Being a new parent is one of the hardest experiences in your life, and it can really push your body and mind to the limit. Taking steps to look after yourself and keeping yourself healthy is essential as a new parent – after all, you want to be the best parent you can be for your new child, and you want the time you have with them experiencing all their small moments rather than being too exhausted to really enjoy it. Don’t worry – we’ve lined up three tips to make sure you can look after your body and mind during this exciting, but challenging time.
Sleep Right
New babies can really disturb your sleep schedule, but that doesn’t mean you should be missing out on sleep. It’s important that you’re still aiming for 8 hours a day, even if a little broken up, so you can start the day rested and ready to take on the world. Keeping a routine is one of the easiest ways to do this – not only does it help you, but it helps your partner and baby also get into a routine, meaning your body gets more accustomed to sleeping at a certain time and waking at a certain time, meaning it’ll be ready to wake up when you need to.
Sleeping comfortably is also incredibly important – no matter how much sleep you’re getting, it won’t mean anything if you’re sleeping on a mattress that doesn’t feel right. Although you’ll be wanting to spend all your money on your new arrival, spending a little on yourself is beneficial to both of you, and can really make a difference to your self-assurance and steadiness when you need it most. The Mattress Guide have a list of the top mattresses in the UK. Their extensive research means not only do they tell you all the information you need to know about a mattress, such as size, but they also weigh up the pros and cons for you, meaning it’s easy for you to pick out the best type of mattress for you.
Don’t Neglect Exercise
Exercising has a bigger impact than you think – we’re not just talking body here, but mind, too. Exercise is not only great at keeping your joints and muscles working – it has plenty of health benefits, from reducing your risk of cardiovascular disease to relieving stress and depression. Even 15 minutes can make all the difference in the way you feel physically and mentally.
Getting outside for a bit isn’t just good for you, though – a dose of fresh air is also good for your baby. Fresh air has been shown to help babies feel calmer in the home and sleep better, meaning not only do they feel happier, but it means you can rest a little easier too. Plus, the more experience infants get with the outside and new things, the quicker they can become independent and open to new opportunities, too, helping them grow and develop healthily. Click here for more information on how fresh air is beneficial to infants, and how to help your child get some fresh air, too.
Make Time for Your Mental Health
When we’re caring for a new child, it’s easy to be so focused on them, that we forget to look after our own minds. However, with risks such as postnatal depression (in men and women), it’s important to keep yourself as happy and as stable as possible. Not only do you deserve to feel good, but feeling good allows you to be the best parent you can be.
Dedicating some time for yourself every day is a great way to reset your mind and relieve some stress – after all, raising a child is not an easy job! Asking your partner to look after the baby for an hour (and you doing the same for them, too) gives you some time to dedicate to just yourself. There are plenty of great ways to spend this time, and it all depends on your own needs. If you find yourself pushed for time, or always busy throughout the day, spending this time winding down, watching something relaxing, a bath, a game, or whatever helps you feel completely chilled out is a great way to relieve some of that built up stress from the day.
If you’re looking for a little more than just relaxing though, it can be a great idea to pick up old or new hobbies to give you something to focus on and feel good about. Mindfulness is also a great thing to practice as often as you can to help build your resilience and coping in times of stress – you can find a guide for beginners here.
Raising your first child is never easy, but nothing worth it in life is easy – by taking care of yourself, you can ensure every second will be as enjoyable as possible.
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