Life After Baby: How to have your baby and keep your head

It can be exciting to be pregnant and it can be exhausting. Then, one unbelievable day, your baby arrives. Your childbirth experience fills your consciousness. Your body is recovering physically from the effort, strength and stamina it takes to bring new life into the world. On top of this, there’s a baby. A delicious baby - your baby - someone you sort of recognize, and can learn to love.

A heartbeat later, life continues. You need to eat – which requires shopping, shlepping, unpacking, washing, cooking and washing up. Don’t even talk about the laundry. You had no idea how much effort this 7lb bundle would take. Or, you had an idea, but your toddler didn’t. Perhaps you’ve done this before – but this one likes to eat. All. The. Time. You are still in your pyjamas at supper time but haven’t had lunch yet.

So: how will you get from this moment to sanity and joy?

It all boils down to planning ahead. Way, way ahead.

Check this out: having a doula at your birth can help you recover more quickly, even when your birthing day is days and weeks behind you. Studies show that women receiving continuous support from early labour are more likely to give birth spontaneously, requiring neither caesarean, vacuum extraction nor forceps delivery. They will therefore bypass the additional physical recovery required and the possible postpartum complications from these procedures.

Prior even to childbirth, is education. The more you know, the more you can be involved in the process of birth. Women who understand the stages of labour, and who are included in decision making throughout have a much more positive experience of labour. This helps them with both their emotional and physical recovery after childbirth.

So: make it your business to know what to expect from labour, and line up a friend, sister or professional doula - or all three - to give you that support when you most need it. Husbands are great, terrific people – but it’s worth having an extra female around in this most female of moments.

Your mission today is to contact your friends and find out how they found a doula; ask them to be your doula! Line up childbirth classes with someone who has a great reputation. Find out what a difference a satisfying childbirth experience can make to your life, long after your Birth Day. You won’t regret it.

(Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/35034350386@N01/2707548552)