Inside: How to ease new mum anxieties when baby is born. Collaborative post.
Being a new parent can be extremely exciting, but very stressful at the same time. It’s normal as a new mum to feel a certain amount of anxiety about your baby and about being a good parent. Although in some cases, there is a more serious issue at hand, such as postpartum depression or anxiety, it’s also very common for new mums to worry about their baby and their new role as a parent. There are ways you can deal with these new worries and anxieties and start to feel calmer and in control. Here are some of the things you can do to feel less anxious.
Find Ways to Relax
You don’t have a lot of time to yourself when you have a new baby, but it’s still important to try to find time to relax. This can include a lot of different things, from having a bath to reading a book. Try to use half an hour in the evening to allow yourself to unwind while your baby is sleeping. Even if there’s housework that you need to do, it can wait a little longer. Feeding time can be a good time to relax too. While your baby is eating, have a cuddle, watch TV, go online or listen to some music.
Accept Support
One of the difficult things for new mums is allowing other people to take care of their babies. It can be hard to trust others with your precious newborn. Some even struggle to trust their partner with their baby. But being able to accept support is important if you’re dealing with feelings of anxiety. You can’t do everything on your own and you need to be able to trust that your baby will be ok with others. Try having people help out at home to start with. If you don’t want to let your baby out of your sight, they can help in other ways too.
Practice Safe Sleeping
A common worry for new parents is that their baby could stop breathing or die in their sleep. While it’s not a completely irrational concern, SIDS is less common than you might think. One of the best things you can do to ease this worry is to practice sleep safety for newborns. This includes making sure the crib and mattress are safe, removing any bedding or toys, and putting your baby on their back to sleep. By taking the right steps to keep your baby safe, you can help to reduce the chance of anything happening so you can both sleep soundly.
Babyproof Your Home
Although your baby might not be moving around independently yet, it’s still a good idea to think about babyproofing your home. This is useful not just for when your baby starts moving but also to keep you safe now. For example, removing any tripping hazards will help to prevent any trips and falls that could be dangerous, especially if you’re holding the baby. It’s also never too early to prepare for when your baby starts to crawl. You can take steps to cushion hard surfaces, keep cupboards closed, and ensure little fingers can’t get in plug sockets.
Have Your Baby’s Development Checked
Many new mums will ask themselves whether their baby is normal. When you read about the milestones that your baby should be reaching, it can be easy to get worried that your baby might not be developing at the right pace. But the truth is that all babies develop at a different pace and there’s a broad window for what’s “normal” or typical. To put your mind at ease, ensure you attend all your appointments to have your baby’s development checked. This also gives you a chance to raise any concerns that you might have.
Ease Money Worries
Another common cause for concern for new parents is money. While a newborn isn’t necessarily too expensive, you might be taking time off work with reduced and then no pay. Children can get more expensive as they get older too, so you might be expecting your expenses to go up. If you’re worried about money, the worst thing to do is ignore it. You should sit down and have a close look at your situation to gain a good idea of your current position. Things might be better than you think. Next, you should consider ways to improve things if necessary, such as checking that you’re receiving all of the benefits you’re entitled to.
Exercise
Regular exercise is a good way to manage your mental health and deal with feelings of anxiety. It gives you a physical outlet for your feelings, releases positive chemicals in your brain, and helps you to get a good night’s sleep. It can definitely be a struggle to exercise when you first have your baby but trying to keep moving and get out of the house can help you to feel better. Going for a walk with the baby in a pram or baby carrier is a good way to get out of the house, get some exercise, and maybe get the baby to sleep too. Or you could leave your baby with your partner or someone else why you take some time to exercise on your own.
Speak to Your Doctor
While some feelings of anxiety are normal when you have a baby, there are also times when it could be a sign of something more serious. If your anxious or intrusive thoughts are illogical or your anxiety is causing you a lot of distress, it could be a sign of postpartum depression or anxiety. If you’re worried it’s important to speak to your GP, midwife, or health visitor about how you’re feeling. They will take you seriously and discuss what the next step might be to ensure you get the help that you need, whether you’re just feeling overwhelmed or there’s another potential issue.
Feeling anxious about being a new mum is nothing new, but it might not just be normal new mum worries. Take care of yourself and talk to others about how you’re feeling.