If you’re a new mom, you are likely thrilled, joyous, excited, and ecstatic. Congratulations. There is nothing quite as wonderful and amazing as bringing a new life into the world, and the first few weeks of a baby’s life are a special treasure for both of you.
However, with that said you are also already overwhelmed, worn out and exhausted. Don’t worry; you’re not alone. Being a new mom isn’t easy for anyone, even if you’ve been through it before.
Fortunately, there are a number of tricks, tips, and strategies that you can learn and apply to make your life easier. If you’re looking for new mom survival tips, you came to the right place.
Some of the following tips may be familiar to you; other moms, friends, and relatives may have suggested some of them to you already. Others may be fresh and brand new. Some may be applicable to you and some may not. Take what you need and apply what you can, and pass on to other new moms the things that you find helpful along the way.
1. Get Some Rest
Telling new moms to get some rest may seem cliche. As a new mom yourself, it may seem impossible. However, this is the first tip on our list because it’s the best and most important tip on this list.
Exhaustion is torture. When you’re tired, you will feel more stressed and you’ll quickly become irritable with everyone you encounter. You may even make yourself sick, and that won’t be fun for you or for your baby, either.
While the old advice “sleep when the baby sleeps” may sound unattainable, try to follow it anyway. Even brief cat naps can make a world of difference when it comes to feeling rested and functional.
Although you may turn to coffee for a caffeine boost, don’t forget that it can keep you from sleeping when the time comes. Also, although it’s great to take some time for yourself to wind down, blue light like computer screens and television can also make falling asleep difficult as well.
Finally, if you can’t sleep, lie down and rest when possible. You may be surprised how much a little quiet and horizontal time can recharge you, even if you don’t actually take a snooze.
2. Accept Help From Others
Of course you want to be there for your new baby every second of every day. You want to tend to his or her every need and you want to do it all yourself.
However, you can try, but you’ll soon find that doing so is not only unrealistic but impossible.
Fortunately, many people will offer to help you and you should accept it. Delegate tasks and chores to interested guests and friends. Pump so others can feed the baby while you rest. Hire or enlist scheduled help to come by so you can plan on help from them on specific days and times.
Your baby’s father may be hesitant to help at first, but he may just need some guidance and instruction; teach him how to do specific tasks and make some of them his responsibility early on. Soon you both will fall into routines that will make new parenthood easier for both of you.
Some people may offer help but may not be comfortable with babies. They can help in other ways like cleaning, walking your dog, and making meals for you to enjoy. Accept anything anyone wants to offer you. You’ll be glad that you did.
3. Embrace Helpful Technologies
People have been raising babies for hundreds of thousands of years without any special equipment. With that said, though, there are many great tools on the market to make the lives of moms and dads easier and you may be amazed at how much simpler your first few weeks can be when you use them.
For example, a video baby monitor will keep you from getting up to check on your baby every two seconds. You can check on him or her from the comfort of your living room chair. A baby breathing monitor can offer you additional peace of mind, and a white noise generator can help your baby fall asleep faster.
When it comes to feeding, you’ll want to invest in a good breast pump. A self-warming bottle can ensure that your pumped milk is served at the perfect temperature, and a microwave bottle sanitizer can help you to keep germs and bacteria out of your baby’s diet with confidence.
4. Create and Follow Routines
Even if you’ve never been meticulous about routines and schedules in the past, now is the time to start. These things will not only help your baby adjust to life outside the womb, but they will make life much easier for you as well. Sleep routines, laundry routines, and meal prep routines will be a lifesaver for every new mom and baby.
5. Try Not to Be a Perfectionist
You want everything to be perfect for your little one, of course. However, you have to let go of perfection now and forever. Parenthood is chaos and your house will often be a mess. It’s okay. Don’t beat yourself up if everything isn’t exactly like you thought it would be. The important thing is that you are happy and healthy and that your baby is too. As long as you are succeeding in those areas most of the time, everything is as perfect as it should be.
New Moms, You’ve Got This!
Having a new baby in your home will change your life in every single possible way and those changes will be more drastic than you could ever imagine. As a new mom, it’s crucial that you take care of yourself as well as your baby. These tips will help you get some rest and manage things and will give you more time and energy to bond with your little one.
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