I’m Back! Returning to Blogging and Life as a New Mum.
Hello again, and apologies for the wee hiatus. Our little one’s arrival was rather more dramatic than anticipated, and the immediate recovery has taken a bit longer than expected. But I’m back on track now! I thought I would start by sharing my experience of becoming a mother, with a few survival tips.
Our new addition has somehow simultaneously slotted right into our little family, and yet turned our world upside down. The first few weeks of sleepless nights, ever-changing emotions, cluster feeding and endless nappy changes have flown by in a bit of a blur.
I am so grateful for my wonderful husband; he took on all the housework and farm jobs for the first few weeks so that I could focus on taking care of the baby and recovering after the delivery. My hat goes off to all those single parents out there. Seriously!
Thankfully we are beginning to settle into a routine of regular feeding, longer stretches of sleep at night and fairly reliable sleep and wake windows through the day. From the very beginning, I made an effort to wake the baby every two hours during the day to feed and expose her to daylight. This has paid dividends!
To try to make the most of the time I have when baby is sleeping, during the first feed each morning I make a list of 3-4 important tasks that really need to be done that day. I can usually tackle these during her naps and end the day feeling I have accomplished my goals. Much better than having a never-ending to-do list and always feeling like you’re chasing your tail!
I thought I was efficient with my time before, but I definitely do not take any prisoners now! Having my productive windows during the day time-boxed by the baby’s naps really focuses my mind to the task at hand!
Having baby cuddled up close to me in the wrap sling has been hugely helpful as well. She will sleep in there very happily and is often content to be in there when she is awake. This means happy baby and mummy has her hands free to get things done. Win-win!
The most important thing to remember though is that baby is the first priority. If they need feeding or cuddling, or deviate from their “schedule” for any other reason, just go with it. Jobs can get done later or by somebody else. Give yourself grace.
In Summary
- Babies arrive nocturnal and without any routine or schedule. You can’t do it all in those first weeks – get your support system around you so that you can focus or yourself and your baby.
- It’s ok to ask for help, in whichever form you need it.
- Never wake a sleeping baby – except to feed them! If it works for you, try waking your wee one every 2 hours during the day for a feed. Having them more awake during the day helps them to turn their body clock around, and getting an extra feed or two in during the day time will help them sleep better at night.
- You now have a small person entirely dependent on you. Your days of carefree abandon are over! No longer can you save up all your housework and laundry and expect to get it all done in a day. Try scheduling a few jobs in each day to keep on top of things and prevent overwhelm.
- But make sure you keep your sense of perspective. Your baby won’t be this little for long. Make the most of the newborn snuggles while you can!
As always, this is all from my personal experience; what works for you may be entirely different. Take what you like and leave what you don’t.
A final thought. I love this little person more than I can put into words, and I have an added sense of purpose now. All the chaos has definitely been worth it!
