Postpartum Support

It is common for women in Canada to be sent home from the hospital within 48 hours of giving birth, so the need for support and help at home has never been more important. Now is the time for you and your partner to develop a plan that will provide help after the baby is your born.Helping
Before your baby is born:

* Decide what strategies helped to reduce stress in the past.
* Stock the kitchen and freezer with basic foods and fast foods.
* Clean your house and fix, to minimize household chores after delivery.
* Organize your baby in the room, including storage of the baby supplies you will need.


After your baby is born:
* Take good care of yourself. Try to arrange private time, even a little.
* Relax about cleaning the house, consider using a cleaning service.
* Take a nap when you have some time.
* Make lists of daily activities, and cross off tasks as you complete them.
* Schedule of regular breaks during the day and make sure you have!


Partner Support
Parents / partners, you can help in many ways:

* Wake up at night to carry the baby to his (or her) when their mothers time to breastfeed.
* Change and bathe the baby.
* Take the baby and / or older children out for short periods to give the mother a break.
* Help with chores.
* Shop for groceries, prepare and cook meals.
* Do the laundry.
* Arrange for a babysitter and have your partner.
* Tell your partner what a great job he is doing.


Relatives and Friends

* Talk to your family about the types of help and you do not want.
* Be flexible - the support that you expect may not be what it offers.
* Make it clear that visitors must phone, instead of appearing unexpectedly.
* Set a time limit of stay of visitors.
* Delay visits with friends who expect to be treated as an "enterprise".
* Relatives and friends can help recover frozen casseroles or baked goods, or with the launch regular household chores, such as loading the dishwasher, throwing in a load of clothes, etc.
* Be firm with family members who are useful or too intrusive.
* Set limits ahead of time - you may feel less assertive after birth.
* Ask the family to benefit the children of their age or even do that overnight. His main job is to take care of your baby.

Community Support
* Ask the women in her neighborhood about services for new parents in their community.
* Get the hospital telephone number to help postpartum.
* To help breastfeeding, keeping the numbers of La Leche League and lactation local clinics.
* Find locations, hours and services in reception centers for new parents.
* Call your local public health department for information about their services.
* Ask about the new mother and father classes at your local hospital.
* Call the woman of her prenatal class for mutual support when the baby is born.