The following are some suggestions on support strategies that other parents have identified as being helpful during their first weeks of parenting. They include:
Her physical needs and support
Her emotional needs and support
Food and fluids
Practical support
Helping each other
Supporting yourself
Her physical needs and support
In the early weeks, the woman's level of physical support will vary for each individual woman. It will often depend on how the labour and birth unfolded, if a Caesarean was necessary, if she has experienced any complications after the birth, how the feeding is going and how demanding the baby is. Most women will feel weak and tired and may not regain their full energy until their baby moves into a more predictable feeding and sleeping pattern (usually about 6 to 8 weeks after the birth).
If she spends some time in the hospital, she may get some rest, but this may not always be the case. Busy hospital staff usually come and go, visitors drop in frequently or she may be sharing a room with other women and babies. Many women are not able to totally relax and sleep well, until they return home to their own environment (and bed) and they have their own support network around them. Hospital staff can give practical help and advice, but they do not provide the love and nurturing that family and friends can provide.
However, many women will worry about having to take on the domestic role again, and can feel like this is all too much, on top of having a new baby. While you may not expect her to do anything, she may put pressure on herself to be 'superwoman' and begin doing the 'routine duties' once she returns home. If you notice this happening, you will need to remind her to slow down (or stop!) Even if she feels she is 'OK', she can underestimate what her body has been through. She really does need to take things slowly in the early weeks after the birth and women can deplete their reserves quickly.