MotherhoodRoad

Do you know how to spot when a newborn is hungry?

Hint- crying is the late signal.

Shop til you drop (no pun intended).

Honestly newborn shopping is OVERWHELMING 🤯 as the baby market is flooded with new items.

I’ll let you into a little secret, if they promise you more sleep then they’re usually lying.

I have spent thousands of hours with newborns and young babies, watched many families welcome a new arrival and during this time I’ve tried and tested a lot of baby products!

Trust me you don’t need them all. I created a handy downloadable guide to shop for the arrival of your new baby. Here are some of my favourite must have items.

Most of the gadgets you don’t “need”, some however are genius so feel free to drop me a dm.

Comment below with your must have item for surviving the fourth trimester.

Wondering how much to feed your newborn? 💭

For the first few weeks, aim for 1.5 to 3 ounces of milk every 2-3 hours and for breastfed babies put them to the breast frequently in order to build your milk supply.

Once they are back to birth weight and steadily growing you don’t need to wake them to feed during the night, but I recommend waking to feed them every three hours in the daytime so they’re getting the milk they need in order to grow.

As they grow, their appetite will too! Listen to your baby’s feeding cues and remember, every baby is unique!

Fact - you cannot overfeed a breastfed baby.

💕

Download my guide in my bio “Is this normal?” To learn more fascinating newborn facts I feel every new parent needs to know for the fourth trimester. ⬆️

Babies are fascinating! Comment below with the thing that surprised you the most to help an expectant mama out. ⬇️

🌟 Newborn Facts 🌟

Did you know that newborns have some incredible traits? 🤱✨

👶 Newborns typically sleep around 16-18 hours a day. All that snoozing helps them grow.

👂 Babies can recognize their mother’s voice right after birth. It’s one of the most comforting sounds to them.

👀 Newborns can only see about 8-12 inches away, which is perfect for gazing at their parents’ faces while feeding.

👶 At birth, a baby’s head accounts for about one-quarter of their total body length.

💙 Newborns are born with about 300 bones, but as they grow, some of these bones fuse together, resulting in 206 bones in adulthood. This is so they can fit through the birth canal.

🌱 Every newborn’s fingerprints are unique and formed before they are born.

Cherish these precious moments as they grow so quickly!

Questions I am asked regularly by clients or in my dm’s.

Step away from google and trust your mama instinct with this helpful guide to “Is this normal?”

This guide is available to download for free and you’ll begin to understand some of the things I guarantee you’ll be googling with a newborn.

Link in bio ⬆️

Is your newborn particularly unsettled in the evenings?
Read below to find out more about “witching hour” and why this normal newborn behaviour occurs from weeks 3 to 8 👇🏻

The first two weeks you’re settling in, visitors galore, in that tiny new baby haze, more often than not with your partner at home and recovering from birth.

By week three you’ll be getting the hang of feeding (bottle or breast) and quite often this time coincides with a partner returning to work and your baby becoming more alert to the world.

They’re taking in so much and growing at such a rapid rate they can become easily overstimulated and overtired by the end of a long day. What do they need to help regulate - YOU! You in any form, cuddle, movement, a quiet space with low lighting, a walk in the sling, food and more food. This is also known as cluster feeding.

They cluster feed to signal to your body to produce more milk, but they also feed frequently of an evening to help them relax.

You start to wonder if you’ll ever put them down. How will you shower, make a meal, do you need to cook supper as your partners back at work (no is the answer here).

Self doubt can creep in at around this point. You might start wondering (or worse still googling) am I making enough milk? Is my baby hungry? Why won’t they settle? Should I introduce a bedtime routine. The answer is 👇🏻

Feed. Cuddle. Repeat. 🔁 your baby needs you more than ever at this point. It’s not easy and you’ll not get a lot else done during these hours but your tiny baby needs comfort and reassurance during these hours. Being unsettled and crying is their way of explaining this to you.

This time is tough but it flies by! No sooner than you know it you’ll have them in a bedtime routine and wont be having those sofa snuggle sessions from 7-9pm each night. You’ll be watching them on a monitor screen instead

Do you know what a fl**ge is?

If you’re pumping and don’t know then I highly recommend reading the posts. It’s hugely beneficial to your pumping journey. We aren’t all created equal and so we need different fl**ge sizes, to suit different ni***es.

👀 The COMFY Test 👀

Use the acronym "COMFY" to help determine your fl**ge size. This test was specifically designed to help you remember the 5 top guidelines for breast fl**ge/shield sizing.

