Mentally Prepare for Baby

Since the moment you found out you were pregnant, you have either not had a care in the world, or are now worrying about every little thing. I imagine most people fall into the latter category. It’s not only about staying safe and keeping your baby safe during the pregnancy, you will be responsible for this tiny human who can’t function without you. It’s scary, and then you search Google and find a million other things you have to start worrying about.

Yikes! Here are some tips to help you mentally prepare for your new baby.

Keep expectations in line with reality. It’s so easy to go over board and expect things that will never be reality. Really take a look at your expectations as a new mom and see if it is something that is possible to achieve. It will save you from feeling overwhelmed in situations, especially ones out of your control.

Prepare for the unexpected. Life happens, and there are plenty of things out of our control, but if you try to prepare for some of these items ahead of time, you will save yourself a lot of stress later on. This includes birth defects. Everyone wants to have a happy healthy baby, but that is not the case for everyone. The CDC has reported 1 in every 33 births will result in some sort of birth defect. Many of these defects can be tested prior to delivering, so you know what you’re up against from the beginning.

Make a home plan. Life with a newborn will be anything but easy. You now have a small human to take care of, but that doesn’t mean the housework, finances, or grocery shopping gets put on the back burner. Instead, you have all those stresses and a newborn. By making a plan before giving birth on how all these items will be handled (or who will handle them), it will help make things a little less stressful.

Take care of yourself. This one is one of the hardest to achieve because most women are busy taking care of others. You need to take care of your emotional and physical needs before you are able to help someone else. Ask for help when you need it, don’t try to do everything on your own if you have friends and family who are able to help you.

Ensure you have enough recovery time. Your postpartum visit will be 6 weeks after giving birth, but it can take up to 6 months for your body to be fully healed from everything. This includes emotionally. Your emotions are all over the place, and if you think you are suffering from the baby blues, or postpartum depression, speak to your provider. During this time, make sure you are getting exercise, sleep, and eating a balanced diet. All of these will help you have a safe, fast recovery.

There is no denying becoming a parent is scary, especially if this is your first. Make sure to take the time to plan and put yourself first to make your new life a bit easier for you.