By Emily Saunders

I can’t believe it’s already been a month since Baby Hutch was born!  It’s been wild and beautiful and wonderful and so hard and emotional and overwhelming.  SO many emotions.  When I was preparing for Baby #2 I thought about what I did well when I had my first son and what I wanted to do differently this time around.  I shared those needs with my husband, my mom and mother-in-law, a few close friends and my most wonderful part-time nanny.  Here’s what I came up with:

1.  Ask for and use help.  I’m not super woman.  There is nothing to prove.  Being in charge of two kids during long work days by myself makes me a little crazy.  I have a fabulous baby sitter and a mother-in-law to help me out most work days.
2. Say Yes.  A friend wants to bring you dinner?  Yes.  Your neighbor wants to watch your baby so you can nap?  Yes.  I’ve gotten really good at this over the past month.  (P.S. If you have have a chance to prepare a meal for a new mom DO IT.  It’s the best thing in the world not to have to worry about dinner)
3. Still Be You:  This goes with #1.  Moms often lose their identity when a new baby comes along.  They stop doing everything they enjoy and love.  While there are most definitely sacrifices to be made and there is never enough time for everything, YOUR needs are important too.  Take a bath, exercise, go for a walk, get a pedicure, journal, call a friend.  Whatever it is.  Self-Care is not an indulgence.  It’s a necessity.
4. Remember Your Man:  this season is HARD for marriages, but do your best to pay attention to your husband.  He is challenged too and likely sleep deprived. Make sure he is able to maintain his identity too.   Enjoy little moments talking about the same things you did pre-baby.  Make plans.  Have something to look forward to.  Share sweet moments.  Tell him why you love him.  Praise him for the Dad that he is.  Talk about the hard parts of new parenthood as well as the beautiful parts.
5. Lower The Bar:  Allow the dishes to pile up, the laundry to be everywhere, the play room to be a complete mess etc.  No one is judging you new Mama.  You’ve got your hands full.
6. Sleep.  Don’t laugh at me.  I get it.  I spend my nights with a baby on my chest.  That said, I try my hardest to take a 20 minute nap on a daily basis.  This means sacrificing work time or clean up time and that’s ok.  The body needs rest more than anythingListen to Your body. I’m not much of a rule follower. I don’t wait “x amount of days/weeks” to do things based upon arbitrary recommendations. I exercise when I feel like I’m ready to exercise. I have nothing to prove. It’s not a contest. You know your body better than anyone. If you feel like you’re ready to get out and get moving you probably are. On the other hand, if you feel like your body is still in recovery mode then don’t try to push it.
7. Eat REALLY good food. If you are breastfeeding this is even more important, but regardless you are recovering. What does the body use as fuel to help it recover? FOOD!!! Eat lots of good solid protein (fatty meats are great for nursing), nuts, avocado, tons of veggies, fruit, and a few whole grains like quinoa and brown rice. Now is not the time to portion control if you’re nursing, but it is time to eat as much real whole food as possible. Avoid wrappers as much as possible.
8. Pray. God brought you to this season and He will bring you through. Surrender the hard parts and relish in the joy of your precious gift! Ask Him for what you need in this moment and He will provide.

That’s all for now. New Moms you’re awesome! I’m off to take a nap. Who wants to join me?