Getting pregnant and going through pregnancy is for some a hard journey. For others, it’s very much enjoyable and one they cannot wait to do again. While pregnancy is a joy to be had by many, postpartum life can look a lot different from the glowy days of the first trimester.
If you’re looking to navigate postpartum life in a healthy and proactive way, here are five tips that will help. As a first-time mum, it can certainly be a challenging time.
Be good to yourself
Postpartum life is tough. You’ve not only had your life turned upside down, but you’re now in a position where you’re responsible for a little one.
Therefore, it’s important to be good to yourself. Have a little kindness and compassion because it’s not something that you’re going to find easy to do, especially with all of the responsibility and time that it takes to cope with a new baby.
Try and take time where you can to treat yourself. Whether that’s a bit of online shopping for yourself or allowing yourself some time away from the baby every now and then.
Get support for breastfeeding
Breastfeeding is a wonderful opportunity to bond with your child and is a free form of food for your baby. That saves you plenty of money on what you’d typically spend when it comes to buying formula.
With breastfeeding, it’s not as easy as it seems. That’s why it’s worthwhile to get support for breastfeeding where you can. There are lots of support groups that you might want to seek out and join. They’ll be able to tell you how to boost milk supply fast, as well as how to latch successfully and with as little discomfort as possible.
Try to sleep where and when you can
Sleeping is something that you’ll want to try and get in where you can. It’s true that you should sleep when the baby sleeps but that’s not always doable. Therefore, work between you and your partner or family members to try and get that extra sleep where you can, even if it’s a thirty-minute cat nap on the sofa.
It takes a village – so seek support
Talking of friends and family, it truly takes a village to raise a child and therefore you’ll want to have a great support network around you. Consider who you have nearby who might be able to help you out when times are hard.
As something that’s both mentally and physically taxing, having that support around you would help greatly.
Eat well
Finally, make sure to eat well. When you’re fresh out of pregnancy and into postpartum life, you’ll suddenly find yourself struggling to eat anything. There’s just no time! Make sure you meal prep what you can and snack on healthy foods throughout the day to keep your energy levels up.
Hopefully, you’ll be able to navigate your postpartum life with a little more ease.