Decisions You’ll Have to Make After Giving Birth

When a baby is coming, there are so many decisions to make. You want to have your birth plan, and take birthing classes. You need to have a plan ready for your home while you’re away. Baby’s clothing and bassinet should be ready, and plenty of diapers. But, thinking about after the baby is born, now, can help you when the time comes to make those new choices.

What to Do With the Placenta

You don’t have to do anything with your baby’s placenta unless you want to do so. Some families, though, find it a nice option to keep a memory connected with the pregnancy if they use the placenta for making a print, or burying under a tree for giving nutrients to the soil. There are even those who encapsulate placentas to eat. It’s your choice what you want to do!

Breastfeeding v. Bottle Feeding

You’ve read many opinions on whether to use breastfeeding or bottle feeding. Your baby needs to be fed, and there is no one right or wrong way to do that! Whether you are nursing, pumping milk for your infant to drink from a bottle, mostly breastfeeding with some bottle feedings, or exclusively bottle feeding, the most critical thing is that your baby is fed! Many women find that a hybrid system is a good option. On days you are especially busy, or ill, you can avoid soreness and back pain by bottle-feeding your newborn. Either way, having excellent bottles available make it possible for you to keep your baby fed and healthy!

The Name Game

Generally, your baby will not be allowed to leave the hospital without a name. It is an important decision. One way to check and see if a name is right is to “test” it by yelling it across the backyard! Trying to find a balance between very obscure names, and exceptionally common ones are complex. Nobody wants to have thirty of the same name in their preschool! What matters is that the baby’s name suits your family’s needs.

It can feel overwhelming, but there are many excellent ways to parent many great names and many options that will work for your family. Just as there are lots of ways to be a bad parent, there are many ways to be a great one. Your loving choices will be what is best for your new baby!  

If you are nursing, make sure you have good maternity bras to keep you comfortable and supported!