Together Through the Postpartum Period: How You as Parents Can Confidently Face the Postbirth Phase, Enjoy the Postpartum Period Together, and Build a Close Bond with Your Child – Including the Best Postpartum Recipes E-Book

Helena Weber

• Herausgeber: ONIX Media
• Kategorie: Ratgeber
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 196

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025

Beschreibung

The Baby is Here! – Now What? For many women and men alike, this is the most important moment in life: The new family member is finally here! You've been waiting for this moment for months – and then realize: It's not all just pink happiness. The postpartum phase is a time of recovery, reorganization, and often a time of uncertainty – for both mom and dad: Are we doing everything right? Is the baby hungry or in pain? How can the body recover? Are digestive issues normal? How does the father find his role? How can we start building a close bond with our baby? And when will pleasure & sexuality return? This book answers these and many other questions compassionately, openly, and without false shame, and is a competent guide through the first weeks of new family life.

Leseprobe

Together through the puerperium

How you as parents can face the postnatal phase with confidence, enjoy the postpartum period together and build a close bond with your child

Helena Weber

All advice in this book has been carefully considered and checked by the author and the publisher. However, no guarantee can be given. The author and publisher therefore accept no liability for any personal injury, property damage or financial loss.

Together through the postpartum period: How you as parents can face the postpartum phase safely, enjoy the postpartum period together and build a close bond with your childCopyright © 2021 Helena Weberwww.inselliebe-verlag.de

All rights reserved, in particular the right to reproduce and distribute the translation. No part of this work may be reproduced in any form (by photocopy, microfilm or any other method) or stored, processed, duplicated or distributed using electronic systems without the written permission of the publisher.

For questions and suggestions:[email protected] 2021

Contents

Foreword

Introduction

Postpartum myth

Our baby is here!

Baby knowledge from A-Z

Binding from day 1

Nest warmth

A shelter

Visit management

Designing the sleeping area

Family bed, yes or no?

Crib

Cradle

Comfort & functionality

Sleep accessories

Light sources

Mom

Everything is new!

The birth experience

The relationship with your own body

Pain relief & regeneration

Tips for toilet hygiene

Breastfeeding

Clothing tips

Good for the soul

Nourishing for the body

Postpartum depression

Dad

The rock in the surf - providing support

Enjoying time together

Help, my wife is so different!

Daddy bonding

Fathers & breastfeeding

The birth experience let it sink in

Find my role

We

Suddenly three of us

Couple time

The relationship after the birth

Intimacy - mental & physical

A balanced system - Integrate older children

Bonus: Postpartum kitchen

Balanced & nourished for regeneration

Sweet ideas

Granola

Green smoothie

Rice pudding

Pick-me-up breakfast

Porridge

Vanilla ice cream

Hearty ideas

Couscous salad

Potato and pumpkin soup

Rösti

Vegetarian bell pepper soup

Veggie one-pot pasta

Wholemeal pasta with tofu carbonara

Conclusion

Foreword

Dear mothers and dear fathers,

Congratulations on your new baby! You have achieved something incredible and can be proud of the little miracle you are holding in your arms.

In this book, you will learn important background knowledge about pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period. This compact guide also provides you with important practical tips and tricks that you can put into practice immediately. Despite the high information content, the food for thought and the detailed and varied topics, a positive tone runs through the entire book. Thanks to the practical and illustrated design, all topics are packaged in a clear and understandable format, ensuring that everything worth knowing is conveyed in the best possible way.

The bond between parent and child is the most important and strongest that people form in the course of their lives. It is not only vital for the baby's survival, but also gives so much to the parents. The bond between parent and child is a bond for eternity.

Introduction

This book contains all the important background information, tips and tricks relating to the postpartum period. The individual subtopics are written in such detail that by the end of the book you will know exactly what to expect. The uncomplicated, simple and accessible presentation of the topics will show you how best to deal with the individual situations that will come your way.

Often, the focus is only on the mother when talking about pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period. The special thing about this book is that, in addition to an extensive chapter for mom, there is also a detailed chapter for dad and a joint "We" chapter. Right at the beginning, you will learn in a detailed chapter how you can establish an emotional connection with your child and why bonding is so incredibly important.

Mothers learn what to expect physically and emotionally after a months-long and extreme phase of transformation. They not only learn important background information on the subject of birth injuries, but also how important it is to view the postpartum period as a protective space, to review the birth experience and to perceive and process their own experiences and emotions. Self-care and self-love take the place of self-criticism, and everyday, open and honest tips for physical and emotional injuries will help the mother to better accept her body after the birth. In addition, the very natural process of breastfeeding is discussed, as well as teething problems, breastfeeding strikes, breastfeeding accessories and nipple infections. In the mom section, you will also learn about the wonderful effects of singing bowls, meditation, restorative yoga and nourishment for your body.

