Life as a new mom is stressful – every parent can vouch for that. Learning how to manage this stress is important for your health and the health of your baby. Here are just a few tips for battling stress as a new mom.
Know the root cause
You’re stressed, but why exactly are you stressed? Is it the constant sleep deprivation that’s getting your down? Is the constant responsibility making you anxious? Are you unable to shift the baby weight? Is it a combination of all three? These are all common causes of stress.
Sometimes stress can be made worse by other problems that were already present before you had a baby. Having a baby can put a financial strain on many new parents, leading to extra stress. There are people that you can talk to help deal with these financial problems – you can see more here. Alternatively, you could be dealing with relationship problems. Many couples are tested when having a baby – if you were already having relationship issues beforehand, this could be the main cause of the stress.
By listing the things that are stressing you out, you can start addressing them one by one, allowing you to find that break that you need.
Schedule time for yourself
Every new mom needs time to themselves. This could be time spent catching up on sleep, taking a bath, catching up with friends, going to the gym or watching TV on the sofa – whatever helps you to relieve stress and recharge your batteries (don’t spend this time doing chores, unless cleaning is your form of stress relief).
Some moms may feel a mixture of guilt and separation anxiety when away from their child, but this is something that needs to be overcome for the health of you and your baby. Your baby could be in another room or even the same room – so long as you get a break from the responsibility. If you haven’t got a partner to rely on, consider turning to family member or even hiring a babysitter. It’s worth scheduling time for yourself each week so that you can look forward to that break and so that you can plan out what you want to do. An hour may be all that’s needed.
Set visiting hours
Family and friends will all likely want to see the baby, but too many visitors will add to the stress. If you’re tired of family and friends popping round, don’t be afraid to set visiting hours. Your friends and family should understand.
Prioritize convenience
There are lots of shortcuts and tricks that you can adopt to save time and make life easier as a new mom. This can help to prevent the little things from stressing you out. This could include having diapers and wipes easily accessible in each room and putting mats in places where baby mess accumulates.
When it comes to housework, do the minimum you can get away with. Allow the laundry to pile up and don’t worry about making the bed every day. Nobody expects your home to be spotless – you’re just adding to the stress by trying to keep on top of it. One day your baby will be able to occupy themselves more easily and you’ll be able to catch up on all the deep cleaning tasks.
Kori
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