Motherhood Mondays: Surviving Those First Few Weeks with a Newborn

As a new mom I knew bringing home our little Man was going to be quite the challenge.  I heeded the advice of some great mommies in my life and put some of these time and sanity savers into effect.  Leaving us with more time to get to know our little one.  Here's a few tips and hints to get you through those first few weeks.

No 1. :  Have your baby announcement (text or email) ready to go,  after the marathon known as labor, you'll be deliriously exhausted and sharing the news of your little one's arrival will seem like a chore.  We even completed our list serve, so that all we had to do was add his name, his stats, attach a picture, and hit send.  Here's a look at our baby announcement email:

  

His first breath took ours away...

The Mister and I are elated to introduce our son, Nehvin.  He was born on Sunday, March 3rd, 2013 at  1:23AM.  Weighing in at 1lbs  and 2 ounces & measuring 3 inches tall. 

Both mom & baby are doing great.  We are excited for everyone to meet the new addition #(insert fun hash tag here)

~the proud parents

No 2. :  Change your voice mail   You're a new parent and your friends will forgive you if it takes you 2 weeks to return their phone calls.  We suggest something along the lines of "Hi you've reached the XYZ family.  We are thrilled at the arrival of our bundle of joy, (insert name here), and can't wait for everyone to meet him/her.  (Name) arrived on XYZ date, weighing 1lbs 2 ounces & measuring 3 inches tall.  Mom, dad, and baby, are doing fine and adjusting to our new life as a family of 3.  Between diaper changes and feedings we hope to return you phone call."

No 3. : "What can we do to help?", please take your friends and family up on their offer.  Have a list ready, maybe you don't want your husband's best friend folding your delicates but he can go pick up some milk and bread.  From laundry, to dishes, to groceries, to picking up take out, or holding the baby while you shower; having something for them to do makes them feel useful and you'll be thankful for the extra help.

No 4. : Along the same lines, no one cares if your house is a mess, you have a screaming mini human that demands your attention 24/7.  So don't stress about it, and feel free to send family and friends packing 35 minutes in their visit.  That being said, if you're a friend looking for a thoughtful way to help the new parents, paying for a cleaning lady to clean earns you big friendship points.

No 5. :  Stock up your freezer with ready to heat meals.  The last thing you want to be doing is thinking of what to cook for dinner.  Also please don't be the friend that comes over without food.  Seriously, even a tub of store bought cookie dough, is the equivalent of a gourmet meal.

No 6. : With shows like Orange is the New Black and House of Cards, now is the perfect time to get a Netflix subscription or stock up your DVR.  We went through all of House of Cards, Downton Abbey, and caught up with Breaking Bad on my maternity leave.  It's great for all those late night feedings.

No 7. : Breathe, you're doing a great job.  There really is no manual and all babies are so different.  So while your sister's kid might have been sleeping through the night at a month old, please don't feel bad or panicked if your child is not.  Your baby is developing on his or her own timeline.

No 8. :  Be prepared.  Stock up on Gripe Water, Baby Tylenol, the saline solution for their stuffed noses.  With a fussy or sick baby the last thing you want to be doing is running out to the store to pick up these essentials. 

No 9. :  You can not spoil a newborn.  I remember fussing over when to introduce the pacifier, because we didn't want him to get too attached to it.  It doesn't matter at that stage, he or she just needs your love and affection, so hold your child all day, rock them to sleep, and smother them in kisses if you like.  They are so tiny and new they need all your love, and you'll cherish the closeness.