New mom surviving tips

Look at that – we are getting along afterall!:)Baby G hit one n half months this week and I hit my own milestone with it – I am feeling much more settled in my new role. There are still days when G simply doesn't let me put him down (just like on the pictures) but I think I made my piece with those demands – they go away eventually and we are good again.

Here are some tips on how to adjust to being a new mother during the first month that I found helped me the most:

Incorporate your baby into your daily routine.
This may sound weird, but was very true for me. I didn't just switch on to being a mother right after G was born. Well, yes, of course I did everything expected of me – I took good care of him, but mentally and emotionally it took me time to adjust to the idea of his constant presense in my life. Then I've read in one of the parenting books that «you should do things without waiting when the baby falls asleep». Before, I was doing exactly that. I would wait for him to go to sleep before I started cooking, checking emails, cleaning the house – the daily things. It felt that I could only do them once he's asleep. It was wrong. Now I am making an effort to have him be a part of everything that's going on with me throughout the day. Well, to the extend of course.

Get out of the house.
Whenever I felt like I've reached the end of my rope, I've asked V to cover for me and got out of the house for an hour or two. Really, it helped me several times. I went out all frustrated and came back with totally new perspective. It doesn't matter where you go – library, store, coffee shop. Just take a baby break and do something nice for yourself.

Stay social.
As hard as this one can be due to lack of time, I recommend not closing down from your circle. Even if majority of people you know don't have kids yet, stay connected with them. If taking baby to a friend's house can be a challenge, invite them over for a short visit. Another great way to stay connected – social media. As a non-Facebook user, I found Instagram to be my window to the outside world while I spent most of my time at home these days. It's easy to maintain and I could see what peopple are up to while breastfeeding or pumping. Not to mention snap pics of baby G and document his growth.

Listen, but make your own decisions.
Naturally, people will want to give you advice. As much as it may be hepful, only YOU know what is good for you and your new family member. So trust your gut and take charge - that's how you learn to be a parent.