5 Things That Actually Help New Mums

 

The early weeks with a baby are exhausting. Everyone you meet will provide you with advice, solicited or otherwise and not all will be helpful! What you really need postnally from my experience of having three children is listed below. I hope my words are helpful. 

Rest

It’s hard to take onboard the well known advice of ‘sleep whilst the baby sleeps’ because there are inevitably a million things to do when the baby naps but you really need to prioritise rest even if that’s 5 minutes of meditation or mindfulness (Insight Timer has hundreds of free sessions of varying lengths available) and then trying to nap, even for short bouts can make a huge difference to your physical and mental wellbeing. Lowering your standards when it comes to tidyness in the house will help relieve pressure too. Forget anything surplus like ironing or washing floors until you have more time and a routine in place, or forget the ironing altogether! 

Support

Having support makes everything easier. A partner who shows up as much as possible, a friend who turns up with food, family who do a load of washing when they come to see the baby. Even a phone call when you’re at the end of your rope can mean so much. Burn out is real and new mums are so vulnerable. It really does take a village. If you don’t have one and can afford help, do consider it. 

Baby gear

There’s so much on offer now, it can feel overwhelming knowing where to start when it comes to baby gear. Let me lower the noise. You require a safe and sturdy cot, a pram that folds easily, bottles that don’t leak, a safe car seat, and a monitor that actually works. Brands like Oricom make monitors that are simple and dependable, which is exactly what you want at three in the morning when you’re half asleep. A few good items matter much more than cupboards full of junk.

Food

Food is one of the first things to be forgotten when a new baby arrives. Days disappear into feeds and nappies and suddenly you realise you haven’t eaten. Skipping meals makes the tiredness a million times worse. Having healthy food ready, helps. Snacks in the fridge, meals in the freezer, anything easy to grab with one hand. Takeaways have their place too when there’s no energy to cook. Eating properly isn’t about being perfect, it’s about staying fuelled enough to cope.

Time to recharge

Even short breaks matter. A hot shower. Ten minutes outside. Sitting down with a coffee without being interrupted. These tiny moments are enough to reset your body and mind and remind you that you’re still a person as well as a mum. Self-care doesn’t need to equate to big plans. It’s about the little pauses that stop you from burning out.

The first weeks of motherhood are hard, but they don’t have to feel impossible. Rest, support, reliable gear, proper food, and short breaks are the things that really help. Everything else can wait.

Most importantly, be kind to yourself. Your body created this beautiful little life. Well done Mama!