Have you recently had a baby? If you are still in the first few months, you might find yourself going a little stir crazy. That’s understandable. After all, now it seems as though your life revolves - almost entirely - around this tiny little bundle that is dependent on you for everything and everything in their life. It’s enough to make anyone a tad anxious and stressed. You might long for the days where you had complete freedom to do whatever you wanted whenever you wanted.
It’s important to understand that a lot of new moms feel this way. That’s why you should ensure that you have the right coping mechanisms and strategies in place. So, let’s explore some of the best options here.
Sleep Well
First, you need to make sure that you are taking the right steps to sleep well each and every day. New moms will know this can be incredibly difficult. Particularly, in the time before your little one settles into a suitable sleeping pattern. This can take a few months and that’s a few months where your body and mind aren’t getting the right amount of rest that they require.
The good news is that there are easy steps that you can take to ensure that you are sleeping. For instance, the classic advice is to ensure that you are asleep while the baby is sleeping. That’s why you shouldn’t have too many other commitments and pressures in your life during this time.
It’s not recommended that you use sleeping pills to get rest when you’re a new parent, unless there is someone else who can wake up for the little one. Sleeping patterns can be so effective that you might sleep through a sleeping baby. Instead, you need to focus on natural options such as breathing exercises to calm down before your head hits the pillow.
Get Out Of The House
One of the major problems that you can encounter when you have a baby is that you’ll be stuck or trapped in the house. That’s a problem because it will make it feel as though the walls are closing in and it can lead to a depressed state.
That’s why you should think about how you can get out of the house and spend more time outside. Don’t forget, seasonal blues are caused by people not getting enough sunlight. Fresh air is great for you as well as your little one. They should get plenty of sunlight and time outside will be good for them as long as they are protected from the most powerful rays.
If you are hoping to get some fresh air with your little one, then you’ll need a great stroller. A UPPABaby Vista Stroller is one of the best possibilities worth exploring on the market with all the features that you need as a parent.
Get Some Me Time
As a new, busy mom it is essential you take regular time out of your day or night to focus on yourself. The last thing you want to experience is burn out, this happens when your body and mind have just had enough of all the everyday life and stress. You can end up feeling completely drained of all your energy. So before that happens, schedule some much needed ‘me time’ in the diary. This could be anything from a relaxing bath to going out with friends.
Make sure that you have a reliable babysitter as you don’t want to add to your existing stress levels. This could be a close friend or family member if you have someone available to ask. If not, there are sites specifically designed for finding childcare near to your location. You can search hundreds of potential child carers who have qualifications and numerous years experience in the field.
Exercise Regularly
Something else to think about when you’re a new mom is taking the time to fit an exercise regime into your daily routine. This can be anything from yoga to swimming, as long as you are moving then you are heading in the right direction. It can be incredibly difficult being a new mom and seeing your body change over the course of pregnancy and birth. This can cause you to start disliking the way you look, one way to fix this is by doing exercise. You could even hire a personal trainer to help you get back to a weight and size you are comfortable with.
If you want to get out there and make new mommy friends then you could join a buggy walk or baby exercise class. They do baby yoga classes in some states so check out your local bulletin boards and online forums for news and events.
Eat Right
Next, you should ensure that you are taking the time to keep your eating in check. When you’re a new parent, self care can be the first thing that goes out the window. This can include everything from exercise to eating regularly or eating enough. You’ll instead focus on what your child is eating, particularly if you’re not breastfeeding.
However, it is important that you do get the regular meals that your body needs. This includes breakfast, lunch and dinner. Anything less than this and you run the risk of being in a situation where your mood changes or you have lower than usual levels of energy.
In terms of the types of meals that you need during this time, you should aim for one wholesome, cooked meal in the evening. The problem is of course, that you may find you don’t have the time to cook for yourself and you could end up relying on unhealthy alternatives. Even if you are exercising regularly, this is going to have an impact on your overall health.
There are some workarounds that you might want to explore here. For instance, you can think about a delivery service for wholesome meals. A service like this will provide you with all the ingredients that you need and they’ll be fully prepared. You just need to cook them, which is often the easiest part of preparing a meal. There are a few services like this to explore if you live in a built up urban area.
Be Creative With Play Time
Play time is critical for your child’s social development and the development of their fine motor skills. This will start with tummy time which isn’t going to be particularly enthralling for you. Things get a little more entertaining when your baby starts crawling and standing up. Then, once they can run around you quickly start to wish they had stayed in the boring phase for just a little longer.
However, those first phases can start to get a little dull, particularly if your child doesn’t seem to be making quite as much progress as you had hoped. The good news is that there are ways that you can make things a little more interesting. For instance, you can get a milestone blanket. That way, you can take pictures at different points in your child’s life. Or, you can just ensure that you are making playtime fun for your little one with lots of exciting toys and activities. Remember, if it’s fun for them, then it’s also more likely to be fun for you because your baby will be laughing, giggling and having a ball.
Manage Stress
Finally, you need to make sure that you are taking the necessary steps to manage high levels of stress in your life. Stress can be a huge problem because it will often result in both physical and mental health symptoms. This can include issues with anxiety and chronic pain. Being a new mom is always going to be stressful. Particularly, if you weren’t expecting and weren’t fully prepared for the changes that it will bring to your life. Stress-management is going to be a vital part of your life during this time.
There are lots of steps that you can take to manage high levels of stress. For instance, you might want to think about trying meditation. Meditation can be useful because it will allow you to clear your mind and relax your senses. People often think that meditation is going to be difficult. But meditation and mindfulness can be explored by anyone with the willpower to do so.
The hardest part is often clearing your mind. This can be achieved with music playlists that you can find on places such as YouTube as well as spotify. Breathing exercises can help too. Taking deep breaths will provide your brain with controlled levels of oxygen for thoughts with more clarity.
We hope this helps you understand some of the key steps that you can take to ensure that you don’t go completely stir crazy as a new parent. That way you can look after your baby and yourself at the same time. Remember, if you do feel like things are becoming overwhelming it’s important to speak to someone about what you’re going through. There’s no harm and certainly no weakness in reaching out for extra support.
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