10 Tips for the First Days with a New Baby

As vast as my parenting techniques have changed by each baby we added to the family, one thing remained consistent when bringing each of my children home as newborns, the brain fog. I was exhausted, plain and simple. It’s like my brain was in hyperdrive and I was along for the ride. Despite the challenges, I have 10 tips for the first days with a new baby for new moms that helped me through.

1. Take care of yourself and your hygiene needs. This sounds like common sense but as new busy moms, we often put our needs aside. Make sure you have a support system to allow your needs to be taken care of; a few minutes a day or an afternoon every week can be achieved.
2. Sleep when the baby sleeps. Easier said than done, right? You may think you should use that time to catch up on housework but that can wait; being sleep deprived will only set off a series of other issues. You need your sleep; take advantage of nap time.
3. Ask for and accept help. Generally, there are many willing to help out a new mom and more than happy to help. Maybe it’s a grandma or a friend offering to babysit or help with chores, accept it.
4. Plan ahead. Have your spouse grab groceries, diapers, and other necessities before you head home from the hospital so you can stay home for the first few days with your new baby. You may also want to prepare a few freezer meals before the birth of your baby to get you through the first week home with a newborn; these are helpful on days where you are too tired to function.
5. Create a nighttime routine. A newborn eats every couple of hours but creating a nighttime routine helps the baby learn to relax in routine.
6. Organize your time. It’s hard to organize your time with a baby, time usually rotates around the infants schedule but you can make a weekly plan for the necessary chores and appointments and work around that as you need to with the baby. If you can’t go grocery shopping one day because the baby is extra cranky, try asking your spouse or pushing it off a day or two. If you’re like me, I enjoyed grocery shopping because it was an outing. Allow yourself to adjust and get into a groove.
7. Prepare to be flexible. Babies are notorious for putting a kink into plans; prepare to be flexible and cancel plans when you can’t avoid it.
8. Say no. Don’t put the pressure on yourself trying to please everyone. Having a newborn will change your life and you won’t always be able to do everything at anytime.
9. Decline visitors. There will be a lot of well-meaning visitors and although everyone is excited to see the new baby, give yourself time to settle into routine before inviting too many people over.
10. Talk to your spouse. Your spouse is by your side; lean on him/her when you need the support. If you need your spouse to take over, let it happen. You deserve to allow yourself and your new baby to be cared for. Remember that your spouse may need support too; there are a lot of changes in the household.

Becoming a new parent is full of excitement and maybe a little scary too. Resist the pressures we put on ourselves by utilizing some of these tips, enjoy your new addition and the new dynamic to your family. You’ll do just fine.

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Pampers New Parent Giveaway

Open to Canadian residents. Ends June 17th, 2016. It’s easy to enter, just tell me in a comment below what your favourite memory is about bring the new baby home OR what you are looking forward to when you do AND then enter in the form below.

Pampers celebrates new parents with a chance to win a new baby starter pack valued at $68, including:

• Ivory Snow Detergent 1.18L $9.97*
• Pampers Swaddlers Sensitive Super Newborn 80ct $29.97*
• Pampers Baby Wipes Sensitive 3X Pack 192 ct $8.50*
• Copy of Baby Care Basics $19.95*

For many, having a first baby can be a very overwhelming experience, which is why Dr.  Friedman’s new book, Baby Care Basics, would make an excellent gift for any expectant parent. This new book, Baby Care Basics, by The Hospital for Sick Children’s own, Dr. Friedman, can help ease any of their (understandable) nerves. Looking for something to give a new parent-to-be some easy tips to calm escalating nerves? Dr. Friedman’s newest book, Baby Care Basics, is just the thing.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post as part of the #PampersBabyPanel. All opinions are 100% my own.