Professional Tips for After Having a Baby

The first weeks after having a baby are often described as surreal. It's a whirlwind of joy, pain, and true exhaustion. Most people say, "It was a blur," and sometimes people say, "It's brutal, but you get through it."

Hello!

Is that what you envisioned when you were thinking about snuggling your baby? No? Me neither! Struggling after you have a baby isn't a rite of passage. Sure, there are some universal truths. This season is neurologically, hormonally, and physically demanding, but the experience can be softened, and dare I say enjoyed?!

A Few Examples of Universal Truths:

• You cannot “prepare” your way out of postpartum vulnerability. You can read every book, take every class, and still feel undone. Postpartum isn’t a knowledge gap; it’s a neurological, hormonal, and identity shift. Support matters more than information.

• The mental load increases immediately and invisibly. You become the keeper of feeding times, wake windows, appointments, supplies, safety decisions, and it seems like everyone else’s emotions. Even with a supportive partner, the cognitive load often lands unevenly and quietly. Responsibilities can and will shift over time and with some intention, but not without trial, error, and to be honest, sometimes tears and upset.

The fourth trimester isn’t something you “wing.”

It’s something you prepare for!

Since 2013, The Jacksonville Baby Company has professionally supported hundreds of families through the earliest days of parenthood. What we’ve learned is this: the parents who feel the most confident, rested, and emotionally steady aren’t doing more, they’re doing things differently that the crowd.

Below are our professional, experience-backed tips for after having a baby, designed to help you protect your healing, your sleep, your mental health, and your confidence during.

Tip #1: If you're planning to breastfeed in any capacity, have expert support in your back pocket now, before your baby is born!

One of the biggest mistakes new parents make is relying on well-meaning but underqualified feeding advice. International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) are the highest-trained, most rigorously taught feeding specialists in the world—period. Their expertise goes far beyond breastfeeding alone. Pediatricians and CLCs can be supportive, but IBCLCs are the feeding experts above anyone on the planet. Pediatricians do not have the skill set unless they are also an IBCLC.

Pro Tip: Interview an IBCLC like you would any other professional and make it a minimum of two different people so you get a feel for the differences in personality, approach, and their energy!

Before hiring, ask:

• What is your approach to feeding support?

• Will you support my feeding goals no matter what they are?

• Do you offer in-home visits or only office visits?

• What days and hours?

• What are your fees and follow-up options?

• Do you accept insurance?

• What paperwork can I complete before being seen by you?

• How long does it typically take to get in to be seen?

  
  

You should feel seen, not pressured in any direction.

Tip #2: Create a Postpartum Wellness Plan (Not Just a Birth Plan)

You planned for the birth, but what about the weeks after? The benefit of the birth plan is learning your options so you can shift as needed. The beauty of a postpartum plan is the execution and peace of mind that comes from it.

At minimum, a postpartum wellness plan should cover:

• Physical healing

• Emotional support

• Sleep protection

• Feeding logistics (for yourself too, not just baby)

• Household load

• Gentle rhythms

• Siblings & Pets

Families being supported by The Jacksonville Baby Company received a 30+ page wellness plan to work through with their partners and family, local resources they actually use, and a Minimalist Checklist with registry items for the most helpful no frill products available today.

Tip #3: Build a Flexible Routine, Not a Rigid Schedule

Newborns are biologically unpredictable with nervous systems that are still developing. Attempting to force a strict schedule early on often leads to overtired babies and exhausted parents.

Instead:

• Anchor your day around patterns, not times

• Watch wake windows and learn your baby's early sleepy cues

• Let routines evolve naturally as baby matures

Flexibility protects your nervous system and your baby’s.

Tip #4: Employ Postpartum Professionals, Especially Overnight

Sleep deprivation is a health risk.

Professional overnight postpartum and newborn care provides:

• Newborn care while parents rest

• Feeding support and education

• Prevention of overtiredness

• Emotional reassurance at 2:00 a.m.

