I drove myself crazy for the first couple of months of my baby girl’s life. I have no one to blame but myself. I put the pressure on myself, the expectations, the comparisons. If I could go back in time, I would shout to my new mom self and say “you are amazing, give yourself a break!”. I was trying to do too much, be too much, and because things weren’t as I expected them to be, I thought I was failing.
So for all the new moms out there, here are five top tips for staying sane as you embark on your motherhood journey:
- Let go of all expectations of what you thought motherhood would be like.
- Stop comparing yourself to other people who you deem are more capable than you. There are things happening behind the scenes or struggles people don’t really talk about. I promise you, there is most likely chaos behind that perfect instagram photo your mom friend just posted.
- Give your baby (and thus, yourself) some independence – it’s okay not to entertain your one month old every waking moment. Newborn babies are entertained and learning about life even when they’re just staring at the side of a bassinet, or watching you cook in the kitchen.
- Talk to other moms about breastfeeding, pumping and mom guilt – you’ll soon realize that fed really is best. Some moms breastfed, some combined breastfeeding with formula feeding, some pumped, some just gave formula. And all of that is okay. It’s not one way or the other, it was any way that worked for them.
- Get out, get moving, and build your mom tribe – I was nervous about getting out of the house with the baby, but after coming across a group called Fit4Mom, I was hooked. I met other moms, worked out – stroller in tow, got comfortable leaving the house, and made some really good friends.
