Assistance when first home from hospital

[bridee]

My intention at this stage is that in the initial 1-2 weeks, while DH has time off work, we won't have any family stay to assist, I would like just DH and myself to get organised in our own routine and comfortable and then when DH returns to work perhaps getting mum and dad to come a stay to assist.

Is this realistic or will we be looking for help in those inital weeks as well?

[PinkPalace]

bridee.
i had ashley on the sunday and DH went back to work monday. i came home tuesday and DH still works 7-8hr days. we have no family and therefore it has been just me and bub (and dh at night). we have coped fine.
i have enjoyed it because i have had the chance to listen and learn from my baby about her cues and what she likes etc without interference from family/friends.
i have friends that would race over at the drop of a hat but i haven needed them (although if they could breadtfeed for me at 3am that could b nice).
i think everyone is different but i have alays been independent.
we have family fly up to 'visit' - we have requested 3-4 nights only at a time. they will start visiting when ashley is 5 weeks old.

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

After one week at home I found my mother to be more hinderence than help - yes, it's nice not to cook dinner, but that's why I'd frozen down meals in advance. I found she was kindly holding DS so I could have a coffee... I wanted to play with my son! I didn't care about a hot coffee! DH and I managed fine before he went back to work. My mother meant changing routines because she knows babies, I don't, do it this way. You may get on with your mother more, but I found I was overridden on quite a few things and DH had to ask her to leave.

[Snowy Love]

That's what I did - DH had 2 weeks leave from 3 days after the birth (he figured I had enough help in the hossy & he worked down the road so came before work, at lunchtime and after work), then Mum came up for the 2 weeks after that (and spoiled me by doing all the housework and cooking gourmet food - I love my Mum).

We had short (couple of hours max) visits from family during those four weeks - the house was a lot tidier then than it is now with a fast crawler about.

[~Jo~]

Ive found having one to two weeks with Dh home after the birth is brilliant. Ive never wanted other help at all so dont know if Id recommend it..for me..id rather feel comfortable in my own home and not worry about how im looking, feeling etc so I guess it depends on how comfortable you are with other people in your home. In terms of 'needing' them though..i shouldnt think so.

Jo

[visitor1]

Had Chelsea on the Wednesday, came home on the Friday, my mum and dad were down til Sunday and DH went back to work on the Monday. Its hard but you cope.

[Karina]

After Claire was born, I spent 3 days in the hospital. DH then had the next week off work, which was great - it was great for just the two of us to 'get to know' Claire on our own. The next week MIL came to stay, and while its a lovely gesture of her, I actually found it more annoying than anything else. I didnt really want/need the help - I just wanted to be at home with Claire on my own but she was wanting to go out and do this and that and was even telling me to go out and she'll babysit (yah, cos youre going to breast feed her and all while I am out?? needless to say i didnt go out and leave her with mil.) So basically I hated it because it meant it was 2 weeks before I really got any mummy and daughter time, iykwim. (sorry if that sounds *****y, but i just wanted privacy and independance)

[Mother Goose]

I had DD on the Wed via c-sect. Came home Monday, DH was back at work doing 10-12hour shifts on the Tuesday. All my family is interstate and noone came up/down/across. I (mostly) coped pretty well, what I couldn't do was left for DH (in regards to housework) and I have some wonderful friends who contacted me regularly to see if I needed anything (and of course to see if they could visit).
When I was pregnant I had instructed our families that I did not want anyone staying with us for the first two weeks as I wanted a chance to get to know my baby and settle in to being a Mum without any added stress. I am so glad I made that call! My family would have wanted me to take them to the discount shops (so not what I felt like doing!) and my MIL would have spent the entire time telling me I was doing things wrong (which I got over the ph anyway!).
I think what you have written sounds fine but feel free to tell people you don't feel like visitors if you don't. It is ok to change your mind and ask them to stay longer too. You won't really know how you feel until Bub arrives.

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

I get you, Karina - my mum insisted DH and I went out for an hour while DS slept, in that hour she woke him up to give him a formula bottle! She is never babysitting again. Ever in her life.

You do need mummy-baby time and having Grandma around doesn't help one bit!

[Danni]

ok i have to be honest and say my mum was a LIFESAVER in those first few weeks.

We were both new parents and both clueless to say the least....

Being over tired doesnt help neither! Mum didnt interfere, but did help with whatever we asked. Whether it was cleaning some bottles, washing the clothes, or just cuddling ds for an hour while we got some sleep.

Dh was home for 3 weeks so I was lucky but we still needed my mum as well.

[Karina]

Ryn, thats exactly why I didnt want to "go out to the shops and have a coffee" while MIL "babysat".. When I said no, she went and made a big deal out of telling people that I wouldnt let her babysit. It's just not practical for a baby less than two weeks old who is breastfed! (i couldnt express milk) She also used to be a midwife, so it was all well meaning advice and all that, but I still would have prefered to be on my own and be able to bond with Claire. She didnt really do much - she read her books all day and told DH not to do anything for me and to let me do everything for myself!!

