No matter how prepared they think they are, new parents often get overwhelmed easily, and who can blame them? Parenting is no walk in the park. From sleep deprivation to managing work and home responsibilities, new parents are at the eye of the storm as they experience a massive growth spurt in their parenthood journey. We share with you 7 simple tips for you to get through this chaotic time with a bit more ease.
7 Simple Survival Tips For New Parents
1. Stay open-minded
Most parents have a preconceived idea of what kind of parent they will be, only to be disappointed when they realize that they’re not exactly fitting the shoes of the fictional parent in their head.
2. Forgive yourself
There’s no one way of doing things as a parent. You can plan one thing and end up doing another. As a new parent, you have to understand that these kinds of things are out of your hands. You need to learn how to forgive yourself for dealing with situations you hadn’t envisioned.
3. Accept all offers of help
You will know now for sure that parenting is a hard, life-long commitment. If you think you can do it alone, you are mistaken. Everybody needs help, and learning how to accept it will make things a little easier for you and your children. It doesn’t matter if it’s as simple as letting others do groceries for you or as significant as accepting monetary help from concerned family member or friends.
4. Sleep when your baby sleeps
Sleep is a luxury for new parents so the easiest way to catch up on your much-needed sleep is by napping when your baby naps. This helps you to restore your energy and also be alert to take care of your little one. A little sleep goes a long way for new sleep-deprived parents.
5. Use any support offered by your community/health professionals
As a new parent, there are so many things you need to learn that it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. You will have to learn everything from breastfeeding to colic. This is generally easy in today's world of apps and the internet. For instance, to find out more about pregnancy, parenting, health, child development articles and advice, download theAsianparent app for free, HERE.
6. Network with other parents
When things get hard, it helps to know that there are other people who are going through or have undergone similar situations. This is where other parents’ presence plays a role in your life as a new parent. Especially for new mothers, postpartum depression is a real medical condition that gets worse with isolation. That’s why it’s important for a new mom to have a support system.
7. Make informed decisions
There is tons of information online and offline for new parents. While you can do tons of research, the final choice is yours and sometimes it is just good to go with your own intuition. Remember every child is different and you know your baby best.
So parents while this time might be a stressful time for you, don't forget to take care of yourself as well! You can only be good parents if you are rested and happy.
