So you are about to do a thing.
You are going to give birth for the first - or maybe even sixth+ - time and you are trying to decide on a plethora of things. You probably have had the following thoughts swirling around in your head by now:
- Will I allow my newborn to have the vitamin K drops and other vaccinations at birth?
- Will I choose circumcision for my newborn son?
- What kind of birth do I want? What will my birth plan involve?
- How do I envision giving birth?
and then you have to consider......
Who will I call first? How do I explain to someone that I don't want them there right away?
Well, I'm here to tell you: You are not being rude if you do not want visitors.
You aren't rude if you don't want them there immediately. You aren't being unthoughtful if you don't want them in the first few hours. In the first few days!!
This sacred event is something you are fully in control of and have every right in the world to decide how the first several hours of your new baby's life is spent. And evidence shows just how rewarding it is to stay bonded with your baby and practice skin-to-skin for as long as possible.
Did you know that your body is still 100% beneficial to your baby once she is on the outside of your womb? Your body and hers are still in a beautiful, rhythmic dance together. That hasn't changed simply because your baby is now on the outside.
And if you are a loving friend of family member who is eagerly awaiting the arrival of a precious little baby boy or girl, please understand that one of the greatest gifts you can give to the new mom and/or dad is time.
Time to be present. Time to be still. Time to learn each other and grow into a new, unfamiliar territory. Time for baby to learn how to nurse or feed (and mama, too). Time for them to catch up on sleep from what was likely a long period of labor. Time for them to say hello.
Please be patient and respectful of their wishes for space and boundaries. They cannot get this moment back. They aren't being inconsiderate of you- they are simply being proactive in assuring they have setup a strong foundation from the very beginning.
And there is nothing wrong with that.
Dani Marie Photography is an Oklahoma City based Birth & Contemporary Portrait Photographer. To contact Dani, please click here.