Postpartum Guide for Couples: Week 12
Hello, 3 months! Your baby may be obsessed with something new recently. Read below for more...
What’s Going On With Baby
This week, your baby is discovering something amusing—their hands! You may notice them looking at their hands, putting their hands in their mouth, and touching unique toys. This is a natural and essential part of their development. Here are ways this early form of play contributes to their development:
Motor skills. Baby learns to control their fingers, grasp objects, and move items around.
Hand-eye coordination. Babies learn to coordinate their hand movements with what they see.
Sensory exploration. Their hands help them explore the world with touch. Textured board books are helpful in this department.
Self-discovery. Babies can grab their own fingers, toes, or even their faces, which helps them discover their sense of self.
Object permanence. Babies learn that objects continue to exist even when out of sight. They see this when they put objects in and out of their view.
What’s Going On With Mom
Are you heading back to work next week? This might be the last week of maternity leave if you took the traditional 12 weeks off. Hopefully, at this point, you have secured childcare and are prepared to continue your pumping schedule at the office (if you’re still breastfeeding). Here are some other things you can do before next week begins:
Spend quality time with baby
Organize baby supplies for childcare
Prepare your work supplies + pumping-friendly work outfits
Find out where you can pump at work
Meal prep to make evening dinners easy
Enjoy self-care this week (relaxing bath, walk in the park, etc.)
We know this transition may be challenging, or maybe you’re ready to return to work. Either way, focus on taking one step at a time.
What’s Going On With Partner
Having a good work-life balance is crucial if you’ve already headed back to work or are planning to soon. If you have a classic 8-5 job, chances are you do not get much time with the baby before they lie down to sleep. Therefore, you must prioritize not overworking and make the most of that time when you’re home. Here are some tips for achieving work-life balance with a baby:
Set boundaries. Define specific work hours and stick to them as much as possible. When you’re not at work, disconnect from work-related tasks and emails.
Prioritize tasks. Prioritize what tasks must be completed first so you’re not lugging work home.
Manage your time well. To-do lists, time-blocking, and productivity apps will help you maximize your time at work.
Delegate. Don’t hesitate to delegate tasks at work when possible.
Learn to say no. It’s okay to decline additional work when your plate is already full.
Be fully present with family. We mentioned this earlier, but you’ll want to ensure you are fully present at home with baby and Mom. Put your phone down, close your laptop, and spend time with your loved ones.
Self-care. Like Mom, you need to have self-care activities, too. Combining activities with Mom and baby (like a family golf trip) is an excellent way to do so.
RESOURCE OF THE WEEK
The Dad Class is a Balanced Families course for dads of all ages and stages who want to be great dads. Click the link below to learn more.
