You couldn’t wait to see you baby’s face and welcome them into the world and now he or she has arrived, you are finding it hard to concentrate on them through the fog of new mum exhaustion! I don’t think anything can really prepare you for the tiredness that goes hand in hand with becoming a new parent. Not even your BC ( before children!) days when you maybe partied all night and went in to the office the next day!
So what kind of tactics can you adopt to help you through these early few months?
Enjoy your forty winks! Don’t try and fit in chores when your baby has their mid morning or afternoon nap, go and have a lie down too. It’s amazing how refreshed a little nap can leave you feeling. Listen to your body and if you need to rest, then rest!
Take the pressure off! Don’t worry about appearances- forget trying to be super mum! No one expects you or your house to look exactly the same way as you and maybe it did before your baby arrived! There is so much to adjust to when you first become a mum, fitting in to pre-pregnancy jeans and having a spotless house shouldn’t feature on your radar.
One at a time please! Or perhaps two by two... manage your visitors! Everyone is excited about the arrival of a new baby and everyone naturally wants to come and see him or her. That’s wonderful of course, but it can also be quite exhausting for a new mum to cope if you feel you need to play hostess too. The best visitors are the ones that don’t stay over long and are happy to make YOU a cup of tea! I know I will always be grateful to a very dear friend of mine, who used to visit and bring a home cooked dish for our dinner.
Get out of the PJ’s and into the shower! Try and nip in to the shower or get dressed when you wake up as this can have a powerful psychological affect on your mood for the day and your ability to cope.
Fresh is always best! Take your baby out for a spin in their new pram and enjoy a walk around the block. Being out in the open, a trip to the local park or the shops to buy a pint of milk can really make you feel better, as you will feel rejuvenated by the change of scene.
Share the cuddles! Don’t forget to involve your partner in helping with the baby. If this is not possible, ask a family member if they can help out for an hour, so you can have a mini break. Making time for yourself can really make a difference to the way you cope in those early days.
Make the most of those L-Plates! You are a new mum, you don’t have to know the answer to everything! Don’t be afraid to ask others for help and advice, you will probably find people want to share their advice and experiences with you! (You might want to embrace selective hearing at this point!) Remember everyone was a new parent at one time or other and we all learn by experience.
Be a yummy mummy! Eating well will help you cope far better than skimping on the calories, when it comes to combating newborn fatigue. So scrap the diet plans and tuck into foods that will release some much needed energy. for example wholemeal pasta or nuts. These contain starch which helps overcome drowsiness and can give you longer lasting energy.
Take a look at these energy boosting food suggestions from mother amp; baby.
Have you any tips to share with us? If you have gone on to have more children, did you find your experience coping with new baby exhaustion was different second or third time around?
New mummy? Whole new level of tiredness! Some ideas on how to overcome new mum exhaustion
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