In the past, the roles were clearly defined, but nowadays it is clear that the dad is much more than just the breadwinner of the family. In the dad section of the book, fathers learn how they can thrive in their role as dad, that they are also an important caregiver for the baby, how they can support breastfeeding and that they are the rock of the family. They learn that feelings of jealousy are completely normal and what they can do if they feel like a third wheel. The compact chapter on medical background information on birth injuries and the mental side of women during and after childbirth provides them with important knowledge. Although fathers have nine months to prepare for being a father and the new family situation, many are often caught off guard after the birth of their child. After the birth, fathers also need to make peace with the events surrounding pregnancy and childbirth in order to find the energy for everyday life.

After reading the chapters written just for dads, dads will know exactly how to find their role as a dad with heart and soul and how to skillfully overcome initial difficulties and challenges.

The main element of this book is the "We" chapter, which contains many inspirations for mental work in the partnership after the birth. The numerous tips and tricks will help you not to lose yourself as a couple after the birth. Even if everything initially revolves around the newborn baby, you will learn that spending time together and caring for each other are incredibly important for your relationship and that you should not neglect them. Openness and conversations are incredibly important, especially now, and are the be-all and end-all in any relationship. Intimacy is not just about sexuality. Mental and physical intimacy after the birth can also be achieved through shared moments, conversations and massages. The integration of older siblings is also an important aspect that is addressed in this chapter.

Finally, you are invited to try out a few vitamin-rich, nourishing and quick-to-prepare recipes. You can also read a summary of all the key findings from the book.

Postpartum myth

The term "puerperium" refers to the period of six to eight weeks immediately after the birth of a child. It refers to the period in which the mother is still particularly vulnerable - both mentally and physically - after giving birth. This period is defined as the "puerperium" because the mother should take it easy physically in order to regenerate sufficiently and completely. It is the time when the relationship between mother and child is formed for the first time, the ideal time to get to know each other and the best time for the newborn baby to "warm its nest". The baby has finally arrived and you are literally flooded with happiness hormones.

It is completely normal that you will need some time at the beginning to understand what your own body has achieved during the birth. Over time, the consequences of the birth will become visible and noticeable. Any injuries that may have occurred during childbirth will begin to heal and regress. The first physical changes occur and the breastfeeding period begins.

The postpartum period is a time of transition. The events of the entire pregnancy and the birth do not end the moment your baby is born. The postpartum period is also part of it. Your body now needs two things above all: time and rest. In the first few days and weeks, don't immediately schedule fixed appointments and give yourself, the father and the baby enough time to arrive, get to know each other and make the first discoveries before the real everyday life begins. Of course, the first few weeks are also exciting and unique for the father. If possible, he should therefore take a vacation and time to get to know each other.

There are a number of myths surrounding the term "postpartum", but there is not always much truth behind them.

Myth: Breasts

The assumption that breastfeeding gives you sagging breasts is one of the more well-known myths surrounding pregnancy. The female breast changes all by itself in the course of life. This is a fact that breastfeeding does not change. There is just as little truth behind the myth that larger breasts produce more milk than smaller ones. Although larger breasts have more fatty tissue, it is the mammary gland tissue that is decisive for breastfeeding. Breast size is therefore not decisive for the amount of milk produced.

Myth: Weight loss

There is also not much truth in the assumption that breastfeeding women do not gain weight and easily lose excess kilos from pregnancy. The weight loss experienced by many mothers during breastfeeding is due to the fact that breastfeeding is exhausting. Some mothers also reach their original weight so quickly simply because they have a good metabolism. On the other hand, there are also many mothers who gain weight during the breastfeeding phase because they feel hungry more often and move much less than before giving birth. It is important to ensure a balanced and healthy diet, as this is much more important than reaching the ideal weight as quickly as possible.

Myth: Contraception

Another myth about breastfeeding is that breastfeeding is a good contraceptive. Menstruation usually stops until after weaning because the hormone proclatine, which is involved in milk production, inhibits ovulation. For this reason, menstruation does not resume in breastfeeding women until several months after giving birth. However, it is not possible to determine the exact time of ovulation, which means that a new pregnancy cannot be completely ruled out in breastfeeding women. To rule out a new pregnancy, you should therefore definitely use modern contraceptive methods.

