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NEW PARENT 101 THE LOWDOWN ON LIFE POST-BABY
by Mawgan Batt
T
he arrival of a baby is a leap into the unknown and the beginning of a steep learning curve. In a city like Hong Kong where many cannot rely on family close by for help, it’s important to prepare yourself for what to expect in the early days. Mawgan Batt speaks to the city’s parenting experts to help you navigate a smooth path during those first weeks and months as a new parent. The birth of a baby is a time of significant change, not only physically but also emotionally. According to clinical psychologist and postnatal mental health specialist, Dr. Quratulain Zaidi, it pays to be prepared for what’s to come. “Before your baby arrives, talk to your partner and discuss issues like how you are going to handle visiting family 24 expat-parent.com
or who will take care of the baby during the night,” says Zaidi, “It’s important to be on the same page with your partner emotionally and intellectually on parenting strategies.” Hulda Thorey, midwife and owner of Annerley echoes the importance of being prepared. “We sit down with parents early in the pregnancy and ask them to separately answer a questionnaire relating to parenting, and their experiences with their own parents,” she explains. “It’s important to discover and discuss potential differences and difficulties ahead of the birth.” The unavoidable sleep deprivation coupled with physical and emotional exhaustion can heighten issues between a couple, so by spending time discussing and clarifying important elements of how you plan to approach parenthood will help ease the transition.