Did you just give birth to the sweetest little baby? Well, Congratulations! But now what? If the thought of surviving the first month with a newborn has been keeping you awake at night, you are not alone and it’s completely normal. We have all been there and have worried about how we are going to survive. But guess what, we all survived and most of us find ourselves doing it all over again. Crazy, huh!
As a second time Mama, I am here to tell you it WILL absolutely get easier. With each passing day it will be more and more manageable. Although you may not believe it in the moment, you will eventually sleep again. You will eventually get out of your pajamas before noon. You will eventually get back to the gym. Life will start to seem normal again.
The first month, also known as the fourth trimester, will probably be the hardest part of motherhood. Between your body healing from labor, your baby adapting to the real world, insomnia, hunger, hormones, just to name a few, there’s no denying it, this time will be hard. Not to mention just the simple thought of being home with your newborn is intimidating.
I remember the moment we were discharged from the Hospital and being sent home with my son the first night. My Husband and I had no idea what we were doing, what to expect or what our baby needed. But we made it! And so will you!!! …and we recently just went thru it AGAIN!
There’s no exact science to this but here are some tips that will help make your first month home with the baby much smoother:
- Sleep When the Baby Sleeps. Do it. Drop everything and run for your bed. Especially during the first 6 weeks when your baby is not on a schedule yet.
- Prepare Some Meals Ahead of Time. Make some easy to freeze meals because trust me the last thing you will be thinking about is cooking dinner. Having simple things like chicken soup ready to go. Quick, easy dinners for the win!
- Shower Daily. This was something a wise Mama once told me and I still thank her for it. You don’t realize how much a shower can really do for you. 10 minutes all to yourself in warm water and yummy smelling shampoo. Heavenly. Not only is this important for your body but for your mind too. 10 minutes all to yourself can go a long way. Afterall, you can’t take care of your baby if you don’t take care of yourself first.
- Ask for Help Ahead of Time. Coordinate with family, friends, hire a Mother’s helper, Nanny, whoever it is that’s willing to help. Take the help. You will need it. Even if its just for a few hours a day to get some shut eye.
- Set up Stations around the House with Essentials. Some essential stations you should set up before baby arrives are diaper stations, breastfeeding stations and bathroom stations. I have a few baskets throughout the house that make finding the items I need for these stations so much easier and faster. Diaper station kit includes spare diapers, diaper cream, wipes and spare onesies. Breastfeeding station kit includes nursing pads, rags, boppy (nursing pillow) and nipple balm. Bathroom essentials include large pads, witch hazel pads, ointment and spare undies. When the baby is screaming and you’re in a rush the last thing you want to be doing is searching for that something.
Haven’t delivered yet? Just planning ahead? Check out my blog post on 10 Things to Do in Your Third Trimester for baby preparation.
