In the Pregnancy expectant parents paint the future as a family of three in the most beautiful colors – becoming a mother as the fulfillment of all dreams. Once the new arrival is finally here, the world looks a little different than one might have imagined. Most young parents find life with a newborn more difficult than expected in the beginning. While the little child sleeps through almost the entire day, the night is turned into day. Surely many parents know that the daily routine must be reorganized and that priorities will shift, but in practice, it is then significantly different.
Adjusting to a change in life rhythm
The rhythm of life with the baby must be changed – unfortunately, this is not possible overnight. Only through the interaction between child and parents can this pace be newly established. It is not just that a new being has taken up space in the lives of mom and dad, no: one's own demands and wishes must inevitably and temporarily be scaled back a little by the parents, because a child demands a lot of attention and affection, especially in the first year of life.
Mutual support between parents
To make the transition to life as a family of three easier, young parents should support and help each other. A newborn demands its bottle on time or wants to be breastfed, especially in the first few weeks. This not only costs sleep but, in the case of breastfeeding, is physically exhausting for the mother. Therefore, it would be sensible for the father to relieve the mother during the day, assist her with household chores, and take the little child off her hands as much as possible.
It will take a few weeks until the newborn finds its fixed day and night rhythm. Therefore, parents do not always find the time or desire to dedicate themselves to the household. Thus, it is not reprehensible to let the housework slide every now and then and to take care of yourself and the baby instead. Anyone who puts themselves under additional pressure now, thinking that the house or apartment has to look spotless, will throw in the towel physically and mentally within a very short time.
The occurrence of restlessness, hectic pace, and performance pressure must be kept away from the mother as much as possible, otherwise, breastfeeding problems can develop from this.
It is not uncommon for the parents' relationship with each other to suffer from the new situation. They no longer have as much time as before the birth of the child, and even their own emotional world sometimes falls into complete chaos. Since everything revolves only around the baby, many parents no longer feel like husband and wife, but only as mother and father. So that personal feelings and affection for each other do not suffer, young parents should divide tasks to the best of their conscience and treat themselves to time for each other in between. If this is not observed, the partnership can be severely affected in the long run.
Use breaks sensibly for yourself
Life with a newborn is a completely new experience for parents. Anyone who saves the child's nap times for the partnership or personal highlights can basically do nothing wrong. Reading a good book, cuddling with your partner again, or talking about trivial things can often work wonders.
Nevertheless, the everyday life of parents with a newborn does not consist only of sleeping, breastfeeding, getting to know each other, and sleeping again. Sometimes the stress factor is also quite difficult to master due to other circumstances. Around 20% of all newborns suffer from colic. High-need babies are also not uncommon. Science has not yet been able to research why it is these little beings in particular who are affected. In many cases, however, these symptoms subside after three months, or at the latest after half a year. During this time, the child also learns to familiarize itself with its environment independently, slowly detaches from its parents, and is curious about what there is to discover. Then other precautionary measures, such as securing the household, must be taken.
However, until this point is reached, many sleepless nights and nerve-wracking moments must be endured. Nonetheless, one thing should not be forgotten: a child's laughter is the most beautiful gift on earth. These moments make many parents forget the hardships of the past, restless nights. A baby's giggle makes up for all the difficulties; after all, it is your own flesh and blood that you see growing from a small baby into an independent human being.
It will always get better
Ultimately, the fact that all parents go through this does not make the situation better, but it does make many a tricky moment much easier.
If it should become too much for a parent in a moment because the child is crying incessantly or wants to assert its stubbornness, you can leave the room without hesitation. Take a deep breath, perhaps drink a cup of coffee or tea, and then approach the little insatiable one with renewed vigor – this method has already proven itself for many parents.
Basically, many parents will look back and smile at the initial phase over time, because after all, every difficult time eventually passes. However, one should never forget that one was perhaps once such a small, innocent being oneself.
Read also: 10 things to do before birth
Photo by Janine, meinhaushalt.at
