As new parents, you will go through a roller coaster of emotions, swinging wildly between ecstasy and anxiousness. As much as the arrival of your little bundle of joy elates you, this sharp turn in your life is not without its challenges. It can sometimes be overwhelming to have little or no time for yourself. Even when your baby has not got you occupied, you will be conscious about what it is doing and if it is safe, which is exhausting enough. Although it is okay to feel drained looking after your newborn, it is not okay to not do anything about it.
Though self-care will be the anti-dote you need, it can be hard to practice since you have unknowingly put yourself at the bottom of the priority list. Is your situation similar? If so, here are some self-care tips you should practice since your baby’s well-being directly links to yours.
Seek Support From Others:
All parents need formal or informal support from others at times. Especially when this role is new to you, getting help from someone who knows this journey will ease matters. It stands true from day-to-day tasks to unusual circumstances that might arise in the form of medical complications during birth. The situation will undoubtedly be tragic but even more gruesome if it happens due to medical malpractice.
Instead of surrendering to fate, explore the options that will lift some weight off your shoulders. For instance, if your newborn has suffered cerebral palsy due to medical negligence, file a lawsuit against the negligent party. To seek support for these legal matters and know more about the situation, you may visit childbirthinjuries.com and hire a suitable lawyer who can get you the financial compensation you deserve.
It is easier to accept fate when the turn of events is due to something not in anyone’s control, such as genetic factors. But the fact that your child has suffered harm because of someone else’s mistake is hard to digest, and neither should you let the matter go. With a money backup for your newborn’s treatment, optimism might peek in through this situation fraught with worry and hopelessness.
Although taking care of yourself would be the last thing on your mind under such circumstances, know that matters will worsen without your physical and mental well-being. So take relief from where ever you can get hold of it.
Look After Your Sleep:
You will lose an incredible amount of sleep in the first few days as you navigate through this change in your life. Sleep deprivation will be your constant companion, even after a few weeks when things fall into a rhythm. On average, new parents get only about 4-5 hours of sleep each night during their baby’s first year. Although common for new parents, it is not something you should ‘grin and bear.’ Lack of sleep can make you feel irritated and downright awful, compromising your efficiency as a parent. So make a plan for catching up on sleep just as you would for decorating your baby’s nursery.
Your baby’s sleeping time is a prime opportunity for you to take a nap. There might be many pending tasks you need to tend to during this time, but not before you get some sleep. Also, encourage good baby sleeping habits like keeping the room dark and soothing your baby. While doing that, do not forget that you also need to practice healthy sleeping habits. Practice meditation, read a book, use breathing techniques, or whatever helps you ward-off sleeplessness. The goal is to get 7-9 hours of sleep every day, even if it is not in one go. Multiple catnaps can add up and help you get a reasonable sleep time.
Eat Well:
Though an obvious part of your self-care routine, you will likely overlook it while fulfilling your baby’s demands all day. You might keep delaying a meal until you skip it entirely or fix yourselves ‘easy snacks’ that serve you no good purpose. So pay attention to what you should eat as a healthy diet can boost your mood and energy. Taking plenty of iron, proteins, vitamins, and fiber and avoiding too much sugar will help you gear up and take over your tiring routine of work and babysitting.
Find Some Time for Yourself:
As a new parent, you may find taking time for yourself difficult since your entire focus will be on your child. It is crucial to understand that taking care of yourself is indirectly taking care of your baby. So toss away that nagging feeling of guilt whenever you take time out for yourself, as it is not, by any means, a selfish move. Hand over your baby to someone else and immerse in a hot bath, go on morning strolls with your partner, read a book, and pamper yourself. You will find these little activities surprisingly uplifting for your spirits. So grab the chance whenever you find one and do what renews your spirit.
Go Easy On Yourself:
While tending to your baby’s needs, it will be better to weigh your actions in terms of what is necessary and what is optional or nice to have. It will help you set more realistic expectations for parenting. If homemade baby food or parenting classes take up much of your time, consider reassessing your options.
Also, if you had strong housekeeping habits before you had a baby, it is time to lower the bar. Again, sort out necessary and optional things. Chances are your garage doesn’t need washing or your windows dusting. Likewise, having washed clothes is more important than having folded ones. So instead of fretting over every task, go easy on yourself. If you have a safe environment at home and your baby is happy and well-fed at the end of the day, you are doing a great job!
Conclusion:
It is easy to imagine how perfect parenthood is supposed to be but hard to implement. Even after making efforts to look after yourself, there will be days as a parent when the daily grind will knock you over. On such days when exhaustion makes it difficult to do anything, and you achieve just the bare minimum, cut yourself some slack and give yourself credit for making it this far. With slow and steady steps, you will eventually gather the momentum to look after yourself and your baby.
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