You just brought your new baby home. Now what? Fortunately for you, this new parents guide has some answers.
While the arrival of a new baby is exciting for new parents, it can also cause a roller-coaster of emotions that can feel overwhelming at times. After all, adding a little bundle of joy to the household is uncharted territory for first time parents.
“What do we do when we bring the baby home?” “How do I take care of a baby?” “Will our relationship suffer?” “Will I ever get ‘me’ time again?” “How do I get the baby to nap?” “Will I ever sleep again?” “How should we decorate the nursery?” “What about my job?” These are just some of the hundreds upon hundreds of questions new parents often ask themselves when it’s time to bring a new baby home, and there is no shortage of struggles to tackle.
What are the 4 Most Common Struggles New Parents Face the Most?
- Sleep Deprivation
- Adapting to Changing Lifestyles
- Relationship Issues
- Returning to Work
Let’s find out more details in this new parents guide.
Sleep Deprivation
Perhaps one of the biggest struggles for new parents, sleep deprivation and exhaustion can make everything about raising and caring for a baby more difficult. So what does our new parents guide say about it? One thing about babies is that they don’t care what time of the night it is when they wake their parents for a midnight feeding or diaper change. Toss in regular household chores and the exhaustion can feel overwhelming. Unfortunately, exhaustion and sleep deprivation can make tempers short. Eventually, things get better. And hey, there’s always coffee.
Adapting to Changing Lifestyles
Bringing a new baby home changes everything—for new parents and veteran parents alike. Before having a baby, men and women are more in control of their time and often have more laid back, carefree lifestyles. Adding a baby into the mix changes those lifestyles. For moms, this means they may have to learn how to learn about and cope with nursing and the demands of breastfeeding their baby every couple hours. For dads, this may mean figuring out ways to lend a helping hand. Both parents have to adapt to the fact that they have a new life totally dependent on them. Embracing a new lifestyle takes time, but with patience and dedication, most parents eventually manage to overcome this particular challenge.
Relationship Issues
How do you act when you’re exhausted? Do you get cranky? Unfortunately, one common challenge that often arises when couples bring home a new baby is relationship issues. Oftentimes, these issues are a result of exhaustion, sleep deprivation, and stress and anxiety from caring for a newborn. It’s not uncommon for parents to crave alone time or to feel like they are not getting enough attention from their significant other. Limited time for intimacy can also impact a relationship, and many moms struggle with hormone-related issues that can send their desire for intimacy down the toilet.
Returning to Work
With struggles like exhaustion, relationship issues, and lifestyle changes, you would think parents would be chomping at the bit to return to work. Sure, some new moms might count down the days to the end of their maternity leave, but for many, the very thought of returning to work sends them on yet another roller coaster of emotions. Returning to work means parents have to rely on another caregiver to look after their baby – whether it’s a daycare provider, nanny, or family friend. Getting over the anxiety and fear of leaving their children for 8-10 hours a day is hard, but with time, it does get easier.
Tips for Tackling These Struggles
What would a new parents guide be without tips for overcoming these common struggles?
Parenting is a non-stop learning experience. From the newborn phase all the way until a child graduates from high school, there are so many struggles that parents must overcome while raising their children. Newborn struggles like sleep deprivation, relationship issues, adjusting to a new normal, and taking those first few steps of returning to work can all be managed with a bit of patience, grace, practice, dedication, compromise, and above all else, communication.
Communicate Your Needs
Effective communication works wonders for struggling parents. Simple solutions like sitting down and chatting together about each other’s concerns and hopes for the future can foster better understanding, trust, and cooperation between parents and make their bond stronger.
If you’re struggling and feeling overwhelmed with being a new parent, try penciling in a dinner date or watching a movie with your significant other while the baby sleeps. Baby monitors make it easy to keep an eye on your baby while you take a quick break. If you’re feeling particularly exhausted from getting up at 3 a.m. to feed the baby, communicate your needs for rest and let your partner tackle dinner or the dishes so you can lie down for a bit. Moms and dads can tackle new parent struggles by supporting and listening to each other.
Pencil in Some ‘Me’ Time
Lastly, don’t be afraid to step out for a bit of “me” time every once in a while. Self care is important for new parents and can be as easy as getting your nails done or playing a round of golf. Parenting is HARD! There’s nothing wrong with taking a break every now and then to recharge.
Becoming a parent is life-changing. It comes with a host of struggles, can impact the relationships around you, and is downright exhausting. It takes work, but by communicating your needs to your partner and supporting each other, you can tackle any struggles parenthood throws your way. At the end of the day, parenthood, while taxing, is a truly magical gift.