Myth: Too little milk

Do not worry that there is not enough milk in your breast. Just because your baby seems to keep asking for your breast does not mean that you are not producing enough milk. Your baby is probably going through a growth spurt and simply needs a little more milk than you are used to. As soon as you give your baby the breast more often, milk production will automatically increase. Demand regulates supply. Your breast milk is also not too thin, so you don't have to worry about your baby not getting enough. Although breast milk looks lower in fat and thinner in direct comparison to cow's milk, it is by no means less nutritious. Furthermore, if your baby wakes up during the night, this does not mean that he or she has not been properly fed. There are several reasons why babies wake up during the night. If you want to start complementary feeding from the fifth to sixth month of life, this does not mean that your breast milk is no longer nutritious enough. It adapts to the baby's needs and is still particularly important for your child.

Myth: Once a caesarean section, always a caesarean section

If you have given birth to your child by caesarean section, this does not mean that you will have to have another caesarean section the next time you give birth. Although this myth is also widespread , it has long been outdated from a medical perspective.

Myth: Placenta

As the placenta stores a variety of vital substances, it is considered to guarantee fertility. There is a superstition that if you plant an apple tree over the placenta, it will be particularly fertile. If you place a rose bush on the placenta, the newborn child will be gifted with special beauty in the course of its life.

Our baby is here!

Baby knowledge from A-Z

A - how to dress

D

ooking your baby may be a little unsettling at first. You don't really know how to hold your baby properly and getting dressed is also stressful for your child. It is therefore not unusual for your child to become restless at first and start crying. To make the daily routine of getting dressed easier, you should have everything you need ready. Develop a ritual in which you stroke your child's tummy and give him/her the feeling that you have everything under control. Avoid interruptions and never leave your baby alone on the changing table. When changing your baby's clothes, it is important to make sure that they are made of lightweight materials, are easy to put on and take off and do not restrict your child's range of movement.

Romper suits are excellent for newborns because they offer great freedom of movement and yet nothing can slip. It's great if the romper has a few buttons at the bottom and sides. This makes changing nappies easier. Swaddling bodysuits are also a great purchase. The fact that you can unbutton them completely and don't have to pull them over your baby's head makes them one of the best items of clothing for newborns. When children have something pulled over their head, they often have the feeling of being in a tunnel because it gets dark for a moment. They don't like this feeling and often start to cry. For this reason, when buying bodysuits, you should make sure that they have as wide a neckline as possible. Keep the collar as wide as possible and pull the bodysuit over your child from behind. You should avoid jeans, blouses and shirts, even if they look cute. They are difficult to put on, uncomfortable and impractical for changing.

When you are out in the fresh air with your baby, it is often not so easy to tell whether your baby is wearing enough or not. However, by touching the back of the neck, you can easily feel whether your baby is sweating or cold. A dry and warm neck means that everything is fine. If your baby's neck is damp, it is sweating, and if it is cold, your baby is freezing. In summer, rompers and bodysuits are particularly suitable. In winter, you should dress your child in an onion look. A head covering protects your child in both summer and winter.

B - like relationship

The relationship with your baby is incredibly important as it will shape your child for the rest of their life and help them in their personal development. An emotional relationship between parent and child helps the baby to grow, because without this emotional bond, survival is not possible. Closeness, physical contact, safety, security, warmth, time, authenticity and also emotional language with the baby support bonding.

C - how to stay cool

Every baby and every pregnancy is special and unique. Parents first have to find out how best to soothe their baby after birth and learn the difference between hunger, tiredness and other factors. All of this takes time, but your baby's signals will help you get to know your newborn's wants and needs. Give yourself time and be flexible with yourself. If you stay calm and cool, you can overcome any obstacles.

D - like thumb sucking

Thumb sucking calms babies and growing children and gives them a feeling of security and safety. Some scientists suspect that the reason for thumb sucking is to satisfy the physical sucking needs that every newborn has from birth. Most children stop sucking their thumbs on their own when they are older. However, if the child does not stop soon enough on its own, speech defects (lisp) and misaligned teeth can be the result. Constant thumb sucking causes the front teeth of the upper jaw to grow forward and the front teeth of the lower jaw to grow backwards. It is generally recommended that children should stop sucking their thumbs from the age of two.

E - for parenthood

Parenthood refers to being a parent and means the responsible relationship towards a child. There are at least three basic types of parenthood. Biological parenthood refers to jointly witnessing the child. Legal parenthood includes the duties towards a child and also includes adopted or unadopted children. Social parenthood refers to the permanent assumption of care and responsibility for a child.

F - like bottle feeding

If you do not want to or cannot breastfeed for personal or medical reasons, you will need to find a substitute food for your child. Breast milk has still not been replaced by an equivalent ready-made product, but industrially produced foods for babies are adapted to their needs in the best possible way. A basic distinction is made between infant formula and follow-on formula. There are also two variants of infant formula, which differ particularly in the proportion of carbohydrates.

