Congratulations mom! Your little one is finally here! But, what do you do after baby is born?
It’s an amazing time, but also a bit scary. Am I right? Even if you couldn’t bear being pregnant for one more second, the moment that tiny little bundle is out in the real world… well, I for one, just wished I could put him back to keep him safe!
That’s actually one reason why I started Making of Mom, to take the stress and fear out of the big changes happening in your life!
There’s also a lot to do now that your little one is here. You’re probably stressing out about remembering to do everything… but don’t worry. Here are 13 of the most important things to do when baby is born:
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1. Announce the Birth
Now that the little one is here, tell the world! Call or text your family, make an announcement on Facebook and go back to enjoying your little bundle.
Do you have to announce on Facebook?
Well, no. But, keep in mind that regardless of whether you announce the birth on social media, you’ll likely get congratulations there. Well-meaning friends and relatives might also step on your toes and make the announcement for you.
2.Write Down Your Birth Story
Whether your birth was all you expected it to be or things didn’t go according to plan, you probably think there’s no way you’d forget any part of it…
…but your brain has other ideas. And so do your hormones.
If you want to make a record of your birth story, write it down as soon as you can (before you leave hospital if you have time).
It’s also completely ok if you don’t want to write down your birth story! I didn’t write down mine and I still remember my husband running over my toe with the drip… he’s forgotten it though!
3. Write in Your Baby Book
I don’t know how many you got at your baby shower but I got no fewer than THREE baby milestone/journal/album books.
Three! (I suppose I’ll keep them for the next one/s)
If you have a spare moment, add the important details to your baby book. You’ve got a lot to fill out!
4. Take Newborn Photos
Oh those gorgeous newborn photos! Whether you’re taking your own photos or if you’re getting them done professionally, it’s something you need to get onto pretty soon.
The best time to take photos of newborns is in the first two weeks. Why? Well, generally newborns are still sleeping a lot around then, are still quite curled up from being in the womb and don’t mind having their clothes off yet.
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5. Eat a LOT of Sushi (insert forbidden food of choice here)
Haha! But seriously, did you have to give up one of your favorite foods for the last nine months because you were pregnant?
Now’s your chance to indulge in those forbidden foods that were off limits. Soft cheese, sushi, lunch meat… Yum!
6. Report the Birth
Fill out those hospital forms and send them back in to register the birth and get your baby’s birth certificate.
Tip – the sooner you can get this out of the way, the better.
7. Make Your First Doctor’s Appointments, For You and Baby
Are you a little nervous about your baby’s first doctor appointment? Or about yours?
If you can, bring along someone you trust who can help hold baby and listen to the doctor at the same time. It’s hard to concentrate when you’ve been exploring all 24-hours of the day for two weeks straight, eating on the run, and recovering from birth.
8. Write Down All Questions (and Answers When You Get Them)
Burning questions will come to you at the oddest times! Write them down so you don’t forget to ask your doctor.
Also… write down the answers you get when you do get to ask so you don’t forget what the answers were. This may or may not have happened to me… I’ve forgotten 🙂
9. Ask for Help
When you’re in the hospital, you’ve got help when you need it. But once you get home, it’s a different story.
Ask for help. You’ve got a lot to do in caring for your little one and in healing, so don’t be ashamed for not being able to do it all.
I was lucky that my mom (following in the family tradition set by her mom) came to stay with us for two-weeks after the birth of my little one. She cooked for me, fed me at regular intervals, made me endless cups of tea and water, kept things clean and tidy, and held my boy so I could sleep. It was priceless.
If you’ve got someone willing to do the same for you, consider taking them up on it. But, if you don’t want anyone intruding on that precious, private, family time, I understand. Also, if someone wants to help you out by holding your baby while you cook and clean and do everything, say no and let them know that they’d be more help cooking/cleaning/putting on a load of washing!
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10. Make a Plan for Monthly Photos
Those monthly milestone photos are so cute aren’t they? I see them all the time on Pinterest and wish I’d done something like it for my little one.
If you’ve decided to do this with your little one, make sure you’ve got all your props ready and the milestone cards in one place. Aren’t these just the cutest?
Check out these ideas to help you:
Baby Milestone Photo Ideas: 7 Examples To Inspire You
11. Be Patient
With yourself. Your partner. Your baby. And others.
Having a baby is a huge upheaval. It changes everything and adjusting to motherhood isn’t easy. Be patient with yourself. You’re recovering from birth. You’re being slammed with tidal waves of hormones. You’re living on next to no sleep. This too shall pass.
Be patient with your partner. He will do and say some really stupid things (at least you’ll think they are at the time), but he’s adjusting to the situation too and trying to be a good dad.
Be patient with your baby. He literally doesn’t know what just happened, but he feels safe with you.
Be patient with other people. They don’t understand how you feel in that moment or what a humongous big deal it is to have a small human relying on you 100% of the time.
12. Make a Place to Store Keepsakes
There’s just so many cute little things you’re going to want to keep for the memories once your baby is here.
Especially those little hospital tags and cute little hat. Make a place to store special keepsakes like this so that you don’t lose them or accidentally throw them out.
13. Tell Your Insurance Company About the Birth
This is important to make sure your baby is covered by your insurance. She probably will be, but it’s best to check!
What’s Next?
If you do any of these things or none of them (ok there’s some you can’t avoid), just remember to take the time to enjoy your little one. This time will pass all too quickly!
Have you got anything else to add to this list? What’s your number one must-do thing after your baby’s born?
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