Bringing Home Your Newborn Baby Without Support: A Guide
Bringing home a new baby is a joyous occasion, but it can also be overwhelming, especially if you don't have any support. Maybe you have moved to a place far away from your near and dear ones, or your support system is unavailable due to some issues.
Whatever the reason, bringing home a newborn without support can feel scary.
It's okay to feel stressed and afraid. But don't worry, there are things you can do to make it more manageable.
If you are an expecting mum and are planning on bringing home your little one home from the hospital with little or no support, this article is for you.
We have curated tips and resources for you to help you navigate the early phase of motherhood. With a little planning and preparation, you can make the transition as smooth as possible for both you and your baby.
Preparing for Your Baby's Arrival
Before your baby arrives, there are a few things you can do to make the transition easier:
Stock up on baby essentials: Make sure you have enough diapers, wipes, baby clothes and other essential items for the baby. It’s better to keep these things ready before the baby comes so that you are saved from shopping trips at least for a few days after delivery.
Get your home ready: Make sure your home is clean and tidy, and that you have a safe place for your baby to sleep. If you are setting up a nursery at home, try to keep everything in order, from crib to baby blankets, well before your due date.
Have a meal plan: Cooking can be challenging with a new baby. So, it definitely helps if you can have meal plans so that you can cook and freeze meals and save up on cooking time every day. It also helps to have high-protein snacks like granola bars handy for a quick bite. Remember that as a new mother, you will need to take care of your nutritional needs, too!
Keep your breastfeeding gear ready: Having nursing bras and comfortable postpartum/nursing clothes to wear after delivery will bring in a lot of comfort to you when you transition to new motherhood. You can also consider keeping washable nursing pads and nipple creams to ease your breastfeeding journey.
Plan for emergencies: Have a plan in place in case of an emergency. It could be your co-workers, neighbours, or friends. Do make the plan with your spouse and make sure emergency contact numbers of doctors and other support network are accessible.
Set up a support network: Even if you don’t have your regular support system with you, it’s time to start building one. Join a local new mum's group or reach out to online communities for support and advice. Even if they can’t physically be near you, the virtual support will mean a lot on difficult days.
Bringing Your Baby Home
When it's time to bring your baby home, take it slow and remember to breathe. Here are some tips to help you:
Accept help when it's offered: Even if you don't have any family or friends nearby, you may be surprised at how willing people are to help. Don't be afraid to ask for help or accept it when it's offered.
Prioritize self-care: It's easy to forget about yourself when you're taking care of a newborn, but self-care is essential. Take naps when you can, eat healthy, and take breaks when you need to.
Keep a routine: Babies thrive on routine, so try to establish a predictable schedule for feeding, sleeping, and playtime. This will also make it easy for you to take time out to relax and indulge in some self-care.
Take turns in baby duty: You and your spouse can take turns caring for the baby so that you both can have some time to yourself to relax. Caring for a newborn can be tiring and taking some time off can help you rejuvenate before you take over baby duty again.
A few resources to help you
If you are an expecting mother in Singapore, you might find the below resources helpful.
Health Hub Programmes: Health Hub has curated content for mums on pregnancy and parenting from 0 to teens. If you don’t have near and dear ones to offer advice, you can head here for information. Access information here.
Support and Services for new parents: There are several support groups and helplines available in Singapore if you are a new parent. You can access the list of support networks and services here.
Lovemère Community: The Lovemère community also has information for expecting and new mums. You can read interviews with experts or the experiences of other mums like you.
Bringing home a new baby without any support can be challenging, but it's not impossible. Do remember to take things one step at a time.
A newborn can seem like a lot of work, but usually, things start getting better as time passes and you get used to being a mum!
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