Parents are always excited and thrilled to welcome a new baby. They are certainly aware of the responsibility that falls on their shoulders. In the first days after the birth of a baby, new parents are in some euphoria. Still, gradually they realize that a baby is not only joy but also the daily care and overcoming of unexpected challenges. Even the most organized people cannot prepare for what life will be like once they have kids.
Do not panic if things do not work out. It is essential for both parents and the baby to patiently and cooperatively overcome the difficulties that will arise constantly. And particularly when it comes to the health of the baby. After all, mom and dad may not immediately understand why the baby cries so often and cannot sleep.
Sleep strategy for new parents
Sleep is a basic need for everyone. And for a new mother, who often has the greatest burden of caring for a newborn, this need is critical. In the first months after childbirth, it may not be easy to readjust the sleep routine and get used to the new realities.
One of the common tips – sleep when the baby sleeps – may work for you. Especially if the child does not yet have a sleep schedule and can sleep for 5 hours during the day and almost no sleep at night. Sometimes it is better to prepare for sleepless nights and sleep during the day.
However, not all moms can sleep with their babies. Some people have a heightened sense of awareness that every rustle and sigh of a baby wakes a woman up – it’s nature’s way, and it’s normal. In this case, it would be great if someone could take the baby to another room/outdoors, allowing the mother to rest and relax.
You can also contact a baby sleep consultant who will help improve your baby’s sleep, and thus you will sleep longer.
Nutrition for new moms
Since the beginning of pregnancy, a woman’s dietary pattern changes a lot, and after childbirth, it requires some correction. Gaining weight or feeling unwell can throw some women off balance and make them want to go on a diet or, conversely, stop paying attention to the healthfulness of food.
Regardless of the chosen nutrition concept after childbirth, ensuring the diet remains complete is essential. It would be best not to rush to go on diets to get back to the “pre-pregnancy” weight – first, the body needs to recover. It is perfectly normal for a breastfeeding mom to have a warm drink and a snack, even at night. Extra calories are needed not only for breastfeeding but also for baby care and recovery after childbirth.
Many moms worry about the transition to baby formula and are stressed about it. Therefore, it is also essential for women who are not breastfeeding to eat a balanced diet. And reducing worries about the comfortable transition to bottle feeding will help the pediatrician and the best infant formula brands.
Sometimes a mom can focus entirely on caring for and feeding her baby, forgetting about herself and eating incompletely. It will be great if someone close to you can support and cook delicious and healthy meals for mom – at least for the first month or two, while the woman recovers from childbirth and adapts to her new role and tasks.
Social life after having a baby
Suppose you are tired of being at home with your baby all day, doing laundry, walking with the baby in the nearest park, and bedtime lullabies. You crave to break free from the circle of household chores. Lack of communication often leads to depression, which affects you and the family badly. Not being able to leave the house for a long time is depressing.
So don’t be afraid to visit your friends or invite them to your place. It’s a great time to introduce your friends to your baby. Of course, such visits at first are associated with certain difficulties. But most are just psychological limitations, and parents have nothing to worry about.
It is important to socialize and make new friends for new parents. Even if it’s not professional and business connections, but friendships with moms on the playground, it’s still a way out of toxic self-condemnation.