Ten Tips for New Moms who are Bringing a Baby Home

Ten tips for new moms who are bringing a baby home

Now that your pregnancy is over. You survived labor and delivery. Yes there was a minute or two that you didn't think you'd make it but you did. 

Congradulations!

  Now you have that sweet little bundle of joy to bring home. 

Sorry to tell ya this while that warm fuzzy glow of new motherhood is still flushing your face but that was the easy part. Yep pregnancy, labor and delivery was the easy part. Sure was!

I would like to share a couple of tips with you. Yes I am qualified to dispense this practical advice. I have three children of my own and three grandchildren. The three children are 25, 20 and 13.

I am the mom, grammy and mother in-law who knows it all. Well not really but I have come to learn a bit in all these years of mothering.

1 Breast is best! If you were thinking about it please try. Your not only feeding your baby what mother nature intended but you are passing along all the immunities your own body has developed to your new baby. This will help your newborn be healthier then if they were bottle fed. If you are nursing and are having problems with the baby latching on call the La Leche League hotline and get the number for a support person in your area.

2 Accept any and all help offered. Unless it is a person who is really annoying to you. Then you should politely decline the help. If a friend or family member asks what they can do to help. Tell them something you need done. Did you leave a pile of laundry on the floor in your mad dash to the hospital? Let them wash and dry it for you before you go home.

3 Keep a supply of hand sanitizer near by. Have everyone use it before they pick up the baby. You don't want anyone passing along any nasties.

4 If your bottle feeding remember that the dishwasher will sanitize anything, bottles, nipples, binkies. Before bed prepare enough bottles for all the night time feeding and have them ready to go in the fridge.

5 If you can avoid taking your newborn out to any public places for the first two weeks. Do it. Most of the illnesses that are going around can and will be picked up in a public area where many people have been.

6 When your new baby seems fussy wrap him or her up tighly in a receiving blanket. For the first few weeks this helps them feel like they are still snuggled up warm inside your womb.

7 Nap when your baby naps. New mothers need lots of rest. Your new baby is getting use to their new surroundings and you are trying to get into the new schedule of new motherhood.

 If your running around crazy trying to get things done while the new little one is napping you are going to get worn out.  

8 Don't try to be super mom! The laundry can wait, the dishes are fine in the sink while you rest. Your babies father is capable of taking on some extra chores while you recover from giving birth. 

9 Drink plenty of water. If your breastfeeding this is even more important. Drinking water will help you get rid of all the extra water your body has been carrying around for the last 9 months. It will also keep you from getting dehydrated. Each time you sit down to feed your baby whether it is the breast or a bottle pour yourself a glass of water and drink it during the feeding time.

10 Enjoy your new baby. This is not the time to stress out about all of lives little frustrations and problems. I know this is a hard tip to swallow that why I left it for last. You baby will only be a newborn for a short time. You need to take this time to get to know each other and to bond. Tell your self you will worry about it later....whatever it might be. Take a week or two. Let someone else handle all the stressing things in your life. You husband, mother, friends and family can help cook, clean and help with other children in your family.

I hope these tips have helped you. Being a new mother is hard but it doesn't have be if you ask for help from your family and friends. This seems simple but I know it can be hard to ask for help sometimes.

Enjoy your new baby!

Disclosure “I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Lysol® Wee Wisdom blogging program, making me eligible to get a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.