Importance of Mums Health

Mums health is important when you are carrying a little child in your womb. Becoming a mum is a dramatic event, not only in the life of your baby, but also for you.

There are the broken nights, when you have to get up to feed your baby, and in the first months you can sit up for hours trying to soothe a screaming newborn back to sleep. Then there is the feeling of weakness as you get through postnatal bleeding and your body settles down. Hormonal surges also have their effect as your hormones readjust after pregnancy and labour. If this is your first baby, you may also be getting used to breastfeeding, and in the beginning you may feel sore, constantly hungry, and very weak until you get used to it.

Paradoxically, even though this is the time that you need to take care of yourself the most, this is also the time when many women neglect themselves. They are so busy trying to take care of their babies, their homes, and the rest of the family that their own health issues fall by the wayside.

Healthy Mum Equals Healthy Baby

It is very important to look after yourself following birth for three very good reasons:

  • Your baby needs you.
  • Your family needs you.
  • And most importantly, you need you.

To successfully breastfeed a baby, you need to eat well and drink enough. To help you, here are some easy habits to adopt:

  • Always take a drink either during or straight after breastfeeding. Do NOT do anything else until you have done so. This is particularly important if you live in a warm climate, as you are more likely to dehydrate if you don’t replenish your bodily fluids.
  • At night, put a glass of water next to your bed, so that after you have fed the baby, you can have a drink before going back to sleep without having to go into the kitchen to make one.
  • If you are breastfeeding or bottle feeding be sure to sit in a proper position, either lying down or sitting in a straight-backed chair, propping the baby with a support pillow. This will prevent the development of back problems, which can occur more easily when you are postnatal due to softened tissues caused by hormone changes.

Mum’s Home

Another secret of good health is rest. If this is your first, it’s easy. “Mummy sleeps when baby sleeps” is a famous saying. But if you have other children, that’s not always possible. In this situation, you need help.

Expecting your partner to do everything might not always work. He’s already overburdened, helping your other children to adapt to the new arrival, running errands, and probably trying to hold down a job at the same time.

Don’t push yourself to wash the dirty floor or clean the toilet the minute you get home from hospital. For the next two or three weeks at least hire a cleaner if you can and if you can’t, grit your teeth. If you can, find a reliable older teenager to watch your other kids for two hours in the afternoon, so that you can get some rest. Your kids would prefer the playtime and having a smiling, refreshed mother afterwards rather than a tired old wreck. And a healthy mum more than justifies the expense.

Most importantly, if you are worried or overwhelmed, never hesitate to ask for guidance. If you feel very depressed, speak to your local health department or therapist.

Looking after yourself by eating and drinking well, resting enough, doing postnatal exercises, and taking personal time for yourself will ensure mums health and babies health are excellent.

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