Did you know that almost 4 million babies are born every year in the United States alone? If you’re preparing for the arrival of your newborn, congratulations! You’re about to begin one of the most rewarding chapters of your life.
The first few months of your baby’s life can be a little scary, as there’s no real way to be fully prepared for such a new experience. That being said, it can also be a magical time for you and your partner. Especially if you have some baby care tips for new moms to help get you through!
To learn a few amazing pieces of newborn baby advice, just keep reading!
1. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help
As a new mom, you might feel pressure (hopefully self-inflicted) to take care of everything yourself. But being a parent to a newborn is hard work, and there’s no shame in admitting that fact!
Instead of carrying the entire load on your own, don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you have a friend over, ask them to watch the baby for a few minutes while you shower! Or if you need to vent and don’t feel comfortable doing so with a friend or family member, reach out to a professional.
Like when your baby is experiencing sleep regression, consider reading a parenting websites such as Nested Bean or online forums as they often offer a supportive community where you can seek advice and share experiences with other parents who have faced and overcome sleep regression challenges.
There are a wide variety of specialists out there to assist you with any questions or problems you might encounter in the first few weeks with your baby. Use them!
2. Get Into a Routine
Humans are creatures of habit. As such, nothing is more comforting to your baby than a routine they can count on. Use your instincts to create a routine at first, but let your baby lead you from there.
Your baby will give you cues to let you know when they’re hungry, tired, or need attention. It’s a good idea to use an app or notebook to keep track of these cues. In doing so, you’ll begin to learn your baby’s specific patterns with eating, sleeping, and play.
This small amount of control in all the chaos of having a newborn can be a lifesaver!
3. Remember That Each Stage is Temporary
You’re going to have a bad moment every now and then, newborn babies require a great deal of care and it can be overwhelming. When these moments come, remind yourself that each stage is temporary. They won’t be this little forever!
Try your best to enjoy each stage of your baby’s development to the fullest. As your little one grows, you may want to capture each milestone and celebrate every moment.
Reminding yourself that stages are temporary is also crucial when preparing for your baby’s arrival. For example, before buying baby clothes, remember that as cute as newborn clothes are, your baby can only wear so many outfits! They’ll grow faster than you think.
4. Practice Good Health Habits
Speaking of doing things for you, it can be easy to allow your health to fall to the wayside when you’re hyper-focused on the health of your baby. Remember, however, that by keeping yourself healthy, you’ll be better equipped to care for your little one.
Instead of reaching for a bag of chips or a candy bar, eat a handful of almonds, a piece of cheese, or a few carrots. Make an effort to keep your kitchen stocked with healthy snacks to avoid the temptation of sugary treats.
A healthy diet will not only give you more energy but will enable your body to heal faster from the stress of pregnancy and labor as well.
5. Create Baby Care Stations
The changing table in your nursery is important, but you should also have stations baby care stations in other areas of your house. This doesn’t mean you have to set up multiple changing tables!
Simply create a couple of baby care baskets to place near your couch and bed. When it’s time for a diaper change or feeding, you’ll have everything you need on hand.
Fill your breastfeeding basket with the following:
- Snacks and water
- A Haakaa
- Diapers
- Baby wipes
- Burp cloths
- Bra pads
- Nipple cream
- Hand sanitizer
- A blanket
- A book, magazine, or tablet
6. Sleep When Your Baby is Sleeping
This is one of the most common baby care tips for new moms, and for good reason! Caring for a newborn is exhausting work, and because your baby is going to need to be fed every few hours, your sleep schedule is going to be completely out of whack.
To keep yourself energized and positive, always sleep when your baby is sleeping. It might be tempting to get chores done during nap time, but if you’re exhausted, taking a nap is the most productive thing you can do.
7. Don’t Worry About Being Quiet
Continuing on with the topic of sleep, you might feel that you have to be completely silent while your baby is sleeping. This isn’t the case!
First of all, you want to establish a difference between nap and sleep time. Second, your baby just spent 9 months inside your womb – they’re used to the noise!
During naptime, don’t worry too much about being quiet. Watch TV, keep the lights on, continue on with your day as normal (unless you need a nap too, of course). They’ll sleep right through it.
8. Make Time for Yourself
Yes, your baby is going to need you often. But even for your baby, you only have so much energy to give. This is why it’s important to make time for yourself every day, even if it’s only half an hour, to restore this energy and keep you feeling positive.
Allow your partner or another family member to watch your baby for 30 minutes to an hour while you shower, go for a walk, sip a cup of coffee, or engage in a hobby. Whatever makes you feel relaxed and cared for is what you should do!
These Baby Care Tips for New Moms Can Save Your Sanity
Having a newborn is a wonderful experience, but can also be stressful. By taking advantage of these baby care tips for new moms, you can get the most out of this special time with your child.
You’re going to be tired and stressed at times, that’s unavoidable! But preparing yourself and your home and taking the right steps once you’re baby is there can be incredibly beneficial.
For more tips and tricks for honing your parenting skills, be sure to take a look at our blog!
