Maybe you didn’t expect to be heading into the new year expecting. But here you are, pregnant or having just had your new baby; unsure of what lies ahead. Whether it was planned or unplanned, a pregnancy can often stop one in their tracks bringing about changes that seem scary or maybe even unwanted. It can be overwhelming to think about life moving forward, even when you are excited about the future. Planning ahead may seem like an uphill climb, but there's hope ahead!
While the idea of merely surviving does not offer much in the way of hope; we want to offer you some solid solutions to help you thrive and excitedly embrace life for you and your unborn child or new bundle of joy. Thinking about how to charge forward into the new year, one might find themselves searching for intentional action steps to build upon and discover growth from.
Here are a few ideas to get you well on your way to a new year and a fulfilled you:
CONNECT WITH OTHERS AND CHOOSE YOUR FRIENDS WELL
As you move into the new normal of being pregnant and becoming a new mom, there can come along with it a level of loneliness and feelings of isolation. The first couple months of being a new mom and caring for a newborn, will find you home a lot more; consumed with the needs of your precious new baby. Your little one will need most of your undivided attention and moms can begin to sink into postpartum depression or simply feel overwhelmed with the demands that come with taking care of a new baby.
Getting connected with other moms and leaning into the support of family and friends is crucial to building a solid and needed support system. You become a product of those you surround yourself with and the key to embracing a positive new beginning is a deliberate effort to choose your companions wisely. Search your community for mom groups, breastfeeding support groups and make a conscious effort to glean from those who may be more experienced than you. Find others that can give you valuable advice, lend a listening ear and offer a helping hand when those moments of need arise. Choosing your friends well will allow you to cultivate relationships that are needed and often wanted by new moms.
MAKE SELF CARE A PRIORITY AND ESTABLISH A FIRM FOUNDATION
So often becoming a mom comes with an internal and natural need to put your child first. One of the first things to decline after childbirth is taking time to care for oneself and remembering what your self needs are. Give yourself time to unwind with a bubble bath, take a nap when your baby takes a nap, go to lunch with a friend, go for a long uninterrupted walk, or even ask for help when you are feeling overwhelmed with the responsibilities of life. If nothing else, embrace times of quiet and focus on learning to relax whenever possible. Allow your spouse or parents, if they are available, to take over baby duties for a bit and “take a much needed break”. While having a baby is a full time commitment, tending to your own physical, emotional and spiritual needs is a crucial component to being the best mom and wife that you can be.
NURTURE YOUR MARRIAGE
Children are a blessing, but without a solid and healthy marriage relationship that covers a family, challenges will ultimately prevail. Finding time with your spouse is a must to create a stable environment for yourself and your baby. Both parents may find themselves living on some level of sleep deprivation, exhausted and overwhelmed by the new demands that come with parenting a new little one. Being intentional about nurturing your marriage is critical in the early days of parenting. The simplest gestures to show love can become part of your daily routine without much effort or time. Leave a love note in his coat pocket, grab some take out, or enjoy a movie that you have both been wanting to watch. Often a husband will feel like he has taken a back seat to the baby, so make it a priority to make him a priority. Make him aware of your need to be priority as well. Find balance and embrace your new way of life. Happy marriages create happy homes...happy homes create happy little ones.
FIND YOUR OWN STYLE OF ORGANIZATION AND ROUTINE
Pregnant life and life with a new baby can create a sense of chaos at times. It can seem like life is spinning a bit out of control if you don’t find a way to stay organized and establish a routine early on. Creating a routine and staying as organized as possible will bring a sense of peace in your life that can some days seem to be spinning out of control. Find a way to delegate and embrace responsibilites and find a routine that works for your family. You don't always have to have it all together, but putting some time and effort into bringing an organized flow to your home will keep the chaos at bay and make it feel not quite so overwhelming when it does hit.
LET US HELP YOU
The PLC Health Clinic loves to work with new moms and to give them incredible tools to help them grow and develop as parents and as a family unit. We know that you have it within you to do it yourself, but we would love to walk alongside you as a support system and become a place where you can draw from when needed. Strength is found in asking for help and in understanding that no mother needs or should do it all alone. The PLC offers parenting classes and Bible Studies to help moms connect with other moms and our staff and volunteers as well as materials items to help with unexpected financial burdens. For more information contact our ministry for available services and support at 419-238-9177 or https://www.plchealthclinic.org/patients/contact-us