C – Centre Ni***es Behind the Fl**ge Opening

Your ni**le should move in and out of the tunnel without pain or air gaps. Pain indicates your fl**ge could be too small. Air gaps may create a pocket that allows milk to leak, indicating the fl**ge is still big.

O – Only the Ni**le Should Enter the Fl**ge Tunnel.

This is probably my most important point 🚩

M – Motion of Your Breast is Gentle and Rhythmic

There should be no loss of suction resulting in a sudden release of the breast tissue at the end of each cycle.

F – Feels Comfortable

Your pumping experience shouldn't be uncomfortable or cause any pain and tenderness. Discomfort could be caused by the wrong sized pump fl**ge so see this as a red flag 🚩

Y – Yields

Ask yourself are your breasts well drained? Your breasts should feel soft and lighter after each pumping session.

Do you know what a fl**ge is?

If you’re pumping and don’t know then I highly recommend reading the posts. It’s hugely beneficial to your pumping journey. We aren’t all created equal and so we need different fl**ge sizes, to suit different ni***es.

👀 The COMFY Test 👀

Use the acronym "COMFY" to help determine your fl**ge size. This test was specifically designed to help you remember the 5 top guidelines for breast fl**ge/shield sizing.

C – Centre Ni***es Behind the Fl**ge Opening

Your ni**le should move in and out of the tunnel without pain or air gaps. Pain indicates your fl**ge could be too small. Air gaps may create a pocket that allows milk to leak, indicating the fl**ge is still big.

O – Only the Ni**le Should Enter the Fl**ge Tunnel.

This is probably my most important point 🚩

M – Motion of Your Breast is Gentle and Rhythmic

There should be no loss of suction resulting in a sudden release of the breast tissue at the end of each cycle.

F – Feels Comfortable

Your pumping experience shouldn't be uncomfortable or cause any pain and tenderness. Discomfort could be caused by the wrong sized pump fl**ge so see this as a red flag 🚩

Y – Yields

Ask yourself are your breasts well drained? Your breasts should feel soft and lighter after each pumping session.

📞 Hey I’m Hannah a newborn care expert and known to many as the Bump and Baby Guru and I have a question for you!

Are you expecting a new baby and have questions you haven’t had answered? Comment below 👇🏻

Perhaps you wonder the best approach to settled sleep from the start? Ask away 📧

What can you expect for week one at home with your newborn baby? What does that actually look like?

What is overwhelming you most?

I’d love to hear from you about what’s on your mind right now before the arrival of your baby. ⬇️

Let’s all share our thoughts and come together to be one another’s village. 🤰🏼 🫶🏼

Google… why is my newborn ….

❓ waking frequently to feed?

❓ waking up everytime I lay them down but seem fast asleep on me?

❓ Straining and uncomfortable before they poo

🙋🏼‍♀️ What did you google during those newborn fourth trimester weeks? What did you find most reassuring to know was normal newborn behaviour.

Comment below ⬇️

Baby poo facts 💩

If you’re reading this now you’re likely interested in finding out more about newborn baby poo, finding yourself discussing poo with your partner more than you ever imagined possible. Let me help so you can move on to more exciting topics. While it may not be the most glamorous topic, understanding your baby’s bowel movements is crucial for ensuring their health and well-being, particularly whether or not feeding is going well. So, let’s dive into the colourful world of newborn baby poo and understand what’s normal and what to expect.

💩 Black meconium for a few days post birth.

💩 Transitioning to Greeny black / brown quite soon after they start consuming milk

💩 Then it becomes liqudy for breastfed babies and soft but firmer for formula fed babies. I’d expect it to be the colour of a Dijon mustard

💩 Some formulas cause blowouts and green poo. In this case I’d swap to another formula. Some babies experience lactose overload when breastfeeding and this can show in a green frothy poo. Need some help with this, drop me a dm.
Read my blog to find out more about the wonderful world of baby poo 💩

Link in bio ⬆️

👀 Did you know it is normal for a newborn baby (0-12 weeks) to have crossed eyes.

This can be a little concerning if you’re not aware of it beforehand.

❓ Newborn babies often appear cross-eyed due to their underdeveloped eye muscles and lack of coordination.

👀 During the first few months of life, their eyes are still learning to work together, and their brains are still adjusting to interpreting visual signals. This should be a a temporary condition, known as infantile esotropia, and will usually resolve as their eye muscles strengthen and their vision matures.

If it persists beyond a few months or seems severe, have a chat to your GP.

🩸 Newborn baby girls can have what appears to be a small menstrual cycle / period during days 2–10.

