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Taking Care of
Mom is Taking Care of Baby
TAKING CARE OF MOM IS TAKING CARE OF YOUR BABY! However,
you won't put the baby to suckle.
You
must make sure mom retains her health, by ensuring that she is
well nourished, well hydrated, and well rested. A nursing mom
should take in up to 600 additional calories per day, similar to
when she was pregnant. In today's world, a man does not have to
be a chef, such as Emeril Lagasse or Wolfgang Puck, to prepare a
nice meal. Take a trip to the supermarket with mom (I know, I
hate pushing the shopping cart too) and find out what she would
normally like to have. Become familiar with the kitchen,
including where things are, so you won't need to bug her while
she is resting. The fact is, both of you need to maintain
yourselves by eating right. However, if she fails to maintain
her strength, you will soon see that she is tired and fatigues
very quickly (i.e. cranky, crying, stress). The baby will get
what he needs while mom will be the one that suffers.
Mom needs at least six-eight glasses of water a day. Help her to
do this by keeping fresh water or juice by her chair or bedside.
Also, remind her to "drink-up", but don't be pushy. There is a
fine line between encouragement and being overbearing.
You can tell if your baby is getting enough to eat by counting
wet and soiled diapers. Your baby should have one wet
diaper/soiled within the first 24 hours after delivery; two
wet/soiled on the second and third day of life; three wet/soiled
the third day and progress to six-eight wet diapers and two-five
soiled diaper per 24 hours after the mature milk comes in.
Knowing the difference between a wet diaper and a dry diaper may
seem difficult the first few times. Take the time and hold a new
diaper in one
hand and the soiled diaper in the other. This will help you to
understand
the difference in weight.
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