Becoming a new mom is such a beautiful experience, but it can also be a time filled with a lot of anxiety. When I had my first baby, I had never before gone through such a life-changing event. It took me several weeks to accept my new normal, and I learned that I wasn’t alone. Many new moms feel the same way. I learned that nothing can prepare you for the life transformation of becoming a mom except living it. Not only is your body going through a ton of physical changes, your emotional state is all over the place, too.
Because I learned all of that the first time around, I knew that when I had my second child, I would probably go through the same anxious emotions I did before. And I was right.
Welcoming my newest bundle came with a whole new set of anxious thoughts as we became a family of four, but I feel like this time I was better prepared to deal with my emotions. I’m still in the thick of it, but there are a few things I do that help me feel better.
Here are seven things that have helped ease my new mom anxiety:
1. Accept help
I wasn’t great at this when I had my first child, but you better believe that I’ve accepted more help this time around. Having family and friends cook for us has been such a blessing. Having my husband help out more than his fair share has been a blessing, too. There will be people who offer to help with different things, so take them up on it. I used to always decline politely or feel guilty that I couldn’t do it all, but when people offer their generosity, take it. Accepting help lets you concentrate on one thing at a time.
2. Talk it out
If I’m feeling super anxious or overwhelmed, another thing I’ve learned to do is talk it out. Whether that be with a friend, family member, or your spouse, voice your concerns or feelings with those closest to you. More than likely, they can help you come up with a plan of action to get you out of your funk.
3. Rest
As a new mom, getting plenty of rest is hard, but it’s so necessary. You might not get a ton of sleep at night, but any chance you get to close your eyes, take it. Your house might be a little messy in the beginning, but you’ll find a new groove soon enough. When you’re overtired, you can become overly anxious, so rest as much as you can.
4. Take care of yourself
One way I like to cheer myself up when my new mom anxiety is getting the best of me is to take a shower or get dressed for the day. I might not be going anywhere, but getting dressed, putting on makeup, always makes me feel better. It makes me feel a little bit like my old self, and familiarity is a great anxiety buster. Remember that you have to take care of yourself so that you can take care of others.
5. Get fresh air
When you bring home a newborn, you might feel like you have to live in a bubble for several weeks, but that’s really not the case. Taking a walk around your neighborhood, soaking up some vitamin D, is bound to give you a fresh, new perspective.
6. Use products that give you a peace of mind
Becoming a new mom means you worry about pretty much everything. Thankfully, there are so many products than can help put your mind at ease. One of those products is the Owlet Baby Care Monitor.
The Owlet Baby Monitor is the first smart baby monitor of its kind that uses hospital technology—pulse oximetry—designed to alert you if your baby stops breathing. Owlet has miniaturized this technology into a tiny, snug-fitting baby sock that your little one wears to bed. The Owlet also will grow with your baby as it comes with three different sized socks.
It’s completely wireless and connects via bluetooth to a base station and Wi-Fi to your smartphone.
Because I’m a worrier, the Owlet gives me a peace of mind that my baby is breathing like he should be. Worrying about your baby’s breathing is definitely a typical new mom worry. With the Owlet, I can track his heart rate and oxygen levels, comforting me that everything is a-okay.
I’d rather be proactive than reactive, so this little gadget is definitely helping me sleep better at night and worth every penny.
7. Keep the faith
One last way I keep my anxiety at bay is to remember that “this too shall pass.” Each stage in your baby’s life goes by in a blink. While you may be swallowed up with fear in the middle of an anxiety filled day, know that everything will work itself out exactly like it should. Have faith that you’re capable of being the strong, confident mother you were always meant to be.
Once the weight of the heavy new mom anxiety subsides, you can soak up the fact that you’re life has changed for the better. It will be hard, but it will be worth it. Hang in there, mama friend!
How do you cope with new mom anxiety?
Disclaimer: Thanks to Owlet for sponsoring today’s post. As always, all opinions are my own.
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Such great advice!
I seriously feel like you are reading my mind lately. I have been looking at the owlet trying to decide if it is worth it. A lot of moms I know say I won’t need it, but I’m like you, I like the idea of peace of mind. I feel so crazy unprepared for baby coming in March. It’s nice to hear that everything that I am feeling and will be feeling is normal. Thank you for your post!
Great advice, Kristy! Accepting help was definitely a “lesson-learned” in my book with my first baby. It’s hard to realize that you can’t do it all, especially as a new mom, but help makes everything bearable,especially for those first few weeks with baby. Great point on taking care of ourselves too. So important to remember that we have to be well to make our day run smoothly. Thanks so much for sharing this on #shinebloghop this week. So glad you were able to join us!