office
or pharmacist after you go home. We’ve included a
medication log worksheet at the end of this book so
that you can record the medications you are taking
and when you take them.
Since it is very important to keep track of when your
pain medication is due, your nurse will write the next
time it is due on the white dry-erase board in your
room. If you are experiencing pain before your next
medication dose is due, call your nurse to re-assess
your pain.
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