I will start by congratulating all the new mums and dads.
It’s a joyful thing to have a baby 👶
Becoming a mom for the first time is one of those rare, blessed events that will forever change you—but just because it is bound to be one of the greatest moments in your life doesn’t mean it is going to be the easiest.
I remember coming home with my daughter and her newborn, my granddaughter, from the hospital for the first time. Although I wasn’t the new mom, it felt like I was 😃😃
The first six weeks with a newborn are a series of ups and downs for any parent — major ups and major downs! It’s intense, and then it’s over.
Honestly, I could offer a hundred different things I think a new mum should know, but each experience is so different, and each child is so unique, that even a list that long wouldn’t cover it all. With that in mind, I’m going to share the 6 most important things a new mum should know.
If you’re a new mom or an expecting mum, this is for you. Please remember that every baby 👶 is different
PLEASE REMEMBER 👇
- The following advice is just to give you an insight of what you need to know.
- That no one knows your baby like you, you’re the expert of your baby. So be aware of that, don’t beat yourself up if your baby is not doing the same thing as other babies his age are doing. All children are different.
- So cut yourself some slack and trust your instincts and gut feelings, and give your baby a chance.
1️⃣Things May Not Go to Plan
You spend all this time preparing, but as soon as your little one arrives everything goes right out the window. Especially if you like to have control over everything, you may be in shock because your new baby has her own idea of how her life will be like 😃 .
That being said, if feeling prepared helps to calm your nerves, keep doing what you’re doing. But if things don’t pan out the way you thought after you have your precious baby (they usually don’t ), go easy on yourself.
Please remind yourself that just because things aren’t going according to plan doesn’t mean you’re not doing a good job.
2️⃣Bonding with Baby May Take Time
We’ve all heard the stories about how the moment a child is born there is this heavenly euphoria that washes over the new mother, but that’s not always the case. If you find it difficult to bond with your baby straight away, don’t worry, there is nothing wrong with you. It’s ok, sometimes it may take time before you bond with your baby. There is nothing wrong with you.
3️⃣Ask for help and accept if someone’s offer to help
This is not the time to be shy. If a friend or your sister asks to bring you dinner, say yes. If your mother-in-law wants to come and visit you after the baby is home, please say yes. You need all the help you can get.
Don’t try to be a superwoman, everybody needs help. If you don’t have anyone around, get a cleaner to come around and help you around the house.
4️⃣Your Relationship will be Tested
The journey from being a couple to becoming a family can be as tricky as it is rewarding. How do you keep your relationship strong when your new baby makes demands on your emotions, time and energy? I ask some experienced mums and dads how they did it.
What can we do to stay close?
“Every day, no matter how tired you are, spend time with your partner and talk about your day, your feelings and your worries. Just five minutes at dinner is better than nothing at all”. Sometimes you will need a break, take turns in looking after the baby especially at night 👶
You guys need to be a united front in front of your children. So, start talking about rules now and what your partner’s take on parenting is. You and your partner need to be a team and be on the same page.
5️⃣YOUR WEIGHT STRUGGLES
After your baby is born, do not expect to snap right back into your pre-pregnancy clothes.
To be honest, the great weight struggle is just one of the many things new moms are going to experience. After you deliver, whether naturally or via C-section, you’re going to need time to recover. It’s mother nature’s biggest prank: just when you need rest and sleep the most, your baby will pretty much prevent you from getting either. For the first few weeks, your hormones do a complete nosedive. Just accept now that you’ll spend hours sobbing irrationally and be forced to wear the biggest sanitary pads.
The silver lining is that it’s all temporary. You’ll get back to being your old self soon enough, or not 😃
6️⃣Stop Comparing
Yourself. Your husband. Your baby.
Everybody’s journey is different, don’t expect your journey to be identical to anyone else’s. If your little baby isn’t crawling the exact week that your friends Baby’s did, it’s fine. There’s nothing wrong with your baby, and there’s nothing wrong with your parenting. Don’t worry, your baby will crawl when they are ready.
BONUS POINT;
Set routine as soon as possible.
IF you want to have a good night sleep, it is important to set up a routine immediately you bring your baby home from the hospital.
(Check my previous post on routine)
MY FINAL THOUGHTS
Don’t feel guilted or pressured into anything that isn’t working for your family.
Above all, the only thing I can tell a new parent with absolute certainty is… this too shall pass. In the beginning, everything is a phase or a stage, and those things that keep you up at night now will become second nature in time, or they will no longer be an issue. ♥️
P.S – All the new mama out there well done you’re doing great; your baby is lucky to have you as their mum. Relax more and remember to ask for help when you need it 🥰♥️
Dear parents, what other advice will you share with new mum 👇👇👇
My goal is to inspire new moms to capture those precious moments that are so overemphasis lost if we don’t write them down. Use this beautifully design baby book to record the little things about your baby’s first year and one day you can look back and cherish this incredible journey of your blessings
PS: Next week we are going to talk more on what your baby need, breastfeeding, and more so stay tuned
Thanks
Olu
Positive Parenting With Olu 