Hey there, new mom. So you’ve just brought your bundle of joy home. Who knew your greatest wish in the first few weeks of motherhood would be a full night’s sleep and a long shower? You’re sore from breastfeeding, you have a ton of dirty diapers sitting in the Diaper Genie, and you and your husband are starting to get short with each other. Welcome to motherhood.
Sure, this may be one of the greatest times of your life. One day, you’ll look back and cherish those late-night feedings and how your baby would curl his little hand around your finger. But right now, it’s hard. Rebecca Ingram Powell, author of Baby Boot Camp: Basic Training for the First Six Weeks of Motherhood, sums it up well: “New moms are often flustered and bewildered during those early days with a baby.” Maybe for you, the bewilderment is over whether you’re cut out for motherhood. But you are. And you’ll see that when you use Powell’s 5 basic strategies for getting through those turbulent days as a new mom.
1. Remember it’s only temporary.
You may feel like this phase will never pass, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Eventually, your baby will settle into a better sleeping pattern, and your body and hormones will begin to feel normal again. It may be hard to imagine that life will stop being so unpredictable and chaotic, but give it time.
2. Prioritize your life.
During this time, your focus should be on the health and care of your baby and yourself. As a new mom, your body has gone through a major change and it needs some time to recover. You won’t realize for years how hard your body has had to work to nurture and support your baby, so trust us. It’s giving its all. Instead of worrying about keeping the house spotless or what’s going on at the office without you, focus on caring for your baby and yourself.
3. Let others help you.
If you’re naturally an independent, “I can do it all!” type of woman, it may be emotionally difficult to find yourself in a situation where you’re dependent on others. But you need to realize that in these early days of motherhood, you cannot do it all. If you have neighbors or friends who offer to cook your dinner, let them. If you need help doing dishes and vacuuming, consider hiring a house cleaning service. Or if you have relatives who want to stay with you for a few days, let them help take care of the baby while you sneak in a nap or relaxing bath.
4. Recognize your family’s new roles.
Any time there is an addition to the family, dynamics change. Now, instead of just being your husband’s wife or your parents’ daughter, you are a child’s mother, and your husband is now a father. These are life-changing roles that may take some time to adjust to. This is an area where Powell says mothers need to exercise patience. Family transitions can be stressful, but this too will evolve into something that becomes a normal part of your life. It may take some trial and error in learning how to balance caring for your baby while growing your relationship with your spouse, and it may take some effort to welcome your parents and in-laws into your life more than before.
5. Know that you are not alone.
You may feel exhausted. You may feel overwhelmed. You may feel on edge. But take some comfort in knowing that you are not alone. Motherhood is a joyful experience, but it is not an easy one. Ask any mother you know if her early days with her baby were easy. Now is a time to reach out to others for encouragement, to take time to seek comfort in your faith. and to realize that even though this is one of the toughest things you’ve ever done, it is also one of the most rewarding.
This article is based on the book Baby Boot Camp: Basic Training for the First Six Weeks of Motherhood by Rebecca Ingram Powell.
What’s the hardest part of being a new mom? Was there anything you didn’t expect?
