Being a first-time mom can be overwhelming, especially during the first year! From post-partum recovery, adjusting to a new sleep schedule (or no sleep) to learning to recognize your baby’s cries and wants, the first year is a struggle.
To help make baby’s first year a memorable one for you and baby, these tips will get you through the first milestones with ease:
Know that the struggle is real
It’s real and it happens to all of us. You are not alone and you are not a failure. Never be afraid to reach out and ask for help.
Our bodies deal with a lot in the first year of motherhood, from physical changes to chemical changes. Be open with how you feel and speak to a friend, family member or doctor if you need additional support.
The phrase “It takes a village…” is there for a reason.
Take a Postnatal Vitamin
Most new moms walk around in a state of exhaustion. Eating well can be tough when caring for a newborn, so taking a postnatal vitamin can fill in any nutritional gaps and help give you and baby what you need when nursing.
If you still don’t feel well, consult a doctor. Sometimes running blood work can determine a specific deficiency, such as Iron that can cause exhaustion.
Recognize and Treat a Gassy Tummy
Babies can be quite gassy, passing gas more than 20 times a day.
With plenty of opportunity to swallow air whenever they feed, or suck on a pacifier and cry, it can be challenging to prevent gas buildup. But keeping the baby’s head higher than its stomach when feeding, and burping them often can help minimize it. Using a slow flow nipple if bottle feeding or working it out through a gentle massage also works.
Baby’s first tooth? Ensure a good sleep for you and baby
As early as 3-months, babies can begin teething, causing discomfort and disrupted sleep for both mom and baby.
Give new moms the support they need
Being exhausted and a teething or gassy baby are all things new moms struggle with but don’t mind admitting to or talking about, but what about those unspoken issues that you’d rather keep to yourself, things like, um, postpartum hemorrhoids?
Did you know that around 25 per cent of women who develop hemorrhoids after giving birth still have them at six months postpartum[1]? Although it may be embarrassing, that doesn’t mean that you should suffer in silence since there are things you can do to help you relieve the symptoms.
TIP: Try applying an ice pack (with a soft covering) to the affected area several times a day or soak your bottom for 10 to 15 minutes in a warm and relaxing bath to decrease swelling and discomfort.
What advice can you offer new moms to help make baby’s first year a little less stressful?
*Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before use of any products, including those listed here.
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Sheri publishes, and writes at This Bird’s Day where she shares all of the thoughts in her head without the voices. Sticking mainly with content for Canadians, Sheri shares family stories, product information and anything that fits into her (and her family’s) daily activities.
