Welcoming a newborn into your family is a time of joy, upheaval, love, exhaustion, healing, sleep-deprivation and discovery. And these are only a few of the sensations you will experience…. With so much going on, try to streamline your life and surround yourself with support as much as possible, so you can focus on recovering from birth and being together as a new family.
Here are some suggestions:
Ask family and friends for help
More than ever, you will appreciate the support that only family or good friends can give you. However, for expats with far-flung families, this isn’t always an option, so…
Know what support resources are available to you
You WILL have questions, and it will make your life easier knowing where you can go for answers or support or just sharing experiences. Some suggestions include:
- Breastfeeding support
- Postpartum doulas
- New mothers’ (and parents) groups
- Postpartum depression support
Food
Now is the time to stock your freezer or collect phone numbers for your local food or grocery delivery services. Cooking may drop off your priority list for a while. Check out our Living in Bangkok links for some city-wide food delivery services, but check with your favorite local restaurants as well – they will often arrange delivery within the neighborhood.
Consider if you want domestic help
In Thailand, domestic help is readily available, and can be a godsend in the early days. Even if you don’t want help in the long term, it can be invaluable in those first few months of parenthood.
Sametivej also offer nurses for hire, for a small price, to help through the night