No matter how many books you read, or how many stories you hear, there’s nothing that can prepare you for the crazy journey that is motherhood.
If you’ve just given birth, things can seem overwhelming.
All those post pregnancy hormones can send any new mum into a crazy stress spiral. Resulting in a crying fit because you can’t get the lid off the pasta sauce jar (that’s me talking from personal experience)
Don’t worry though. You are not alone!
It’s natural to feel overwhelmed and it won’t be long before everything starts falling into place.
Here are some actionable tips to feel more calm and grounded, helping you to better enjoy that journey!
{ Guest Post by Sophie from babytoddlerandkids.com.au }
Be Kind to Yourself
If you feel like you’ve just been staying in bed all day, feeding baby, sleeping and just generally surviving, you’re doing enough!
If there’s any time in life you need to be kinder to yourself, this is it.
Don’t feel bad about taking things easy. This is the time to be bonding with your new baby and it’s nothing to feel guilty about!
I remember planning all the amazing things I was going to do as a mom. Fast forward a few years and do you really think my crazy 2 year old cares whether or not I had time to teach her sign language?!
Choose Sleep
One of the biggest struggles most new moms face is the lack of sleep.
Having to wake up every few hours to feed the baby is a huge adjustment and takes some time to get used to.
Here’s a difficult truth to swallow – it’s probably going to be years before you get a real lay in again!
So, when you get the chance to sleep just do it without any regrets.
Being sleep deprived is going to affect your health, and that makes everything feel worse.
Nothing is worth giving up the rest that your body needs right now.
Ask for Help
Most new moms set unrealistically high standards for themselves when it comes to motherhood, and are often too shy to ask for help.
Trust me – stop thinking like that and, instead, take advantage while you can!
People fall over themselves to help new mums in those first few months.
Make sure you grab every opportunity you can because that stage, when people feel obliged to offer their help, passes pretty quickly.
Keep it Simple
Trying to cook when you’re caring for your little one and running on 5 hours of sleep can be overwhelming, to say the least.
Make things as simple as possible. Don’t attempt to cook elaborate meals and prep as much as you can when you’re less occupied.
An even better idea – get your partner to do all the cooking for a while.
If they’re not a great cook have them do one big day prepping food for the week. You can “supervise” and talk them through it. All whilst feeding baby and generally being a super mum (preferably from a comfortable spot on the sofa)
The same goes for cleaning.
I used to fold all my clothes nicely and put them away in their rightful places. After giving birth, I decided shoving them in the cupboard was more than enough. If I get a chance to get back to them later – great! If not – so be it!
Set Boundaries
Post-birth, you need plenty of rest to let your body heal and your mind learn how to adjust to the huge mental load you’ve taken on.
You’ll suddenly be surrounded by friends and family who are excited to meet the new bundle of joy which can be very draining.
Make sure you set boundaries and limits on the time people visit or the number of people you see.
Wait until you’re ready and NEVER feel guilty for telling someone you’re not up to having visitors!
Consider throwing a sip and see party so your friends can all see the new baby at once on your own terms.
Find a Friend
Having a reliable support system is crucial, and most moms will tell you it was the most helpful thing in those early months.
Staying in touch with people suddenly becomes soooo hard once you have a newborn. I would go days without replying to messages from people without even realising it.
Luckily for me, both of my sister in laws have kids too and totally understand what it’s like.
Don’t feel bad if you haven’t spoken to someone for a little while. If they’re a mum too, they’ll definitely understand.
How do you deal with overwhelm as a new mom?
Let us know in the comments below!
And thank you to Sophie for writing this guest post.
Sophie Marie – Baby Toddler & Kids
Sophie is a freelance writer and parenting blogger at Baby Toddler & Kids. She lives in Queensland, Australia with her partner and two energetic young daughters and writes about all things pregnancy, baby and toddler related.
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