Being a new mom is not that easy, but it doesn’t have to be that hard. The following are ten tips to make life easier for new moms:
1. Preparation. Diapers, pads, etc. One of the things a new mom should take into account is the fact that they won’t want to traipse out to the store in the middle of the night right after giving birth because they run out of pads to catch blood, wipes to clean dirty bums, or diapers. Make your life easier by stocking up before you give birth.
2. Someone home with them. A great way to make a new mom’s life easier is to have someone at home to help out. This is especially important if you have other children who will be at home and have needs. Maybe the husband can take a paternity leave, or the mom of the new mom can come stay for a few days to keep laundry and dishes under control, and make sure mom is getting enough rest.
3. Premade meals. A fantastic way to make life easier for new mom is to make sure she does not have to worry about meals. Mom is so busy keeping baby fed, that she often forgets to feed herself. So, before giving birth, the new mom should do some shopping, and make some food to freeze.
4. Bill pay. Worrying about paying the bills is not going to help a new mom relax and focus on the baby. So, make life easier by enrolling in an automatic bill pay, and getting all of your bills set up on it BEFORE the baby comes.
5. Phone numbers for lactation specialist, nurse practitioner, etc. If new mom is having trouble with nursing, or the baby seems to be having trouble with something, having quick and easy access to the specialists will reduce stress, and make life easier for mom.
6. Come home to clean house. If the new mom goes to the hospital to give birth, then comes home to a sink full of dishes, no clean underwear, and a lot of other things on her to do list, a crying baby is going to seem far more overwhelming. So, make life easier on new mom by hiring a cleaning service for a few weeks, or having someone who can help you out.
7. Time off, sleep when baby sleeps. New moms should definitely take some time off work, and make sure that she does her best to sleep when the baby is sleeping. Lack of sleep is not easy on a new mom, so make it easier by making sure that you have time to sleep when the baby is sleeping, and the help you need to make it happen.
8. Paper products–plates, cups, bowls. Dishes are not fun when you have a screaming baby and sore breasts. So, skip out on dishes for a while. You might not be able to save the planet, but you can certainly save yourself some time and get more sleep.
9. Don’t take things personal. New moms are dealing with hurting breasts, raging hormones, a crying baby that only they can pacify, so if they yell at the dad, or break down crying, or criticize, you just can’t take it personally. If you get hurt feelings, life gets harder.
10. Pamper and thank her. New moms need lots of reassurance. They need you to tell them how cute their baby is, how great they look, that you care, that they matter, etc.
Parenting viewpoints from parents in the trenches, because parenting doesn’t come with a manual. In addition to