6 Ways to Survive the First 3 Months With Baby
By: First Time Mama
Tags: Baby Care, Motherhood, Baby, Pregnancy

Firstly, well done! Bringing a new life into the world is bloody hard work! Whether your at home with baby or staying in the hospital a little bit longer, you’ll already be experiencing all the trials and tribulations that come with a new baby. They don’t do much at this stage, but they already demand all of your time and attention!

The first three months with your baby is at once blissful, exhausting, emotionally draining and a big learning curve. There are times during this period when you will feel like your killing it, but there will also be days when you question if you are really cut out for this parenting malarky!

Below I’m sharing some great tips to get you through the first three months with your sanity intact ha! Once you make it past month three with your babe, you will have gained a lot more confidence and will feel like your getting the hang of parenthood.

SHARE PARENTAL DUTIES EQUALLY

I am sure your partner already wants to share parental duties equally and is already helping you take care of your little one. If they aren’t supporting you enough or are never around, try not to get frustrated and angry. Speak to them and tell them you need more support. Chances are they might not realise or maybe feeling a little overwhelmed themselves about being a parent for the first time and don’t really know what to do.

Sit down and talk, find out how they are feeling and express how you are feeling. Then you can both work out how to share the burden equally.

TAKE WEIRD TIPS AND ADVICE WITH A PINCH OF SALT

My grandma used to say to me, ‘Put a drop of whisky in his bottle, that will make him sleep’. Think il pass on that one grandma! Most of the time, people mean well when they offer you advice and solutions but, some of the stuff people come out with can be a little crazy.

The strangest advice does generally seem to come from grandparents and older people. Again they mean well, but some of the practices that were accepted as normal fifty years ago aren’t always accepted today. Plus, what works for one baby might not work for another, and you will have your own way of doing things.

If someone keeps offering you the same unhelpful advice, and they insist you’re “not doing it right,” don’t be afraid to politely tell them to stick their advice where the sun doesn’t shine — jokes ha! Just say that although you appreciate their care, you’ve got it covered.

GET OUT OF THE HOUSE AND RECONNECT WITH FRIENDS

When your home with a new baby, you can feel quite lonely and out of the loop. I understanding heading out with your newborn can be nerve-racking in the early days but staying cooped up in the house won’t do you or your baby any favours.

Reconnect with friends and get yourself out of the house. If none of your friends has children yet you may want to try out a mum and baby group. There you will meet other mums who are on the same journey as you. For me, these groups were a godsend. I could go and have a good moan, and everyone got exactly where I was coming from. I made some fantastic lifelong friends at my local mum and baby group, without it, my journey would have been a lot harder.

ASK FOR HELP

If your struggling, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Whether that be from your partner, your mum, your best friend, midwife or doctor. When you have had a baby, your friends and family want nothing more than to help you. If your feeling overwhelmed, reach out. The last thing your loved ones want is for you to suffer in silence.

If you’re concerned about your mental or physical health, don’t hesitate to speak to your midwife or doctor. You have carried a baby for nine months then gone through the trauma of birth. It’s a big deal and a big exertion on your body and mind, so it’s totally normal to need a little support during your recovery.

IT’S OKAY TO USE A BABYSITTER

If you feel like you need to a bit of time out, its totally okay to leave your baby with your partner, your parents or a good friend that you trust. Whether you just want to get some fresh air, go on a date with your partner or head out with the girls for a glass of wine, just do it! There’s no need to feel guilty, you totally deserve it!

HAVE PERSPECTIVE

It’s a cliche, but they really do grow up so fast. Time flies, and before you know it, you’ll be waving them off for their first day at school. So try to embrace the now. Some days I know it’s really tough, you have moments where you can’t wait to have more time to yourself. Some days you feel lonely and resent what you have sacrificed to have a baby and wish you could be an independent woman once more — and that’s okay, we all have these moments.

You never know what the future will bring or how things will change. You don’t have to love your baby all the time but try to make the most of the time you do have when they’re so tiny.