Being a new mom is a difficult task in itself, but being a new mom with less than half the amount of sleep that a typical person without kids is used to is just pure torture..You find out very quickly when you have your 1st child.. almost nothing can prepare you to feed a screaming newborn at 2 or 3am. I was told also to “sleep when the baby sleeps”. Now when your so tired you could fall asleep standing up?, that works.. but for me, for the most part anyways, while my sons slept, I usually couldn’t.

Friends and family need to understand that what you need most is support. There are times where you’re just going to be completely useless unless someone can help with the baby for a few hours so mom can rest a bit. (I think we’ve been programmed to endure longer stretches without sleep naturally for this reason!)

Try if at all possible, (after those first few weeks, to avoid nipple confusion) to supply your spouse, or whom ever else that can help you, with a bottled supply of fresh breast milk. This I found to be of tremendous help.. Now DAD can get up now and again to feed at 3am!

Now dad, or older sibling, or grandma, or even friend from next door, may not do things exactly how you would.. but it’s ok to let people help you! One of the most important things that I’ve found is that being a new mom, we want to do EVERYTHING.. Sometimes to the extent that we put ourselves in danger, cause we feel that we MUST do it all, and NO ONE can do it as well as we can. The best thing you can do sometimes for you and your baby is to LET people help you, even ASK! Don’t run yourself ragged with menial chores, let someone else do it, you need to come first, because your baby needs you strong and healthy! (or at worst, just put if off! it’s ok if there’s some built up dishes or laundry)

Last but definitely not least, probably the most important thing you can ever learn as a new mom… when your baby is crying nonstop or has colic, or after you have changed, and fed, and burped, and rocked, and held and swayed, and done everything you know how to and is still crying.. sometimes it’s best for you to let them cry a little (barring that there’s nothing physically wrong with the child). Allow your baby to lie in a safe area, where they can’t roll off, choke, wrap up in anything, or hurt themselves on anything (their crib is usually best) and just cry a little.. It can help you tremendously. People sometimes don’t understand what can make a person snap, and then instantly regret their decisions, but then have to live with the consequences of their actions for the rest of their lives.. It’s easy to get agitated, when your on 2 hours sleep or less, and your baby has been crying for what seems like weeks.. just don’t get angry at them. They know nothing of it and are helpless.. Remember, they don’t cry to upset you.. matter of fact, it can actually make them cry more when you ARE upset. Don’t ever even hesitate to talk to a loved one or a doctor if you’re feeling “blue” or are having irrational or abnormal thoughts. There are so many hormonal changes taking place in your body, your emotions are like a yo-yo and it’s only normal to feel uneasy. No one is perfect, but knowing your not alone can help tremendously.

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