Hi Everyone!

Happy Tuesday, today I want to write about the fourth trimester. Emma is almost a month old, only 4 more days! I want to share an update on our 4th trimester every month or so until she hits her 3-month mark. Since the fourth trimester is a newer term I thought I would first explain what it means and why it is so important!

The fourth trimester starts as soon as the baby is born and follows them until they turn 3 months old. During this time both the baby and the mom go through a lot of changes! The baby is just learning to adjust to the world, everything is new to them: Breathing, eating, sunlight, new sounds, new people, everything! For the mom they are just beginning to heal from giving birth, they are adjusting to being the primary caregiver for their new bundle of joy, and adjusting to lifestyle changes such as lack of sleep, postpartum bodies, and worrying about the baby at every step of the way.

For the loved ones of mom and baby, it is important to realize the stresses and adjustments that being a new mom has on women. Being there to tell mom she looks nice even when her hair is a mess and she hasn’t changed her sweatpants in a few days can do a lot for a woman who is adjusting to the postpartum body changes. Offer to do things like holding the baby so she can take a quick shower. Drop off leftovers to help the new parents take care of themselves when they are so concentrated on their new baby. Don’t forget to check in on mom’s feelings many women can begin to experience postpartum depression after having a baby and it’s important they feel supported and get the help they need.

Tomorrow I will be writing about my first month of the 4th trimester.

Love you all,

Michelle