Staying on Track With a Newborn
Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Pure Protein. All opinions are my very own.
Ahhh, the newborn stage. It seems like yesterday that I just gave birth to my two year old son and here I am right back at it with my newborn daughter. The only difference this time? I have another little one to care for while caring for this brand new, sweet little human being.
It has been a super busy, but lovely last week of getting adjusted to our new roles and life. My son has been adjusting to his new little sister quite well, thankfully! However, he does seem a bit needier at times which means more work on my part to juggle and maintain two kiddos. Hellooooo, motherhood!
Any plans that I have made have simply been put on the backburner. My breakfasts are usually eaten about an hour after being made. And hot coffee? That’s a joke, right? While this might be the newest derailer in my life, I am ready to tackle on the challenge! After all, most moms deal with this obstacle every single day. It is all a matter of how we are prepared to handle it all.
Here are a few of my tips to surviving life with a newborn:
- Ask for help. One of the biggest mistakes that new moms make is forgetting to ask for help when they need it. My mother in law has traveled all the way from North Carolina to come stay with us for a week to help with us adapt to this big change. Also, do not forget to ask your husband for help as well-he is equally responsible after all!
- Get some “you time.” If you do not get some time to yourself, you will lose yourself. No, seriously. If it means going and taking a hot shower or even slipping away to a quiet room in the house to surf Facebook for 5 minutes, do it. Your mind is currently programmed to think “baby, baby, baby, baby” naturally so you need to place your thoughts elsewhere to help come back with a clearer mind.
- Rest when baby sleeps. Notice that I didn’t say sleep? I had always been told to “sleep when baby sleeps” with my firstborn and I wanted to seriously laugh in people’s faces. When baby sleeps, that is the prime time to clean house, do a little work, workout, or even make that sandwich that you’ve put off for the last two hours. However, rememeber to sit down and just relax for a bit-it does not have to be very long. Taking a break will help you reset for when baby wakes up.
- Get out regularly. As a new mom, you are very lucky to get out and go anywhere at all. Mostly, you don’t want to go anywhere because you are so inclined to take care of your newborn baby and if you are breastfeeding, you cannot leave for long anyway! So, get outside and take a walk around the neighborhood and enjoy the sun for a few. Take baby out in the stroller and just go somewhere. Your mind will thank you for it later.
- Eat something. When your prime goal is to feed your newborn (who eats at least every 2 hours by the way), it can be very easy to forget to feed yourself. It’s true-life with a newborn can derail your usual meal schedule more than you will ever know! To keep my calories up and my hunger at bay, I love to snack on Pure Protein Bars. Offering 19-21 grams of pure whey protein, with only 3 grams or less of sugar depending on the flavor, they are the ultimate snack for a hungry mom. Protein is amazing at helping you stay full for a longer period of time. This is also a nice little postpartum companion for when you get your doctor’s clear to workout again!
Life with a newborn is full of derailers, to say the least, but there are tons of ways that you can stay on top of your game and be prepared for what life throws your way next.
Your trainer and friend,
