In the days and weeks after your baby is born, you’re supposed to be spending your time blissfully in the fourth trimester, getting to know your new little babe, and recovering from one of the biggest physical and psychological events you’ll ever experience.
You’re not supposed to be worrying about how you’re going to be dealing with visitors after birth, but unfortunately, that’s not always the case.
A newborn baby is like a magnet for so many people.
Here are a few ways you can deal with visitors after birth so that both you and babe get the rest and recovery you need, while still being able to share and show off your new babe to the people who matter the most to you.
1. Remember You Can Say No
This amazing thing happens after you have a baby, all of a sudden these people you haven’t spoken to in months want to come and visit and meet your new little babe.
While this can be a lovely thing if they are wanting to do something to help you as a new Mama, it can be completely overwhelming when your days start looking more like managing a social calendar than recovering and healing from birth.
2. And You Can Also Say Yes
One of the most difficult things to say yes to is help, and hopefully, there will be a lot of it offered to you after your baby is born.
Whether it’s the friend offering to drop off a dinner dish, or a coffee and cake, or your mother in law offering to wash the dishes and mop the floor, saying yes to these things may feel a little uncomfortable but will make things so much easier for you.
You can say yes, and no one will think poorly of you for it. People actually want to help.
3. Have A Dedicated Gatekeeper
This is a great role for hubby to play, or even a firey friend or family member.
They will be responsible for moving people on when they’ve overstayed their welcome and can even be a great person to have around if you’re in hospital and have people wanting to come and visit.
If you’re worried about people ignoring your rules, appoint a dedicated ‘gatekeeper’ so you don’t have to worry about other people and you can just focus on your new little babe.
4. Let Everyone Know The Rules And Don’t Be Afraid To Stick To Them
You know those boundaries you set before your baby arrives?
Share them with everyone, seriously.
If you have rules like guests must be up to date with vaccinations before visiting then share that information too.
Again, if you’d rather have this information coming from someone else, then ask your mum, husband or a friend to send out a message or email, or pop it in a Facebook post.
5. Set Visiting Hours
With visitors coming and going and wanting to wish you well, one of the best things you can do to regulate and keep things under control is to set visiting hours.
This can be whatever you’d like – you could set certain hours during the day when people can visit, or you could even have a visitors schedule where you give visitors a specific time to come and see you.
6. Ask For What You Need
You know when you have people who say ‘if there’s anything you need let me know’ and you nod and say thanks, but never actually ask for what you need? Ask for what you need!
Generally speaking, people truly want to help, they just don’t know how. So tell them.
