5 ways to invest in yourself before having your baby
We spend so much time preparing our home for our babies. But how much are we preparing ourselves? This post will give you useful ways to truly invest in yourself during pregnancy and postpartum.
Get Educated
While your local hospital can teach you a lot about birth, you should invest in yourself by taking a separate childbirth education course, a newborn care class, and (if you’re planning to nurse,) a breastfeeding / chest feeding class. (Like my Prenatal Planning and Ready for Baby VIP day.) A great class should focus on educating AND empowering you by giving you multiple options. And you shouldn’t feel judged or shamed for making the choice that’s best for you and your baby.
Have Conversations
Once you’ve learned your options, start having conversations with everyone involved. This might be a partner or support person, a doctor or midwife, a doula, or anyone else you feel comfortable including.
What do you want your birth to look and feel like? How do you want to feel during the first few weeks at home? How will you feed your baby? Where will they sleep? These conversations are important because they allow you to start making decisions about what is right for you. And you can ensure that your care team is in agreement with you and will respect your wishes.
Make Plans
Now that you’re informed, you can start making your plans. Create a birth plan and a postpartum plan. (If you need guidance about how to make your plans, set up a Prenatal Planning Meeting with me. Or for a full day of support, book my VIP service, Ready for Baby in a Day.)
Set Boundaries
So you have your plans. Now share them, and set boundaries. Communicate your plans for your baby’s birth and the postpartum. This might mean explaining to family members that you won’t contact them until your baby is born and don’t feel comfortable with them visiting right away. Or, it might mean advocating for yourself with your care team.
Rest
After working hard to prepare for birth and postpartum, allow yourself the time to rest. Once your baby arrives, focus on your healing and your baby’s arrival, not entertaining or hosting. Trust your intuition, and give your body what it needs.
Ready to invest in yourself and your baby? Book a prenatal meeting or VIP day with me! You can also learn more by following me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest.
Hi! I'm Gigi; I'm a postpartum doula, mother to three toddlers, including twins, and a wife to my high school sweetheart.
I help families get the tools they need to prepare, so once baby arrives, they can focus on resting and bonding instead of researching or stressing. I’m here to streamline the newborn learning curve and help birth parents, partners, and other family members. There isn’t ONE way to have and raise a little human. I’m here to guide parents to find THEIR way so that they can thrive in the fourth trimester and beyond.