Unlike informal help, The Jacksonville Baby Company offers guaranteed coverage.

That means:

• No last-minute cancellations

• No exposure to illness

• No leaving you unsupported to attend a birthing family (our focus is providing postpartum support, only)

• Your sleep and your peace are protected.

Tip #5: Install the Car Seat Before Baby Arrives—Schedule Early with a CPST

A properly installed car seat is not intuitive, and most are installed or used incorrectly.

Hire a Certified Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) to:

• Install the seat before birth

• Teach you how to use it confidently and correctly every time

• Explain why each adjustment matters

This removes unnecessary stress on day one and keeps your baby safer from the very first ride.

Tip #6: Learn Safe Sleep Practices From Trusted, Evidence-Based Sources

Safe sleep isn’t about fear; it’s about peace of mind. Additionally, confidence stems from knowledge, experience, and sufficient rest, not guesswork. {insert The Jacksonville Baby Company, again}.

Before baby arrives:

• Learn current safe sleep guidelines

• Understand the difference between myths and evidence

• Set up a safe sleep space in advance (hint: most products marketed and sold for infant sleep is NOT safe for sleep.

Outside-the-Box Tips Most Parents Aren’t Told About:

• Stock your bedside and your nesting areas (areas you'll be nap trapped at or feeding/nursing a baby in) like a command center (water, snacks, burp cloths, chargers)

• Lower your expectations of yourself (at least a little), then lower them again

• Say yes to support without explaining yourself

• Say no as a complete sentence and without apology

• Protect your mental health as fiercely as your baby’s sleep

• Remember: you are meeting a new human (surprise it's actually YOU) and learning a new human (your baby), not failing at a skill

  
  

Pro Tip: Repeat After Me, "During the Postpartum Period, I Am In a Season of Receiving."

This is likely the most important tip I have for you!

From a seasoned mom, former nanny, and the founder and CEO of The Jacksonville Baby Company with over 12 years of professional experience supporting families in their fourth trimester, please believe me when I tell you, that postpartum isn't about proving anything to anyone.

That can be hard because more often than not it's self trying to prove to self we are "good" parents. Reconciling that what we envisioned may look very different from where we are is a hard pill to swallow, but it doesn't make you any less of an excellent mother/father/parent!

Receiving meals, hands-on help, overnight support, emotional reassurance, and professional care is not indulgent or weak; it is biologically appropriate and deeply protective. For past generations, "the village" would just show up, now a days you'd better organize it accordingly!

You are healing from a major physiological event while learning an entirely new human, and no one is meant to do that in isolation. Asking for help does not mean you failed to prepare, that you “should be able to handle this all alone,” or that others are burdened by your needs. It means you understand that support now prevents burnout later. This season is temporary, but its impact is lasting. Allowing yourself to receive, without guilt or regret, creates a steadier foundation for your recovery, your confidence, and your family’s long-term wellbeing.

We really hope these tips for after having a baby are taken to heart, put into action, and are helpful in your postpartum journey.

The fourth trimester is sacred.

How you’re supported during this season shapes not only your recovery, but your confidence, your relationships, and your long-term wellbeing. With the right professionals, realistic expectations, and intentional support, this season doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. It can be life-changing. The postpartum/fourth trimester is our team's sole focus, our reviews speak for themselves! Your rest, recovery, confidence, and safety are our top concerns. Contact us today to make our team, your team, and breathe a sigh of relief knowing you are in the best hands!

What a great way to start out in parenting!

Authored by Elizabeth Luke

Elizabeth (Liz) Luke is the Founder & CEO of The Jacksonville Baby Company, Northeast Florida’s premier agency for luxury overnight newborn care and postpartum support. With more than two and a half decades of one-on-one infant care experience, over ten years of professional newborn care and fourth-trimester expertise, and a concierge-level approach trusted by families across the First Coast, Liz and her team at The JBC help parents rest deeply, recover fully, and step confidently into parenthood. Contact us today to book support!