Bridee, I think what you are going to do sounds just fine.. If you decide you are going to have some help, I guess it really depends on who is going to be there to help you and if you think you could handle them being there all day/every day/telling you do this do that etc. I coldnt handle it as I like to do my own thing and discover what works best for me, rather than being told what to do, if that makes sense. Mummy and baby time is really important, IMO, but a little bit of help is great too.

[TeganRheana]

ok i have to be honest and say my mum was a LIFESAVER in those first few weeks.

We were both new parents and both clueless to say the least....

Being over tired doesnt help neither! Mum didnt interfere, but did help with whatever we asked. Whether it was cleaning some bottles, washing the clothes, or just cuddling ds for an hour while we got some sleep.

Dh was home for 3 weeks so I was lucky but we still needed my mum as well.

This is the exact same as us. We had my mum staying with us for the first week and it was a godsend.

This time we are again having her stay with us for the first week, then she will be taking DS#1 to her place for a week so that Myself, DH and bubby have time to ourselves for a bit before mum brings the other one back home.

[Astrid]

I had a similar experience to Karina, it end in me telling MIL where to go in not a very nice fashion, but she was coming out with the most horrendous (verging on dangerous) advice.

If you are already feeling like you don't want help in those first few weeks, then don't have any. That is how I felt, but I was talked into receiving it and it was the worst mistake I have made as a parent so far. Basically if the help comes with baggage then you are better of without it. Saying that though if you know there are those that can help in a nice, unobtrusive way then certainly accept it.

Maybe to make things easier on yourself, why not hire a cleaner for a month so you have less to worry about and have more baby bonding time. It is such a special time, make the most of it.

[Ashlee]

I would have rathered have help NOW rather than the first couple of weeks. Blake slept and fed for about 3 weeks and that was it, so much more simple than his screaming fits all day everyday! DH had no time off whatsoever (just lucky he was born on a Saturday) and mum had 2 weeks off to help when he was 2-4 weeks old.

[Tobily]

Everyone is so different on this and I think it really comes down to what your relationship is like with your mum.
My mum and I are extremely close and I couldn't imagine NOT having her around to help when my kids first came home.
I was such a hormonal mess both times that DH was grateful for her to be here as well because she's the only person that can sort me out when I'm like that LOL.

When DD was born we arranged that I would come home on the Sunday and mum would give us a few days to settle down and she was coming on Thursday.
I got home Sunday afternoon and first thing Monday morning I was on the phone bawling and telling her to get here NOW. She lives a few hours away and she arrived that afternoon.
When I had DS she was there from the day I got home - which was good because I had an unexpected caesar so we really needed the help with Emily.
Just do what feels right to you, and leave your options open.

[Snacks]

Bridee, like others have said, I think it depends on how comfortable you are with your parents. Our families were wonderful, though no one was actually staying with us - which TBH I think was a good thing. My folks were great, they and some of our friends made us meals, and did shopping and cleaning for us. It was really helpful and meant that we could just hang out with Natalie, which was lovely because DH was only home for the first week before going back to work.
It helped knowing that I had family around to talk to if I should need them, so in that sense I'd recommend it.

[Shanti]

Geez, I hope I give birth on a Friday night! LOL My DF can't have time off work as we have our own business and he needs to be there 8-6 Mon-Fri!! He will have weekends with me. I'm feeling anxious and nervous about it all as I wonder "what if i need help and I'm home alone?" but I know if i REALLY needed him, he would come home and help out. It would be lovely for him to have a few days off with me to get settled into a routine but i don't think that will happen for us....

BUT in saying all that, I think that the sooner you get stuck into it all, the sooner you will get into a routine (I hope anyway!!)... I would find lots of family and friends staying all the time to be annoying.. I like my independence and personal space like karina said!

[lilima]

Hi,
Well like many have said, it is really down to how you think you are going. Is there any chance that you can not confirm someone to stay, but if you need them, you can call and get them over asap?
I know with my experience I needed my mum. I was discharged too early. (The hospital reckoned that needed the bed) I had an infection, and James couldn't feed. I was expressing then syringe feeding for the first week of his life. I was in tears daily and was exhausted, as expressing then syringing every 2 hours was exhausting. (He also wouldnt take bottle or boob)
My DH was then in a motorbike accident and broke his neck. He spent 3 months in a brace, and couldn't do anything. So mum didnt actually stay with us, but was basically here every day. Doing things like walking the dog, cooking meals, running the vac etc.
I actually ended up with Post natal depression, and spent a little bit of time in a mother/baby unit in hospital, and without support I dont think I would have managed at all.
The thing is to ask for help if you are at all in doubt. But if you don't need it don't feel that you have to accept it, just because it if offered.