😮 This can come as quite a shock to new parents as blood usually triggers us all into high alert mode.

👶🏼 Rest assured this is normal and is due to the hormones that pass through your baby in utero and due to the sudden drop of estrogen in the mother.

🩸 If you’re at all worried please do ask your Heslth Visitor or Midwife.

Did your little girl have this?

Had you ever heard of this? Comment below 👇🏻

If you’re planning to breastfeed your baby then it can be really beneficial to do some research into how best to promote your supply.

Do you know what cluster feeding is?

Did you know that your baby’s saliva sends signals to your body through your ar**la to produce immune boosting properties and antibodies?

Did you know breastmilk is high in lactose and you cannot have lactose free breastmilk even if you cut it from your diet?

Were you aware that you can’t overfeed a breastfed baby?

Or that you start producing milk as early as week 16?

How did you find breastfeeding? Comment below ⬇️

Do you have a birth plan or preferences printed out ready?

If not please download mine- it covers all the below topics and much more. It’s really handy to have at your final appointment and then printed out and discussed with your birth partner.

Link in bio ⬆️

Would you believe me? Download my guide to resolving colic in my bio above ☝🏻

Mastitis! What is it, how can you avoid it and how to treat it: and no it’s not with hot compresses.

📍Heat is not advised, it can worsen mastitis and it’s outdated advice. It is now advised to use cold compresses. Soak a nappy in water/aloe and place in the freezer. Use cold compresses regularly.

📍 Feed regularly, as to your usual schedule and don’t feed more or pump more to get rid of the engorgement- you put yourself at risk of oversupply.

📍 Be very careful with a silicone hand held pump during the early weeks as this can cause oversupply, which leads to mastitis.

📍 Latch and positioning is so important: I feel like I harp on about this but a shallow latch and bad positioning will increase your risk of mastitis.

📍 Don’t skip feeds (if your baby suddenly sleeps through, or someone offers to give them a bottle overnight so you can sleep) you will still need to express to soften the breast otherwise you’ll get engorged.

📍 Rest- I know it’s not easy, but if you’re struck down with flu symptoms of mastitis then rest will help.

📍 The only massage that is beneficial is lymphatic drainage: so v gently sweeping from ni***es towards your armpit (not massaging with pressure towards the ni**le)

📍 Antibiotics if it is bacterial (it isn’t always.

📍 Take anti inflammatory (if you’re not pregnant, asthmatic or allergic).

📍 Don’t sleep on your tummy if possible.

📍 If you are pumping MEASURE YOUR FL**GE SIZE - hardly anyone does this. You can buy a tool on amazing for £4.99 or one from mamas.milk

📍 Be careful if stopping breastfeeding. Seek support so you don’t get engorged.

Hope this helps. Save, like and share please 🫶🏼

Have you planned for your postnatal period?

Here are a few of the things I think can really support you during the fourth trimester, especially those early weeks postpartum.

📍 Breastfeeding support. Whether that’s your nhs feeding clinic, a 1-1 with an IBCLC or a drop in to a local breastfeeding cafe - this early support can be the difference between a comfortable, happy and successful breastfeeding experience and experiencing difficulties with feeding. Don’t struggle alone, there is support out there. 🤱

📍 Your partner. Have you had a chat with your partner about the realities of the fourth trimester? You’re going to need support to recover after the birth, they might need to be a lot more hands on during this period. If you’re breastfeeding you’re likely to be stuck to the sofa a lot, as well as awake frequently overnight - they can’t take on this role so they need to support you in other ways, such as bringing you hot drinks, snacks, meals, taking care of other children, and doing the household tasks you can’t.

📍 Practical hands on support. Do you have family nearby? Friends who can drop off a meal, hang some laundry or bring you extra food and loo roll when you need it. Could you get support from a posnatal doula, or perhaps you might consider hiring a cleaner so you don’t have to do that.

📍 Your body. You might want to consider private support in your own recovery. From experts such as clarebournephysio or your local mummy MOT.

📍 Do you have a dog? Perhaps a dog walker twice a week. Or sign your dog up to borrow my doggy if finances don’t allow a dog walker. Can a friend or relative walk your dog for you?

📍 Childcare. It isn’t just for the birth that you’ll need childcare, and try not to rush into dropping your child’s nursery days down because you’re going to be on maternity leave. Those few hours away from the home offer both you and your child a level of consistency and structure that is so important during the posnatal period.

What support do you wish you’d had in place?

What could you not have lived without?

