Motherhood is a rollercoaster ride that can challenge your patience, health, and well-being. But it is also considered a gift for other parents that are longing for a child. First time parents are excited to have kids and experience parenting at a whole new level.
While sleep deprivation, busy life, feeling depressed, and other mood swings are just some of the numerous emotions that a mother can experience after giving birth to her child. Being a mum is considered priceless.
Just like this quote from Gilda Radner:
“Motherhood is the biggest gamble in the world. It is the glorious life force. It’s huge and scary—it’s an act of infinite optimism.”
Your children will be your reason to enjoy life and give them the best that the world can offer.
If you are breastfeeding and looking to bottle feed as well, read this article on best bottles for breastfed babies.
If you are considering flying, you can also check this article out on traveling with breast milk.
Realize it is Just a Phase
Do you feel afraid or upset after giving birth to your baby? Some mothers experience severe symptoms of post-partum depression that can last for days, weeks, months, and even years. This is associated with an imbalance in the hormones after giving birth. It is accompanied by symptoms of depression, anxiety, irritability, and unusual emotions toward the baby.
Post-partum depression often relates to a complication after the mother gives birth to her child. It roughly affects up to 20% of women. [1] The symptoms may vary from mild to severe depending on the emotions that are flowing. It can also cause appetite issues and frequent mood swings.
Do not be worried because this phase in your life is just temporary. Acceptance of your current situation is helpful and savoring every moment with your child is rewarding. Make sure to speak to your doctor if you are feeling not quite yourself.
All Babies Cry
It is a natural reaction of babies to cry when they are uncomfortable, tired, in pain, or hungry. In the early stages, they tend to cry almost every day because that is their means to communicate with their parents. It is also their manner of telling their mothers if they want to eat, sleep, or feel uncomfortable.
Through crying, babies can get what they need and express what they want. Once the baby sleeps, it is time for you to rest and take some time for yourself. This stage may be challenging for you and your other half for the first few weeks. As new parents, the best advice that you could get is to enjoy the journey and the early days with your baby.
Do Less
Take time to rest and recover. Give yourself some alone time and take a deep breath whenever you are feeling stressed out. If you are a coffee drinker, lessen your caffeine intake and alcoholic drinks because they can affect milk production if you opt to breastfeed your baby. [2] Not only that, caffeine lasts in a newborn for a few days and can cause them to be irritable.
If you are a smoker, consider to lessen or even stop smoking to help your body regain strength. It can also regulate breathing and help the lungs heal if you quit smoking. [3] In addition to that, babies who take in secondhand smoke has more lung infections than other babies and has a higher risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
In terms of your household, the laundry doesn’t have to be done immediately. You can schedule it once a week or when you are feeling better. Do not rush especially if you are still recovering. Cleaning the house doesn’t have to be spotless. Just clean some of the areas one at a time to lessen the dirt and make it a bit orderly.
Sleep
Sleeping is one of the most important things for a healthy body. It is the body’s way of recharging and preventing you from experiencing stress while looking after your baby. Research also shows that having 8 hours of sleep can boost one’s immunity against viral diseases. Sleep also affects the physical health of mothers.
Those mothers who do not sleep more or less than 8 hours are prone to increase response to stress, memory deficits and reduced quality of life. [4]. This can be prevented. Try to set a sleeping schedule to get enough sleep because you also need to look after your newborn while looking after yourself.
If you are not physically and mentally fit, there are tendencies you may experience severe symptoms of post-partum depression [5]. This can complicate your journey of motherhood, so do take care of yourself to prevent this from happening.
Being a first-time mom, you may encounter sleepless nights while you look after your child. Take some quality naps or sleep from time to time to give enough energy throughout the day.
Stay Nourished
It is recommended that you eat healthy meals such as veggies, protein, and fruits to give you enough energy to look after yourself and your baby. Do not feel guilty when you splurge on good food to keep you healthy.
Studies also provide that breastfeeding mums are recommended to eat green leafy veggies to be able to generate more milk for the baby. Foods such as dairy, eggs, and lentils are rich in protein which is good for mothers. [6]
Prioritise having good food that provides nourishment to your body. It can help you heal faster from giving birth and acquire the energy that you need to look after your baby. Giving yourself enough time to recover. Stop worrying about other things. Value your diet in order for you to provide for the needs of your child.
Get Back into Exercise
Moms like you can start doing low-intensity workouts after weeks of giving birth. It is important to consult your doctor first before doing exercises or going to the gym. Walking helps improve general fitness as well as increase cardiovascular fitness. It also helps regulate your blood pressure and burn extra calories from your pregnancy journey.
Always remember that keeping your body active and healthy is a great way for you to be able to provide for the needs of your baby. This is great advice for new moms out there who are having their first baby.
If you are not healthy and prone to being sick, you will encounter some challenges in addressing the needs of your newborn. Being healthy allows you to enjoy precious moments with your child and embrace the idea of smart parenting.
