You may have heard the term “babymoon” and wonder what it means. Simply put, a babymoon is the period of time just after your new baby is born. When you first got married, the honeymoon was that period of time just after your wedding. The couple spends time alone together, bonding as a married couple.
A babymoon is similar, only it’s your new baby you will be bonding and enjoying alone time with. This is the first two weeks or so at home with your new baby. It’s a beautiful time for the parents and baby to get to know each other without a ton of visitors and commotion in the home.
Too often, women rush back into the daily grind very soon after the baby is born. We feel so much pressure to do it all. I’ve even heard of women working from the hospital bed! Don’t do this. Allow yourself this precious time alone with your new baby.
A babymoon sounds like an easy concept; do you really need to plan? The short answer is, yes you do. The people in your life will likely be very excited to see the new baby. They may start calling and stopping over beginning on your first day home from the hospital. The stress of constant company can leave you feeling stressed and anxious when you should be feeling calm and relaxed.
Don’t be afraid to tell your loved ones to get lost. OK, so maybe you want to say it in a nicer way. If you really don’t want to do it, let daddy enforce the babymoon for you. New dads are often at a loss about how to help the new mommy. Here’s one way for him to be a huge help.
If you can’t bring yourself to deny visitors their time with the new baby, you have a few options. Some couples let the closest family and friends visit in the hospital and then refuse visitors at home during the first few weeks. This way, all the grandparents have seen the baby and you won’t feel the need to clean the house and prepare food.
If you are really worried about offending, blame the doctor. Dr. William Sears, pediatrician, parenting expert and father of 8 children recommends spending the first few weeks in your pajamas and without a lot of company. Tell your family the doctor said so. OK, so he isn’t YOUR doctor, but he IS A doctor! You can also use the winter flu and cold season as an excuse.
Do whatever is necessary to preserve this precious time with your new baby. The early weeks fly by so fast. Before you know it, the newborn phase will be over. You will be back into your normal routine of working or taking care of the housework. This is your time to relax and enjoy your baby.
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