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Guests
Lorraine
Erica
As a new mom you think….believe…hope with all hope….that you will be get through this mothering gig just fine. And as millions and millions of mothers can attest to….you will indeed get through it…..and even better, you will most likely have the time of your life doing it.
As you embark on your journey through parenthood do not discount the power of having a strong support network. As a new mom you don’t have to be alone in this journey. You do not have to forge a brand new path with every challenge as there are many support resources that a new mother can leverage:
1) Friends and Family: New Moms don’t call out for help enough. Most of the time friends and family are more than willing to lend a hand. As a new mom it’s important to communicate with your friends and family on the areas you need help with…..if it’s cooking dinner then ask for some pre-cooked meals that you can put in the freezer….if it’s laundry then ask a friend or family to come over for the afternoon and help out with laundry. If you are like me….I was uncomfortable asking people to do my laundry so I asked them to come and sit with my new daughter while I escaped to the laundry room to do the laundry myself.
2) Mommy Support Groups: Lots of new moms don’t know that there are many different “mommy groups” right in their own backyard. Check out your local community centers for the different classes offered for new moms. All of the classes are “child friendly” (of course) and usually don’t cost a lot…if anything at all. These groups are a great way to meet new moms like yourself and a chance to talk about various issues or concerns that you have with someone who is going through the exact same thing. If nothing else….it’s a chance to get out of the house and socialize with people other than your infant.
3) Mommy Blogs: If you are the type of person who isn’t into putting yourself out there at a community centre or simply like the comfort of your own home and not ready to ditch the jammies just yet….check out the various mommy blogs on the internet that offer a ton of great advice and discussion forums for you to participate in. You will get real life advice from other new moms as well as moms who have been through it all before.
4) Community Health Nurse: This support option is critical for new moms. Your body is changing so much after you give birth and your new little creature is a mystery in itself….but, at the same time you don’t want to have to wait in a jam-packed walk in clinic for hours to get a couple of questions answered. For medical advice or even just general questions, your Community Health Nurse is there to support you and more often than not she will come to you or provide advice over the phone rather than making you go to her.
There are a lot of other support options out there that you will find if you do a bit of research and ask around.
As a seasoned mom, my biggest recommendation to you is to set up your support network before you give birth….you have way more time on your hands and you won’t be as sleep deprived and desperate for the help. Even if you are on baby number 2 or 3….it’s good to set up a support network before the baby comes. Everyone needs help and please remember….it’s ok to ask! Most people want to help!
Filed under: Motherhood Tagged: | Baby, Emotional Issues, Family, Motherhood, new baby, new mom, Parenting, Postpartum, postpartum mom, Support network
This is a really good post and one worth putting out to all the Mummies. It took me ages to build up the courage to ask for help and get out there and find others in a similar situation. Becoming a Mummy is initially the most exciting and wonderful experience but once the excitement has died down and the visitors have gone back to normal life, being a Mummy can become lonely and frightening. The turning point for me was visiting the local children’s centre, since that day I haven’t looked back. I now have a wealth of new friends, as does Baby Bean and I couldn’t be happier
I am so glad to see this post. It is so important for new mothers to have a go-to person to help them figure things out. For me, I was fortunate enough that person was my mother. I called her upwards of 10 times a day with all sorts of questions and challenging situations. It really helped me to get through the not-so-easy times. That is why I decided to become a New Parent Coach. So new parents would have someone to reach out to, someone not within their circle so that it would be safe to talk and explore their own values and solutions to the challenges of parenthood.
Great post and sage advice!