Go out, walk, and get some fresh air from time to time. It is a great way to take a break and exercise, as well as bond with your little one.
Trust Your Gut
This stage in your life requires you to learn from your experience and trust the advice of your gut. There is what we call maternal instincts. These instincts allow mothers to survive motherhood and protect their children. Research suggests that the human brain changes throughout the course of pregnancy. This often prepares the mother to care for their baby and protect them. [7]
Moreover, changes in the hormones of the mother affect their way of thinking, decision-making, and maternal instincts. Whenever you have concerns about your baby, you can always seek advice from the doctor.
Health professionals can guide you in this journey and help you with understanding the needs of your child. Do not second-guess yourself. It may cause anxiety in the long run if you tend to second-guess your decisions. Be confident and deal with your problems one at a time.
Don’t Stress About the Little Things
Most of the time the little things can result in stress and anxiety which is not good for you and your baby. Learn to talk about your problems and bottled-up emotions to feel lighter. If you focus more on stressful things, it will become challenging for you and the baby.
Remember that there is a new bundle of joy that needs your care, love, and affection. Try to take things lightly and not worry about other matters that you cannot control.
Focus more on yourself and your family because nothing lasts forever. Motherhood is different and not everyone is ready for it. But with the right mindset and support system around you, it will be a journey of a lifetime.
You’re Doing the Best You Can
Always remember that you are doing the best that you can as a mother. Juggling a million things may be challenging, but as days pass by, you will notice that everything will become lighter. Always look at things differently and learn not to compare yourself to other moms out there. The situation of every parent is different from one another.
Be Kind to Yourself
Always remember to be kind to yourself. There are moments wherein you tend to worry and question everything which significantly affects your mental health. There is no perfect parent. Reading a lot of parenting books is not for everyone. Sometimes you just need to listen and be kind to yourself.
Enjoy every moment with your young child. From planning the baby shower to sending them to school, these are just some of the quality time with them that you can surely enjoy. Being with them for the first few days is considered their core memories.
The newborn phase of your child will not last forever. You can savor every moment and learn to be kinder towards your shortcomings as a first-time mom. Promote self-love. Try doing little things to pamper yourself such as going out to grab a cup of coffee, having a haircut, shopping, or doing nail care.
Taking care of yourself first before you can take care of your little one is important.
Don’t Suffer in Silence. Ask for Help
Always remember to ask for help when you need it. Safety and security are important to motherhood. Ask your friends and family to provide you with a helping hand if you see signs of burning out. Be aware and do not suffer in silence.
You can also hire helpers to clean your house and employ babysitters to give you some downtime. It can give you ample time to relax and take your mind off for a few hours. Sometimes it is helpful to open up your emotions and learn how to seek help. It is okay to ask for extra help when you feel too overwhelmed about everything that is happening around you.
Don’t Compare Yourself to Others
Remember to appreciate everything that is happening around you after the arrival of your baby. Sometimes we forget about the little things and focus more on negative thoughts. Comparing your situation to others is not helpful. Every child communicates differently and has different needs. Some may appear more content, some may be more active.
Talk about your feelings, emotions, and shortcomings. However, understand that every journey will be different. So enjoy your own unique journey to motherhood.
Find Your Community
Finding the right people can help you gain your confidence back and enjoy the journey of new parenthood. It may not be easy at first especially if it is your first child. However, having a baby is a gift and it can change your life forever.
Being in a community that supports one another is a great help. It is always nice to be able to bounce ideas and share common experiences with each other.
Take on These Advice for New Moms and Enjoy Your Journey
Watching your baby sleep and seeing them grow day by day will melt your heart. It will help you to realize that being a parent is priceless.
You may have endless questions being a new mom. Don’t worry as you will be able to figure things out. The difficulties that you are experiencing now as a new mom is nothing compared to the joy that your kids will bring as you journey this life together. Enjoy your motherhood journey.
References:
[1] Mughal et al; Postpartum Depression. National Library of Medicine (2022)
[2] Roslyn Giglia. Alcohol and Lactation: A Systematic Review. Nutrition and Dietetics (2006)
[3] Toll et al; “Quitting Smoking Will Benefit Your Health”: The Evolution of Clinician Messaging to Encourage Tobacco Cessation.Clin Cancer Res (2014)
[4] Medic et al; Short- and Long-term Health Consequences of Sleep Disruption. Nat Sci Sleep (2017)
[5] Ghaedrahmati, M., Kazemi, A., Kheirabadi, G., Ebrahimi, A., & Bahrami, M. Postpartum depression risk factors: A narrative review. Journal of Education and Health Promotion. (2017)
[6] Ford et al; Helping Mom Help Baby: Nutrition-Based Support for the Mother-Infant Dyad During Lactation. Front Nutr (2020)
[7] Hoekzema, E., Barba-Müller, E., Pozzobon, C. et al. Pregnancy leads to long-lasting changes in human brain structure. Nat Neurosci. (2017)