Did you know I can support you 1-1?

The newborn weeks are hard, your baby doesn’t want to be apart from you. Some are happy to sleep in their bassinets straight away but so many aren’t. I can hand on heart say I’ve come across so many unsafe sleep situations in my career and unfortunately SIDS can happen to anyone, any baby at anytime. Minimise the risks. Don’t take the chance. Create a safe sleep space as an option for when you’re exhausted and need to do so safely in order to look after yourself and your baby.

Even if you never intend to cosleep, I recommend you understand how to do it safely. You’re not superhuman and if you’re going to share a bed or sleep space with your baby then it’s important to understand how to do it safely.

Bedshare in a C Curl position so you don’t roll onto your baby.

Firm mattress. No duvet or blankets near baby.

Never on a sofa or armchair (this heightens the risk!)

You may be surprised to know it’s better for your baby to fall out of the bed and startle than it is for them to slip down the side of a bed or “pillow wall” where they will suffocate.

It is safer sleep week so head to the page or website to read all about safe sleep.

Having a birth preferences plan can be helpful for several reasons:

Communication: Creating a birth preferences plan allows you to communicate your desires and preferences with your healthcare providers, such as your doctor, midwife, or doula. This ensures that everyone involved in your care understands your wishes and can work with you to try to accommodate them as much as possible.

Feel empowered with Informed Decision-Making: Developing a birth preferences plan can empower you to take an active role in your birthing experience. By thinking through your options and preferences ahead of time, you can make informed decisions about aspects of your labor and delivery.

Stress Reduction: Labour and childbirth can be unpredictable, but having a plan in place can help reduce some of the stress and uncertainty. Knowing that your healthcare team is aware of your preferences can provide a sense of reassurance during labour.

Advocacy: Your birth preferences plan serves as a tool for advocating for yourself during labor and delivery. It provides a reference point for you and your support team to ensure that your wishes are respected to the extent possible, even if unexpected situations arise.

Creating a Positive Birth Experience: Ultimately, having a birth preferences plan can contribute to creating a more positive and personalized birth experience. While it's important to remain flexible and open to changes during labor, having a plan can help guide the process and increase the likelihood of your preferences being honored.

It's important to remember that a birth preferences plan should be flexible and open to adjustments based on the circumstances of your labor and delivery. Your healthcare provider can help you create a plan that reflects your preferences while also considering safety and medical necessity.

Hannah, The Bump and Baby Guru

Be birth ready with this free birth preferences plan. Do you want the midwife to announce the gender of your baby? Who do you want to cut the umbilical cord? Do you want a drug free birth? Who is your birth partner...

Once upon a time I was at the start of being a newborn care consultant (more commonly known as a maternity nurse) and every family I worked for wanted the Gina Ford routine. Fast forward to today and there is nothing I disagree with more than strict routines and insisting your baby gets used to sleeping on their own for all naps.

Contact naps are sleep on you or on a chosen caregiver, and they are more than just normal, they’re also incredibly lovely and important for emotional wellbeing and bonding.

However if you’re struggling to get any sleep without a baby attached to you, you’re unable to shower or make yourself a meal that doesn’t involve dropping food in your babies hair. Then I am here to help.

Drop me a message or book a power hour call with me to discuss just how you can ensure you have a calm, comfortable and content newborn.

There are some basic settling methods in this post and I can delve much deeper during a 1-1 📞 📧

As my friend always says to me “You do YOU” and don’t fix what isn’t broken; meaning if it isn’t a problem for you then it isn’t a problem to solve.

Hannah x

Does your baby have a favourite side?

Spoiler ‼️ I don’t mean football teams.

❓ Does your baby only like feeding in one direction

❓ Does your baby have a side preference for sleep

❓ Does your baby seem to always look one way?

❓ Does one part of your baby’s head seem flat?

Read on ☝🏻 to find out more about flat head syndrome, torticollis and the importance of seeking treatment early on.

All of the above are signs of tension in their little body’s and with this tension you’re potentially going to experience feeding difficulties, an unsettled baby, and possible air intake due to positioning.

This can all occur from instrumental birth, positioning in the womb and other factors.

Hope this helps. Keep an eye out for my new guides launching soon for comfortable calm newborns.

Let’s talk about supply.

Breastfeeding works on a supply and demand basis. The way you feed your baby and the timings of feeds all affects the amount of milk you produce. Simply eating a lactation cookie or adding certain herbs to your diet won’t be enough, yes they’re likely to help a little but not enough.

💫 Put your baby to the breast regularly.

