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Welcoming your first baby into the world is one of life’s most beautiful experiences — and yet, it can also feel overwhelming, exhausting, and even a little scary. If you’re expecting or have just brought your newborn home, you might find yourself riding a rollercoaster of emotions: incredible joy one moment, and deep anxiety, overwhelm or fatigue the next.
If you’re feeling this way, you’re not alone. Parenthood is a massive transition — emotionally, physically, and mentally. While it doesn’t solve everything, knowing what to expect can help you feel prepared, reassured, and supported through it all in those early weeks. And knowing manageable and effective strategies to care for yourself during this new season of life can make all the difference.
What You’re Feeling Is Normal
First, you have to know:
- It’s normal to feel unsure and anxious about whether you’re "doing it right" and even wonder why that “mother’s intuition” isn’t showing up like you thought it would.
- It’s normal to feel overwhelmed by the constant needs of a newborn, they are little bundles of needs. It makes sense if you feel this way.
- It’s normal to miss aspects of your “old life” and feel a little lost at times. Research has consistently shown that new mothers often struggle with the loss of freedom that accompanies the early newborn phase.
- It’s even normal to wonder why this feels harder than you expected, especially if you went into motherhood with a clear vision of how you imagined things would be. Your birth experience, how your body responds to all the physiological changes, and the temperament of your child are all things that can dramatically change how you feel in motherhood.
Parenthood doesn’t just start a new chapter — it can feel like an entirely new book. Your body, your routines, your relationships, and your identity all undergo huge shifts at once. Understanding that these feelings are part of the process — not a sign you’re failing — is the first step toward taking care of yourself.
Why the Newborn Stage Feels So Intense
The early weeks after birth can be physically and emotionally intense. Here’s why:
- Sleep deprivation: Newborns have tiny tummies, which means frequent feedings around the clock. Broken sleep can drastically affect your mood, patience, ability to cope, and even your relationship.
- Hormonal changes: Whether you gave birth or are supporting your partner, fluctuating hormones can lead to mood swings, crying spells, and emotional vulnerability.
- New responsibilities: The mental load of tracking feedings, diaper changes, doctor’s appointments, and everything else can feel endless.
- Loss of control: Life with a newborn is often unpredictable. Even simple tasks like eating a meal or taking a shower may feel out of reach some days.
Recognizing these factors doesn’t make them magically disappear — but it can help you approach them with more compassion for yourself.
6 Ways to Support Your Wellbeing as a New Parent
Here are a few simple, actionable steps to support your wellbeing as a new parent:
1. Create a Calming Environment
The space around you impacts how you feel. Setting up a peaceful atmosphere can help everyone relax. A Momcozy Sound Machine is a must-have for soothing your baby (and yourself!) with white noise or calming nature sounds. Pair it with soft lighting and cozy textures to make your home feel like a true sanctuary.
2. Simplify Where You Can
The mental load of new parenthood is real. One way to lighten it is by using tools that make life a little easier. A Momcozy Baby Monitor can give you peace of mind, allowing you to check on your little one without tiptoeing into their room a hundred times a night.
Likewise, a Momcozy Baby Swing can offer hands-free moments during the day, giving you the chance to shower, eat, or simply sit down and take a breath while your baby is safely soothed nearby.
3. Microdose Self-Care
In this season, it can be all too easy to lose yourself, yet there’s not much time or energy to really do a lot of self-care. So, it’s about small moments of self-care that are manageable in your busy season.
- Work to check-in with yourself throughout your day and do a self scan. What do you need? What does your body need? What is something manageable that will feel good to you.
4. Communicate Openly with Your Partner
If you’re parenting with a partner, it’s essential to feel like you’re on the same page and on the same team. Exhaustion and stress can easily turn into resentment if you don’t talk about your needs. Keep in mind that after becoming parents, it makes sense for some needs to increase in intensity or even new needs to arise.
- Share responsibilities openly and fairly — from the start. Research shows that mothers who have the smoothest transition into parenthood, are ones who have partners that are involved right from the beginning. This is your permission to ask for more participation from your significant other!
- Express appreciation for each other’s efforts, even for the "small" things. Feeling visible and valued in your relationship for all that you do to make life go round is incredibly important, especially after kids. Use the Ultimate Compliment Formula from my new book, A Better Share, to be a pro at offering gratitude. It’s
OBSERVATION (of something you see them do or a personal quality) + HOW IT MAKES YOUR LIFE BETTER
Gratitude is the fastest and most effective way to increase feelings of connection and warmth in your relationship. Don’t be stingy with appreciation.
- Checking in daily, even for just five minutes, can help you stay on the same team.
5. Give Yourself Permission to Rest
You don’t have to "bounce back." You don't have to "cherish every moment" if you're too tired to even think straight. Rest is productive. Healing is productive. Bonding with your baby — and allowing yourself to adjust — is enough.
6. Know When to Ask for Help
While emotional ups and downs are normal, sometimes more support is needed. Consider reaching out to a professional if you experience:
- Persistent sadness or hopelessness
- Intense anxiety or panic attacks
- Difficulty bonding with your baby
- Thoughts of harming yourself or your baby
Postpartum depression and anxiety are incredibly common — and treatable. Seeking help is a sign of strength, not failure.
Please know, you deserve support. You deserve moments of calm. And most importantly, you deserve grace as you grow into this new, beautiful role.
