Nothing can quite prepare a new mum or Dad for exactly how their life will change once a baby arrives and this can leave an excited parent scared and often sleep deprived than previously imagined. I don’t say this to alarm you, far from it; I think that every first-time parent should look forward to their new family life and enjoy every moment with their infant.
Please be aware this is the dream though, it is often not the reality, particularly as the year unfolds and new challenges arise with baby sleep, feeding or managing the general day to day affairs which may, in turn, lead to on-going stress or post-natal depression. Something most new parents try to hide or disguise.
In today’s world we live in the constant bombardment of social media and what everyone else is doing with their lives, we notice how a friends’ baby is progressing and admire pictures of wonderful smiles and family togetherness. When things are not going well for you though it is easy to start comparing and believing that you are somehow missing out, getting things wrong or question yourself whether your baby is unhappy because they cry and you can’t always comfort them as fast as you would like to.
Having a baby and being immersed into a whole new life without any training is a scary process and naturally, there is much at stake, especially if you are a ‘high achiever’ and have always been organised at work and love order and structure. The more you try to maintain your former life and organisation, the harder things feel, the more sleep deprived you become and this can be upsetting or frustrate you further with your inability to figure out exactly what your baby wants. Alternatively, you may be coping fine with your baby however you may feel that no-one has considered or ‘gets’ how you are feeling in quieter moments throughout the day.
Whilst you may be blessed and have a fantastic and very helpful partner/family help and often they do their best but there is still a sense of disappointment as there are things you don’t want to burden them with, since they already have enough on their mind with work, other commitments etc.
Here’s what you can do to feel good again and get your mojo back:
*Sleep when your baby sleeps even if it’s just a short cat nap*Stop looking at social media/reduce screen time*Take yourself out for a walk/go for coffee with a friend*Get some support from someone you can trust or talk to your healthcare professional
Juliet
NNNNEW for 2019! Mum SPA ClubIf you are looking for something new that focuses on you and not only your child, we invite you to enquire about our new online club for Mums with a baby or a toddler who would like to feel special again and get answers to everyday parenting matters.
All without judgement or even needing to leave the house, giving you that extra peace of mind. Our ‘Mum Spa Club’ is about helping to relax and reassure you that you are doing a great job, knowing things will get easier because you’ve decided to do something to help yourself and that is definitely worth being proud of, and will certainly decrease those long sleep deprived nights within a short amount of time. Like to find out more?
Register your interest here juliet@sanitynanny.com mark your message MSClub and get all the details.
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