I hope you were able to spend some family time together over this period. Perhaps somewhere along our lovely coast, or in the cooler climate of the mountain areas, or perhaps some special time together at home is what you enjoy. Whatever your pleasure, it’s often just nice to have a break from the grind of routine and have a small opportunity to recharge with some extra hands around.
This month’s newsletter is full of information regarding premature babies and the many considerations when bringing them home - a very exciting but often frightening time for parents as they recognise they will be ‘going it alone’ for the first time. These babies often do very well, but may require some additional care to get them there. My support is near should you require.
I have also had some requests for advice regarding young girls and the important part their dad plays in their lives. So I have put my thinking cap on and included an article regarding this special area of need. If dad is about and available, your daughter is very lucky indeed.
Anyone who knows me will be well aware how much emphasis I place on the nurturing of the parent-infant relationship. Caring for the mental health of both parent and infant is the ultimate early intervention, so let’s treat concerns early rather than leave them to simmer and cause problems down the track. With this in mind, I have written an article I hope you find useful regarding this topic. It's called ‘Let’s Start at the Very Beginning’. This is the very essence of my work and, I must say, I enjoyed writing this piece for you very much.
As always, breastfeeding issues are popping up constantly, so I have happily included some advice on this topic and, as always, I am only a home visit away if you require something more specific to your circumstances.
Lastly, watch out for the ‘Our Babies 2015’ lift out in the Ballarat Courier early next month. I was fortunate enough to be invited to write an article for the supplement and included a photo of one of our lovely local families, who are truly inspirational.
Let's talk again soon,
Louise Shalders
Early Parenting & Infant Health Consultant
RN Div 1 (paed). Reg Midwife. Reg MCHN. PIMH clinician
Bringing Your Premature Baby Home: Life after NICU/ SCN
At last, you have been given the green light to take your baby home. Obviously it is an exciting time, but alongside the relief of finally leaving the NICU, it can also be quite a daunting experience as you will now have sole responsibility for your baby’s care. You may be feeling a range of different emotions and realise that leaving hospital brings new challenges in caring for your baby.
"I was too scared to touch my baby – I sat there looking at him through the porthole of the isolette for two days before I could muster up the courage to touch him."
A good dad is worth their weight in gold. A dad’s presence in a little girl’s life, being interested in her life, being warm and playful, and valuing her intelligence builds her sense of being a smart, worthwhile and interesting person. Dads are the key to confidence and self-esteem.
The lifelong journey of parenting is one of the most relentless and rewarding you are likely to experience. This is an exciting, exhausting period where life's experiences can be enjoyed and at times dismayed over. At times it may feel like a large exercise in troubleshooting, frustration and experimentation.
Nonetheless, like any new adventure this one is full of rewarding experiences and you will undoubtedly look back over this time in years to come and recognise the value of your efforts - the ultimate reward being a compassionate, loving, respectful and considerate human being who seeks out interaction, enjoys learning and is comfortable with his/her space in the world.
Breastfeeding can sometimes present challenges for the most attentive and capable mum at any stage of the game. Mum or baby being unwell following the birth, anatomical challenges, positioning or attachment problems, low breast milk supply, expressing and bottling expressed milk or co-feeding with both breast milk and formula, for any number of reasons, can make breastfeeding feel like hard work.
But, perhaps it doesn’t have to be?
If you would like some assistance with troubleshooting some of these challenges in the comfort of your own home, please get in touch.
