Sister Lilian’s Babycare Companion: Complimentary and traditional care. Lilian Paramor

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      DAYS FOUR, FIVE AND SIX

      Keep pacing yourself through this time and think about how much you have already learnt about your baby. It’s early days yet and you might wonder how you’ll ever cope, but you will. Be gentle on yourself and your little one and do only what is essential.

      About Baby

      •Baby will pass frequent stools now and for the next few weeks, some just a splatter, others copious. Normal breastfeeding stools are soft, mustard in colour and seem to contain seeds.

      •Some baby girls pass a bit of blood from the vagina. This is a reaction to the hormones she has been exposed to while in the womb and will soon clear.

      •Keep cleaning the navel and stump of the cord. It will soon fall off or hang by a thread only, which you can snip.

      •Passing wind to the top and bottom often, accompanied by red-faced crying, balled fists and pulled-up legs might make you think Baby has colic. Most colic is simply an expression of a baby who needs to feed more frequently or is a reaction to Mom’s anxiety, tiredness and inexperience. The very best you can do is to take things slowly for the next few days; see few visitors; do not allow Baby to be handled by too many people, as this may unsettle him; and know that very soon you will understand his signals well.

      •Breast babies often need to feed with a few ‘courses’ each time – starters, main meal, pudding and sometimes even an after-dinner mint! Do not think you have insufficient milk. Between ‘courses’ Baby might need to nap for ten or fifteen minutes, have a nappy change or simply lie in your arms until his tummy is ready for the next course.

      Tips for Mom

      •Have one close, non-judgemental woman friend or relative stand by you and also accept help and support from your partner.

      •Take Rescue Emotion homeopathic tablets at least 3 times a day.

      •If your nipples are tender or you are very fair-skinned, sun your nipples twice a day for five to ten minutes, taking care not to burn.

      •If nipple pain increases rather than improves, or you still struggle to latch Baby, call in a lactation consultant. It will be well worth your while and change the rest of your breastfeeding experience to a very positive one.

      •Rest assured that you will not suffocate your baby if she sleeps with you in your bed. Dress her less warmly as she will be exposed to your body heat. Resting together may be just what you both need to see you through the next few days.

      DAYS SEVEN, EIGHT AND NINE

      Congratulations! Baby is a whole week old! He might well be making his presence felt in the home from now on. Babies are extremely self-absorbed and self-centred because that is all they know. They expect their parents to take the lead and guide them in the dos and don’ts of family life – quite a tall order when you, too, feel you need a guiding hand! It is time now to begin observing your baby for recurring patterns of behaviour and ways of self-expression – these will give you the clues on how best to handle each unique little individual.

      About Baby

      If your baby is fussy, constantly niggly, fretful and difficult to settle for any length of time, a number of time-tested tips may help:

      •Ask your partner or close friend to take care of Baby for two hours after a feed. He will not be very hungry in so short a time, and a walk in the garden or around the neighbourhood while you rest might just break the vicious cycle.

      •Bath with your baby. Play music in the background and nurse her until she calms, holding her cradled closely to you. and draping her with a facecloth that will absorb the warm bath water. Take care not to dunk her lower ear under the water, but do not worry about her sliding out of your arms – your instincts will prevent this.

      •If she pushes away from the breast or turns her head rapidly from side to side, gently cradle her head in your hand and keep it in position at the breast.

      •Break the tension in her arm if she pushes her body away by allowing her to grip onto your finger.

      •Walk while latching Baby and keep moving until you notice the tension in her body ease and then you can sit and continue nursing.

      •Give the homeopathic remedy Sister Lilian Chamomilla Tablets. Crush to a powder, add to a little milk or give directly with a clean finger 3 times daily to calm Baby naturally.

      Tips for Mom

      •Keep up your fluid intake, the best being water, rooibos tea or weak chamomile tea. Make a flask at a time and keep it handy when you nurse, as you will be thirstier then.

      •Be aware of any pelvic pain, especially accompanied by a malodorous vaginal discharge and fever. This might signal retained placenta in the womb or an infection. Contact your midwife or doctor if these symptoms are present.

      •Conserve your energy by using pre-frozen meals or gratefully accepting all help in this regard – this is one area where friends and family can be of great help to you.

      •Spruce yourself up with a home pedicure while someone looks after Baby – you will feel all the better for it and it’s great being able to reach your toes again!

      DAY TEN

      This is a magical milestone on the parenting calendar and even though you may be tired and Baby still quite demanding, you somehow feel that you’re not quite such a novice anymore. Often women will want to venture out into the world again, show off their babies and revel in the fact that walking and sitting is easier, as the perineum is likely to have healed nicely if you have followed all the advice.

      About Baby

      •Routine will be important for both you and Baby but make it baby-led. Your close observation of the past days will mean that you might now know how frequently your baby likes to nurse – quite likely this will be a pattern of two-hourly [previously numerals] intervals with one or two longer stretches each 24 hours. A few babies drink like clockwork throughout the day and night. Be guided by this flexible pattern and build your routine around it.

      •Bath Baby at any time of the day but try and make it the same time each day. Before a feed and a longish sleep are good times as babies will then be at their most relaxed.

      •Notice if there is a particularly fussy time to the day and make sure that this time is as free of chores as you can make it. Rather feed frequently, go for a walk with Baby or let Dad take over for a while until you feel rested.

      •If Baby feeds with difficulty, examine the tongue, gums and inside of the cheeks for signs of oral thrush: raised thick white patches. This will require treatment with an antifungal oral gel, the Sister Lilian homeopathic remedy Calendula Tablets or the tissue salt Kali mur. You will also need to treat your nipples with antifungal cream as cross-infection is likely.

      •Read your baby’s body language, which incorporates physical gestures and ways of crying. If Baby cries stridently, usually after feeds, and goes quite red in the face, this might be his way of saying, ‘I’m frustrated and quite cross, Mom! I need to feed a bit more before this session is complete. Don’t expect me to have it all in one СКАЧАТЬ