Helpful hints for new mums
Becoming a mum for the first time can be daunting. It may seem like it should get easier each time, but in reality each new baby brings forth a new set of challenges. Below are a few tips to help make the first few days, weeks, and months easier and more enjoyable. These are handy tips for new mums, but also a good read for friends and family that want to help out during those early days but are unsure how.
- Ask for help from visitors. People like to come over to visit you and your new baby at all hours of the day and night. Don't be shy about asking for help in whatever way might be needed at that time. If you're alone and you haven't taken your morning shower, see if your visitors can watch your baby while you have a shower. And then enjoy a relaxing shower, don't rush getting ready. You can then rejoin your visitors for a relaxed chat with you feeling very refreshed. There are few people that would mind watching a new baby sleep while knowing they are helping you out. Do the same if you need to duck down to the shops to buy some groceries.
- Family and close friends want to help during this time. Don't be so quick to say no when the offers of help come in. Family are helpful to make dinner while you feed your new baby. They can also help do some of the routine household chores like dishes, washing, ironing and grocery shopping.
- To save time wandering the supermarket try shopping online at home. The two major supermarkets offer online ordering: Coles' ColesOnline and Safeway/Woolworths' HomeShop. There are organic options and fruit and vegetable delivery options. You can select the delivery time when checking out. Some options also deliver milk and bread early in the mornings so you can always have a fresh coffee ready for the morning feed (decaf of course).
- Remember to relax your expectations of how you thought you'd be as a mum and how you're "supposed" to be. Babies can sense when you are relaxed and "should" follow suit.
- Take time out for a little pampering. If you don't think you're going to get a sleep in while baby is napping then hop into a bath with some relaxing oils and bath salts.
- Keep a good book nearby. Reading can help you to tune out any overthinking you are doing at this time. A good chick-lit book can help you escape the tired feelings or the dishes on the sink.
- Keep active. As soon as your body is ready for it head out for some simple exercise. Either go for a walk alone, or with your new baby. Getting out in the fresh air, and seeing a bit of natural sun is energising. See if friends are up for a walk when they come visit, it helps to change the scenery in those early days.
- Freezer meals. Keep some simple meals in the freezer for those nights where it is dinner time before you realise you haven't had lunch. Good meal ideas that are high in nutrition include vegetable or chicken soup, spaghetti sauce, curry, tuna pasta or canneloni. This is perfect for those nights when takeaway seems like a good option. Your healthy wellbeing and your wallet will appreciate you avoiding the overpriced under flavoured takeaway meal. However takeaway is a good option rather than stressing over cooking a three course meal for friends when they pop over.
- Try to keep up with your morning personal care routine, even if you don't have any visitors and you didn't get much sleep. Get dressed each morning, and choose something bright and colourful that you feel good in. Your mood will be brighter and you won't be put out if someone knocks at the door. It doesn't have to be an ironed shirt and skirt, a tracksuit is fine, just try to put on clean clothes at the start of the day. Simple things like showering, brushing your hair and cleaning your teeth at the start of each day help to feel more normal each day.
- Separate the baby clothes you receive out into sizes in different drawers so you don't miss out on your little one wearing the 000 gorgeous outfit before they are a size 0.
- Keep a few favourite movies, television shows and music lying around. Anything that will make you smile that isn't too taxing is handy to have on hand to tune out to when you have a few minutes for a cup of tea.
- Try not to have the TV on all day when home. The news updates and the dull repetitive television shows can be exhausting to even hear after a few months.
- Read enough to be educated, but don't spend more time reading about how to be a good parent than you do being a parent! It is easy with blogs and social networking to read how everyone else is coping with being a new parent and it does help to know other people are experiencing the same things you are, however it is also easy to get caught up reading blog after blog after blog.
Becoming a mum for the first time can be daunting. It may seem like it should get easier each time, but in reality each new baby brings forth a new set of challenges. Below are a few tips to help make the first few days, weeks, and months easier and more enjoyable. These are handy tips for new mums, but also a good read for friends and family that want to help out during those early days but are unsure how.
- Ask for help from visitors. People like to come over to visit you and your new baby at all hours of the day and night. Don't be shy about asking for help in whatever way might be needed at that time. If you're alone and you haven't taken your morning shower, see if your visitors can watch your baby while you have a shower. And then enjoy a relaxing shower, don't rush getting ready. You can then rejoin your visitors for a relaxed chat with you feeling very refreshed. There are few people that would mind watching a new baby sleep while knowing they are helping you out. Do the same if you need to duck down to the shops to buy some groceries.
- Family and close friends want to help during this time. Don't be so quick to say no when the offers of help come in. Family are helpful to make dinner while you feed your new baby. They can also help do some of the routine household chores like dishes, washing, ironing and grocery shopping.
- To save time wandering the supermarket try shopping online at home. The two major supermarkets offer online ordering: Coles' ColesOnline and Safeway/Woolworths' HomeShop. There are organic options and fruit and vegetable delivery options. You can select the delivery time when checking out. Some options also deliver milk and bread early in the mornings so you can always have a fresh coffee ready for the morning feed (decaf of course).
- Remember to relax your expectations of how you thought you'd be as a mum and how you're "supposed" to be. Babies can sense when you are relaxed and "should" follow suit.
- Take time out for a little pampering. If you don't think you're going to get a sleep in while baby is napping then hop into a bath with some relaxing oils and bath salts.
- Keep a good book nearby. Reading can help you to tune out any overthinking you are doing at this time. A good chick-lit book can help you escape the tired feelings or the dishes on the sink.
- Keep active. As soon as your body is ready for it head out for some simple exercise. Either go for a walk alone, or with your new baby. Getting out in the fresh air, and seeing a bit of natural sun is energising. See if friends are up for a walk when they come visit, it helps to change the scenery in those early days.
- Freezer meals. Keep some simple meals in the freezer for those nights where it is dinner time before you realise you haven't had lunch. Good meal ideas that are high in nutrition include vegetable or chicken soup, spaghetti sauce, curry, tuna pasta or canneloni. This is perfect for those nights when takeaway seems like a good option. Your healthy wellbeing and your wallet will appreciate you avoiding the overpriced under flavoured takeaway meal. However takeaway is a good option rather than stressing over cooking a three course meal for friends when they pop over.
- Try to keep up with your morning personal care routine, even if you don't have any visitors and you didn't get much sleep. Get dressed each morning, and choose something bright and colourful that you feel good in. Your mood will be brighter and you won't be put out if someone knocks at the door. It doesn't have to be an ironed shirt and skirt, a tracksuit is fine, just try to put on clean clothes at the start of the day. Simple things like showering, brushing your hair and cleaning your teeth at the start of each day help to feel more normal each day.
- Separate the baby clothes you receive out into sizes in different drawers so you don't miss out on your little one wearing the 000 gorgeous outfit before they are a size 0.
- Keep a few favourite movies, television shows and music lying around. Anything that will make you smile that isn't too taxing is handy to have on hand to tune out to when you have a few minutes for a cup of tea.
- Try not to have the TV on all day when home. The news updates and the dull repetitive television shows can be exhausting to even hear after a few months.
- Read enough to be educated, but don't spend more time reading about how to be a good parent than you do being a parent! It is easy with blogs and social networking to read how everyone else is coping with being a new parent and it does help to know other people are experiencing the same things you are, however it is also easy to get caught up reading blog after blog after blog.