Surviving the First Weeks of Motherhood: 9 Tips for New Moms

There are few experiences more life-changing than becoming a mother. Welcoming your newborn into the world is a time of immense joy and excitement, but it can leave new moms feeling exhausted and insecure.

Postpartum depression is the most common psychological condition following childbirth, with as many as 1 in 7 new mothers suffering from this affliction. While some women suffer minor baby blues, others are plagued by crippling depression and anxiety. There are many ways to treat this condition, and having some solid coping mechanisms always helps—even if you’re not hit with a bad case of the blues post-birth.

If you’re a first-time mom wondering how you’re going to survive motherhood, know that you’re not alone. To help you navigate the challenges of the early days, we’ve got you covered with these 9 tips.

1. Take Time To Rest

Don’t underestimate what your body has just endured. You’ve experienced a huge transformation, so take the time to heal amongst the nappy changes and breastfeeding. Follow the orders your doctor has given you. Eat a high-fiber and healthy diet, drink lots of water, take bubble baths, and go easy on yourself.

2. Be Careful With Visitors

Everyone will want to meet and cuddle your baby as soon as you return home, but this is not always possible. Your child has just entered the world, and a newborn’s immune system is highly susceptible to infectious diseases. Make sure that every visitor is healthy and sanitizes their hands before holding your baby.

Newborns are very alert and receptive, making the first weeks perfect for bonding. Too many visitors may take away from this experience, so keep them limited to a precious few.

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3. Have A Support System

It’s OK to get help in the first weeks of being a new mom—and the weeks and years that follow too!

Ask your family or close friends to help you with cooking, cleaning, picking up groceries or even taking your dog for a walk. They love you and they’re there to lighten the load.

Consider consulting professionals like lactation consultants if you need help with breastfeeding. This doesn’t always come naturally to new moms, so don’t feel embarrassed to reach out.

Postpartum doulas can teach soothing techniques for the baby as well as listen to your concerns and assist with chores. You don’t have to do it all alone.

4. Stock Up

It’s not always possible for first-time moms to anticipate how many diapers a newborn will go through in a week or how many pads they’ll need to stay dry and comfortable. Stocking up on essentials will mean that you don’t have to run exhausted to the store in the middle of the night. 

Prepare a container filled with essentials like pain relievers, diaper rash cream, wipes, nipple cream, NannoPads and burp cloths. You could also add your favorite pick-me-up snacks to the container for late-night nappy-changing support.

5. Indulge Yourself

As much as the first weeks are about bonding with your baby, they’re also about taking time for yourself and indulging in a bit of self-care. You carried your baby for nine months, so it’s healthy and normal to ask for a little you-time after the birth.

Your partner and friends can babysit while you treat yourself to a relaxing and enjoyable experience. There are so many to choose from, so don’t hold back in spoiling yourself. You deserve it!

6. Avoid Comparisons

It’s tempting to compare your baby’s milestones and sleeping patterns to that of your friends or social media influencers. But this will only leave you feeling inadequate.

Every newborn and mom is different. You aren’t doing something wrong if your baby is developing at a different pace and in a different way from others.

7. Stay Off The Internet

If you’re concerned about your newborn’s symptoms, searching for information on medical websites can lead you down an anxiety-inducing rabbit hole. Not all information found online is true or accurate, so it’s better to consult your paediatrician instead.

If not, you may be worrying over whether teething can lead to death or other scary thoughts that hold little to no weight.

8. Trust Your Gut

When you’re a first-time mom you’re likely to receive a ton of solicited and unsolicited advice from experienced mothers. While it’s a great idea to listen to this advice and take what you need from it, remember that you know your baby better than anybody else.

If you feel like something is off, don’t let somebody talk you out of getting it checked out. You are your baby’s strongest advocate

9. Keep This Time In Perspective

The first weeks are not forever, they will pass. This may not feel true when you’re buried under a mountain of diapers and haven't slept more than an hour at a time. But babies change quickly and so will this first phase.

Keeping this time in perspective may help you to enjoy and savor it for what it is. You’ll come out feeling stronger and closer to your baby.

Surviving And Thriving

Trial and error is the name of the game for many new moms. There’s no pressure to get everything perfect the first time. It’s normal to make mistakes and ask for help. These tips will support you so that you can thrive rather than just survive in the first weeks of being a mom.

Remember that you just need to show up as the best version of yourself for your baby, not as anybody else!

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NOTE: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of Nannocare. Nannocare is not affiliated, associated, authorized, endorsed by, or in any way officially connected with the author of this article, or any of its subsidiaries or its affiliates.