Pre-nutrition is similar to breast milk in that it is thin and, like breast milk, the only carbohydrate it contains is lactose. The protein content of pre-nutrition is similar to that of breast milk. It is most similar to breast milk. In contrast, the 1 formula is somewhat thicker and more filling due to the additional starch. The composition of both formulas is regulated by law and is based on recommendations from various scientific institutes. They can both be given from birth and are suitable for the entire first year of your child's life. You should start with follow-on formula at the earliest with the start of complementary foods, as it is only used as a supplement. There are also special infant formulas for babies with a family history of allergies.

HA formula is ideal for these children. It is also important that you do not try to prepare the bottle milk yourself. It is very unlikely that you will be able to achieve the perfect composition and you run the risk of creating an inadequate ratio of essential nutrients.

G - like birth

The duration of a birth is very individual, but on average takes longer for the first child than for the second. As a rule, birth takes place in several phases. The four phases of natural childbirth are the opening phase, the transition phase, the expulsion phase and the afterbirth. The beginning of the birth is often marked by the rupture of the membranes, colloquially known as "the breaking of the amniotic sac". The rupture of the membranes is quickly followed by the opening contractions. However, the birth can also begin with the onset of the opening contractions, which gradually dilate the cervix. The opening contractions occur at regular intervals, whereby these intervals become increasingly shorter and the contractions become stronger as the opening phase draws to a close. The baby is pushed deeper towards the pelvis. The intervals now occur approximately every two minutes. The opening phase is the longest phase of labor.

The transition phase then begins. The contractions are very painful and intense and the cervix is fully dilated. At the end of the second phase, the cervix has a diameter of around eight to ten centimetres. The expulsion phase, which could also be referred to as the delivery phase, begins. The baby is born through the birth canal due to the mother's strong contractions and is then placed directly on the mother's breast and the father is usually allowed to cut the umbilical cord. A little later, the afterbirth phase begins and contractions occur. The placenta and the membranes detach and are shed by the body. All four stages of labor are over, the birth is over and the baby is born.

H - like midwife

A midwife is a specialist who provides assistance during childbirth. Midwives provide advice during pregnancy and also support families during the birth and postpartum period. They support expectant mothers on their journey and help them to experience pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period in a stronger way. By respecting women's personal wishes, they give them confidence and trust in their individual abilities. Support and advice on all psychological and physical components is particularly important during the birth of the first child. Midwives also provide advice on the important decision of how and where the baby should be born. They also offer various courses for optimal birth preparation. In Germany, it is regulated by law that a midwife must be present at every birth. This means that you can count on the help and support of your midwife during your delivery and give birth in a self-determined and safe manner. During your postpartum period, your midwife will visit you at home and remain available to answer any questions you may have. Your midwife will not only help you with medical questions, she will also promote the bond between you and your child and is also an important contact person for the father.

I - like vaccination

Vaccinations are very important not only for babies, but also for children and adolescents in order to provide sufficient protection against possible infections as early as possible. The Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO) at the Robert Koch Institute recommends vaccinating children in Germany against the following diseases: tetanus, diphtheria, Hib, hepatitis B, rotavirus, polio, whooping cough, pneumococcus, meningococcus, chickenpox, HPV and measles, mumps and rubella (MMR). Even though vaccinations are not legally required in Germany, most parents follow these recommendations, as children who are not vaccinated have a higher risk of contracting dangerous diseases and suffering lifelong damage.

J - like accepting every feeling

Pregnancy is a time full of intense emotions and once your baby is born, these feelings never subside. After the birth, you can expect a rollercoaster ride of emotions, because your pregnancy and birth are a wonderful journey. Embrace every feeling, whether it is positive or negative. Emotions are an essential part of the postpartum period. Use this time of rest to accept, categorize and process your feelings. Allow them and enjoy the first moments with your baby.

K - for caesarean section

In a caesarean section, the baby is born surgically. A caesarean section is usually performed if there is either a risk to the mother and/or the child or if a natural birth is not possible.

L - like bib

A bib is an important tool that you won't want to be without in a few months at the latest. The variety of bibs is now very large. When buying bibs, it is important that you make sure that they fit well, are flexible and do not restrict your child's freedom of movement. It is also important that they are individually adjustable, easy to clean and have been tested for harmful substances beforehand.

M - like maternity passport

The maternity record is a small booklet with a total of sixteen pages on which all the important information, the course and the results of the check-ups during pregnancy are documented.

N - like teatowel

Sucking cloths, or cuddle cloths, are available in different types and shapes. They often have a cuddly animal head sewn on. Cuddle cloths are easy to grasp due to their light fabric. The baby loves cuddling with the soft cloth and can get to know different haptics. As soon as babies start teething, it can be observed that they chew on their cuddle cloth more often. The chewing acts as a massage for the baby's gums, which are very itchy at the moment. The cuddly toy head is your baby's favorite companion and a play partner that is always there.