New Baby? You Deserve More Support

Having a newborn can be overwhelming, especially in the first few weeks. This transitional period is often referred to as the fourth trimester, when a baby is learning to adjust to the world and their mom is adapting to a new baby. On this episode of The Wellness Conversation, Jessica Tucker, DO, OhioHealth Family Medicine Physician, discusses the best ways to support moms and families as they navigate the fourth trimester.

“I think it’s important that we’re not just talking about the fourth trimester while families are in the fourth trimester, but we’re talking about the fourth trimester for people who are past menopause and are grandparents,” Dr. Tucker said. “Not just having this conversation when parents are in turmoil but having this conversation preconception or during pregnancy.”

Some important conversations that Dr. Tucker recommends parents have include: How do you plan to feed your baby? Who do you want to be in the room when you give birth? Who do you want to be in the room during labor? Do you want to have visitors in the hospital, or do you want to wait? After you have had these conversations, she said it’s also important to ask yourself if you feel supported in these discussions.

It's helpful to acknowledge how you can support families during the fourth trimester, understanding what parents need as they adjust to life with a new baby. Dr. Tucker said, “Sometimes I just want to say it’s not about holding the baby first. Get in there and do their dishes, do the laundry. That parent really wants to be with their baby and that parent might feel sad sharing their baby right away. They’re sleep deprived, they’re emotional, they’re scared.” Discussing ways that you can show up for a parent without crossing boundaries can make their transition into parenthood significantly smoother.

With each child, comes new experiences and questions. A common challenge that a lot of moms face is breastfeeding. Many parents wonder if their baby is getting all the necessary nutrients if they can only pump instead of exclusively breastfeeding.

Dr. Tucker said, “As a family medicine doc, I’m going to change the question a little bit, because of course we want to maximize benefits for baby, but we have to remember there are a lot of benefits to the parent whose breast feeding when they’re making milk. Breastfeeding reduces your risk of breast cancer, reduces your risk of ovarian cancer, it reduces the risk of obesity and diabetes.”

While there are many benefits, Dr. Tucker emphasizes that it’s also important for moms to take care of themselves by filling their own cup. “Sometimes wellness doesn’t look like getting your nails done or going to the salon. Sometimes wellness looks like making choices for yourself that reduce your risk down the road. Things like going for a walk after dinner. Those are all choices that lead towards wellness and breastfeeding is one of those things too.”

To listen to the full episode, click here.