Making it Easier on New Moms
Are you a new mother? Odds are you’re feeling a whirlwind of thoughts: happy, overwhelmed, excited, stressed, and eager to name a few! While your little bundle of joy is sure to bring you countless memories, some of the best times of your life, and a whole lot to talk about, it’s no secret that being a mom is incredibly stressful. Keeping the added responsibility from coming between you maintaining your own mental and physical fitness, and taking “me” time as necessary is of the utmost importance. The better shape you’re in, the more you can devote to your child. Keep on reading to learn some of our favorite trips from moms, for moms to help make the most of your new life as a parent, and limit stress!
– Sleep whenever possible: It is going to be hard to get enough shut-eye for the foreseeable future. As such, doze off whenever you get a chance. Your best bet is to sleep when the baby does, so taking shifts with your spouse is a great solution, which spreads the responsibility around. Keep in mind that a full sleep cycle is about 90 minutes, so don’t bee too surprised if you sleep for 30-45 minutes, and still feel a bit drowsy.
– Let your hair down: While some folks may judge you for spending even a minute away from your child, the truth is that you need some you time! Even if it’s just for a movie, quick lunch with friends, or a book club, try to step away once a week in order to enjoy some time to yourself. If you’ve got a newborn, you’ll probably only feel comfortable leaving the baby with your partner, so offer to do the same thing for them. Remember, parenting is a two way street and everyone has to put forth 100% to keep things running smoothly!
– Cut yourself slack: Within the first few months, your routines will be completely upheaved – which is normal. If you can’t seem to get dinner on the table, or are falling behind on laundry a bit, don’t worry. Kindly sit down with your partner and any others in the household, and have a chat on how everyone can contribute. Above all else, try not to take yourself to task too much. If you start getting overwhelmed, take a breather, relax, and make a list of things to do in order of importance.
– Spend time outside: Just because you’ve got a newborn doesn’t mean that you both can’t leave the house together! Cooping yourself up inside will almost certainly lead to cabin fever, and even worse, resenting your baby. Instead, bundle up your child and head over to the local park to sit and read a book for a bit, complete some light shopping, or simply go for walks around the block. You’ll be surprised at how much difference just getting out for a couple of hours at a time can make for your mental stress level!
– Take the help: Whether it’s close friends, people from church, or fellow moms in the neighborhood, folks will want to help out. In the beginning, it can be easy to brush them off, and tell everyone you’ve got it under control – which might be true. However, there’s no sense in burdening yourself with more work than necessary. If someone offers to cook dinner one night, to help clean the house, or any other duties, embrace it! At this time, the less you have to do, the better. Moreover, people want to help, so let them!