Overnight midwifery support

Navigating those early days and weeks with a newborn baby can often be challenging, overwhelming and tiring, especially overnight when you feel you are doing it alone.

Often some new parents are facing these early weeks alone with no partner, friends or family around to help. Night times are especially the hardest, combined with sleep deprivation, physical recovery after birth, other family demands, feeling isolated, tired and feelings of uncertainty can exacerbate the difficulties during this time.

When I had my children, I found the nights the longest and hardest, especially when I wasn’t sure if my baby was latched correctly or they weren’t settling. Having another reassuring voice and pair of hands at that time would’ve made so much difference to me. Of course, having a friend or family member stay to help wasn’t offered or an option I felt I could explore and professional help wasn’t something I’d ever considered or knew existed.

As parents to be, there is so much emphasis on preparing for the birth that little thought is given to the postpartum period and the reality of how hard it can feel. I would recommend to anyone to have a plan in advance and expect the challenges and sleep deprivation that will most likely occur during the roller coaster few weeks.

Explore what help that may be available to you during those hardest moments, do you have friends or family who would be willing to offer help and support overnight? Keep visitors to a minimum during the day and keep your schedule clear where possible to allow yourself time to rest during the day. Look into a meal train or meal prep before birth, if family or friends are offering help let them! Housework, cooking, shopping or childcare with older children, offloading some of these tasks can help.

Consider professional help if you are in a position to do so, I can help with practical tasks, to listen, nurture and hold you, help with feeding and baby cares, explore tips & hints to help soothe, calm and settle your baby, allow you some much needed rest and recouperation after birth and even just to listen, keep you company and provide a supply of drinks & snacks!

Independent midwifery overnight support can include:

✨Feeding support (breast, bottle, combined, expressing)

✨Help with baby cares (dressing, bathing, nappy changes)

✨Practical help ( help around the home, meal prep, preparing drinks and snacks)

✨Physical & emotional support (postnatal checks/observations, advice, guidance, reassurance)

✨Nurturing (holding space, listening, supporting)