Parenting tips
Our 8 lifestyle tips consist of useful advice for new parents that will help you manage some of the challenges of parenthood and get into your stride.
A new baby can change your world – in the best way possible! It’s normal to feel overwhelmed and exhausted for the first few weeks, but don’t worry. Soon you will find a routine and rhythm that works for you and your baby. Keep calm and appreciate every step of this wonderful and exciting journey.
Need a bit of guidance? These 8 parenting tips for infants are designed to help you manage the demands of motherhood so you can enjoy those precious early months with your newborn.
1. Stick to a well-balanced diet
Food plays an important role in keeping you in tip-top shape for your new life as a mum. Not only will the right diet help give you the energy and focus you need, it will also improve the quality of your breast milk for your baby. Find out more on our postpartum nutrition page.
“ Healthy eating will help you to keep up with the fast pace of motherhood and help provide good quality breast milk for your baby. “
2. Take a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement
That old saying that you now have to “eat for two” stays relevant to you as a new mum, even after you’ve given birth. This pertains to the quality of the food you eat, more so than the quantity.
Breastfeeding results in increased maternal nutritional requirements which have to be met to satisfy the needs of the mum and baby. For instance, a supplement of vitamin B-12 (2.6µg/d) is recommended for lactating mothers who are vegetarians, and similarly a supplement of 10µg/d is recommended for mothers who eschew milk and other vitamin D fortified foods.138 If you’re breastfeeding, you might not get enough nutrients for both of you from food alone.
3. Get some rest!
Any mum will tell you that caring for a baby can often feel like a real work out! This new level of physical activity can zap your energy very quickly, so it’s important for you to always remember to take care of yourself, and find rest whenever possible. Conserving energy through getting rest is an important tip for new mums to ward off tiredness due to their new roles.
Practical tips to conserve energy.
- Sit down when you can and take a nap while your baby sleeps.
- Keep housework to the basics. This might not be the best time for you to clean the garage, or rework your entire garden.
- Try to relax and use the relaxation techniques you learnt during pregnancy to unwind.
- Keep meals simple and healthy so you don’t need to cook much.
- Get your other half to pitch in with baby care. It’ll give you a break and help them bond with the little one.
Ask others to give you a hand. Friends and relatives will be happy to help with everyday tasks or lend a sympathetic ear.
“ Take a nap whenever possible - particularly when your baby sleeps. “
4. Beat the baby blues
A combination of hormones and lack of sleep can make you feel sad and irritable 3 to 4 days after birth. However, following baby’s birth, it is normal for a woman to experience the “baby blues” which is characterized by feeling lonely, sad, tired, anxious, stressed or weepy.
Don’t hesitate to reach out to someone you trust for help while you rest and collect yourself. Talking to someone about how you feel can also relieve some of your stress and anxiety.
If you feel sad and overwhelmed more than 2 weeks after the birth, speak to your doctor or midwife.
5. Take some exercise
Having a new baby doesn’t mean you should take less care of yourself! Gentle exercise can help lift your mood, boost your energy levels and get you back into shape more quickly.
Set a goal for a moderate-intensity exercise, like walking or swimming, for at least 30 minutes preferably every day.Start with a gentler activity level in the first few months, and increase it gradually.
Exercises to tone up your pelvic floor and tummy muscles after pregnancy will help your recovery after giving birth.
6. Get out of the house
Feeling cooped up inside the house is never a good idea. Try to do as much outdoor activities as you can. It can be as simple as an easy stroll at the park, a day at the beach, or a nice picnic with the family. It’s also good for your baby to be stimulated by the world outside.
If you’d like company, look for a group in your local area where new mums get together to walk and talk.
7. Avoid alcohol
Drinking alcohol may disrupt caretaking of the baby, and the alcohol that passed into the breast milk might adversely affect the baby.
Some studies show that exposure to alcohol in breast milk can result in continued disruption of active sleep in infants, and chronic exposure to alcohol can result in a slight deficit in motor development at one year of age. The safest advice is to stay away from alcohol if you’re breastfeeding. It passes into your breast milk and then onto your baby.
8. Check any medicines you take
Be extra cautious about the medicines that you take. If you’re breastfeeding, never take any medicines without telling your doctor or pharmacist before taking such medications. They’ll help you to choose the best option. Not all medicines can be used during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Your ‘to do list’ for the first few month
This practical advice for new moms will help you to deliver the best for yourself and your baby. We’ve created a handy list of things to do now that baby has arrived. Read and print out our handy newborn baby checklist and use it to help you organise yourself.