Before I begin, let me put out a disclaimer that I am in no way, shape or form an expert on motherhood. Everything I will be mentioning in this blog post is based from my own experience being a first time mom at age 33.
When I was on my last trimester of my pregnancy, I made an effort to read books and even online about labor and delivery and of course taking care of a newborn. Though I have a nephew and niece, I didn't get to be around with them and observe how my sister took care of them since I was working abroad. So when I finally gave birth to my son, I had to learn everything from scratch based on what I've read, help from my sister and mom and of course my motherly instincts.
So how did I survive the first two months? Well, let me give you the low down...
1. DO NOT PANIC
Yes, that is the worst thing that you can do when you have a newborn baby crying uncontrollably in front of you. Before you pick your him up, take a deep breath and relax. First, check if your baby is feeling uncomfortable. Hold his hands and feet and see if it's hot or cold, add or remove one layer of clothing accordingly. Next check if there's a poop explosion. If it's all clear, then watch out for signs of hunger ie. sucking motion. What I like to do is put my forefinger knuckle around on his cheeks near his lips and see if he will try to catch it. If he does, then yes, it's feeding time! If all else fails, then your baby might just be longing for mommy's cuddle so pick him up and comfort your little one. Try to burp him while you're at it.
2. KEEP THINGS WITHIN REACH
It will make your life much easier if you keep all necessary things like diaper, wet wipes, alcohol and the like within reach especially at night time. If you are formula feeding, keeping your bottles, distilled water and formula by your bedside will also make your night time feedings less stressful. However, breastfeeding your baby will be a LOT easier (and not to mention healthier) coz you just need to take one boobie out and you're good to go :) I also find that co-sleeping with my baby made it more manageable at night but be cautious though that you don't squish your baby. Putting pillows around him helped.
3. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE WORLD WIDE WEB
With the technology nowadays, information is just one swipe away. Google will be your best friend especially if you are the paranoid kind like me. Every single thing that is out of the norm that I notice on my baby makes me overly concerned. So before I bother my pedia with my paranoia, I would normally google and search for answers first but from reliable sources of course. My most visited sites are Baby Center and Kellymom. There are also lots of applications that you can download on your phone to help you keep track of your nursing schedule and diaper changes. I used Baby Nursing app on my baby's first few weeks. Another useful app if Lactamed where you can check if a certain medication is safe for nursing mothers. The possibilities are endless in the internet world, all you have to do is search for it :)
4. FIND A SUPPORT GROUP
It's nice to be surrounded with people who are going through or have gone through the same as you. You can share tips and tricks on how to take care of your little bundle of joy. You can also find virtual mommy friends online by joining Facebook groups for moms like Breastfeeding Pinays where I personally learned a lot. Thanks to my friend Chie (Hi Chie if you're reading this!) for introducing the group to me. I also joined another group of mommies on FB who also gave birth on the first quarter of this year so we have a lot in common to talk about and share experiences with. It is such a relief to know when people are also going through the same things like you.
5. LASTLY, FIND TIME FOR YOURSELF
If you want to come out of this alive and sane, then you have to spend some quality "me" time. A two-hour mall time for me is enough just to rejuvenate, getting a hair cut or a mani and pedi would be a bonus. I have to be honest though, I miss my baby when I'm out and about so I'm sure you'd feel the same. But having your "me" time doesn't mean you have to leave the comforts of your own home. Like for me, blogging is one way to de-stress and let my creative juices come out again. I do this when my little one is asleep. Just take advantage of this time and do things that you haven't done in a long time.
So there you go... I hope these tips will help you survive the first few months of your new found career as mommies! If you want to share your own tips, don't hesitate to leave 'em below :)
Thanks ladies!
Ciao!
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