🫶🏼 Swap breasts at each feed.

🌙 Increase skin to skin

☝🏻 Read the post above to find out more….

Speak to an IBCLC if you need support, attend your NHS feeding clinic, attend your local breastfeeding cafe they’re a great place to have a chat, adjust positioning and latch and make friends with other mums.

Comment below if you ever needed to increase your supply?

HOW MUCH DID YOUR BABY WEIGH?

The most commonly asked question aside from “What is their name and what time” all your family, friends and the midwife will be keen to know your baby’s weight.

Read on to find out why.

⚖️ Weight loss is normal between days 1-5

⚖️ Your baby is likely to have reached their original birth weight within the first two weeks.

🤱 Breastfeeding is like learning to walk, it doesn’t come as naturally as breathing does, so please be kind to yourself and patient. It is a skill both of you need to master

🫶🏼 Accept the support offered. Speak to an IBCLC or an infant feeding team for more help

Comment below 👇🏻 with your baby’s birth weight.

💩 What goes in must come out again 🥛

A simple yet effective way of reassuring yourself that your newborn is getting enough milk, whether that’s via the breast or bottle is to check their nappy output.

A general rule of thumb between days 5 and week 6 is that they’ll have 6-8 heavy wet nappies per day and around 2 bowel movements, possibly more.

After this it might slow down but if your little one is gaining weight ok and their nappy output is good then they’re likely getting enough milk.

Any questions or thoughts please message or comment below 👇🏻

💩 🥛 🤱 🍼 👶🏼 **p

Guess where my next adventure is taking me? Will it be ☀️ or ❄️?

3 days until Christmas!

Don’t panic 🎄

These things are normal post birth.

🩸 Lochia - postnatal bleeding. Clots too.

🍔 Extreme hunger - you’ve just birthed a baby, you might also be breastfeeding which requires an increase in calorie intake.

😰 Night sweats. Unfortunately so! Very normal just rather unpleasant and frustrating. Have spare pyjamas close by and bed sheets/ consider lying on one you can remove with a fresh one underneath. (Layering with a towel).

🚻 Stress incontinence. Your muscles are weaker and it will take time. Please seek support if this is ongoing as you don’t have to suffer in silence.

💇🏼‍♀️ Hairloss - it’s also common to lose hair.

💩 Struggles with bowel movements. Again another unpleasant side effect- either constipation post surgery, or difficulty p**ping after having pushed a baby out. It is common to fear that first poo and hold it in!

Would you find it helpful if I explained any of these COMMON PROBLEMS in more detail?

May your Christmas be merry and hopefully with less of the above ⬆️

🎄❄️🫶🏼

4 days until Christmas.

What are you looking forward to?

What do you feel stressed about?

Which family members are you prepared to hear say “Oh you’re spoiling them” as you feed your newborn to sleep.

The awkward uncle who chokes on his mince pie as you breastfeed.

Have you all your presents sorted.

My plan for the next few days

🎄Buy last minute gifts
🎄Pretend I am Nigella Lawson 🥧
🎄 Sing Christmas songs on repeat
🚗 Drive my friends and I home for Xmas 🎄

Today I have been crafty and made this cute little ornament for a 5 month old baby. He can reuse it!

I have loved making gifts this year, or buying on vinted, tk maxx, or donating to charity as a gift for someone.

Hope you like my Sophie the giraffe 🦒 decoration.

Good luck in the final run up to Christmas 🎄

5 Days until Christmas and I’ve just discovered the most beautiful playlist for all ages!

🎶 Mylullabies - by Myleene Klass - 🎶 🎄

I love music- and so do babies. I don’t go a day without listening to music. It helps regulate your emotions, express yourself, creates calm and with little ones playing the same music on repeat can give them great comfort, reassurance and familiarity.

I recommend layering music around sleep and during settling. Playing music in the car. Dancing around the kitchen. Honestly I feel like music is magic. 🎶

I play music during bathtime

I love a kitchen disco

I rock and sway with baby in a carrier around the house

Listening to certain songs brings me right back to that place I first heard it (yes my teenage years listening to Avril Lavigne!)

When your baby really won’t settle, you’ll find yourself feeling stressed because you can’t help them and simply humming along to your favourite tune can really help. It will potentially calm you and them, allowing for a more relaxed outcome.

Thank you for creating this wonderful playlist. You’re so talented 🫶🏼🎄

Spotify - Mylullabies

Link in bio

Merry Christmas everyone - I am available throughout the festive period so please message me if you need to! 🎄👇🏻