We all know those first days and then months with a new baby can be some of the most difficult of motherhood, no matter how many children you’ve had! Here are some ways to help keep your baby settled and satisfied, while making sure YOU are healthy and happy as well.
When you’re expecting a gorgeous bub, you usually find yourself dreaming about a perfectly swaddled little darling, sleeping peacefully, or hours spent gazing lovingly into each other’s eyes as you get to know each other after nine long months of waiting. But when your little boy or girl makes their entrance, quite often the reality is very different! Those beautiful moments you dreamed of are interrupted by worries about whether you’re producing enough milk, or thinking endlessly about what to do when bub seems unsettled or sick with tummy pain. Suddenly you realise that doubt, frustration and helplessness are very common feelings for new mums!
Because every pregnancy (and baby!) is different, first-time mums aren’t the only ones who worry- mums of two, three, four or even more children find themselves facing the same questions when their little one is sick or unsettled, or when mum’s milk supply is low, or a million other every day problems. For me, my first child joined our family 20 months ago and we are now expecting baby number two. Being pregnant again makes me feel happy and I’m really excited- but even though I’ve been here, before, I’m also anxious. The first couple of months with my first baby were challenging at times. While he was a relatively easy baby, he still went through wind, tummy pain and restlessness. During these episodes I felt helpless and overwhelmed.
What can help is drawing on the wisdom of other mums, and finding techniques or products out there that can help ease some of the bumps on the rocky road of motherhood.
Tips for New Mums
#1 Round-robin dinners
If your friends ask what they can do for you in the early days, get them to do a round-robin of dinners for the first couple of weeks. It’s so exciting waiting for the dinner to turn up and people usually prepare their most decadent meals. It’s better than eating in a restaurant every night. And you’ll find even if your baby has been an angel all day, from 5 – 7 is witching time for many newborns.
#2 Power naps
Business people may think they are the ones who invented these but new mothers have always done them. Don’t always do chores when the babe goes down. Have a rest and don’t feel guilty about it. If you’re not the type to nap during the day just read a book but give yourself a break. It is not a luxury, it’s an investment.
#3 Find something to help with common problems
Save Mum’s SaniTea has been founded to assist new mums and their bubs with common problems – such as lactation for mum and colic and wind for bub.
- Breastfeeding Babydream Tea is an an organic tea range imported from Germany that has helped new mums with lactation for over 20 years. The tea can help stimulate milk production and promote lactation. New mums often find themselves worrying about their lactation and milk supply, so get yourself sorted with a trusted product like this one.
- Babydream Tea has also been around for more than 20 years and can help older bubs with digestion, tummy pain and hydration. It’s an organic product with no caffeine or added sugar, and suitable for babies from two weeks!
More About Keeping Bub (and Mum!) Happy and Healthy
Breast or formula-fed bubs don’t need more than milk
In its first four to six months bub is sufficiently hydrated through breast milk or formula. There is no need to introduce anything else to your bubs diet at this stage.
However, if it is a crazy hot day or your bub is suffering from diarrhoea, some water and unsweetened fruit or herbal tea can be really helpful.
Once solids are introduced, bub needs more hydration
You’ve done it! Bub is on solids and loving it. Now is the time to introduce some water or unsweetened tea. Water and unsweetened tea are ideal for your bub in its first year. It is better to use special tea bags for babies since they don’t contain caffeine and undergo strict guidelines. They are also organic and don’t contain any other herbs that might be harmful for your bub.
- Use a cup and try to avoid giving it in a bottle
- Offer your bub some fluids every now and again during the feed
- At first they might not drink a lot but this will increase with age and time
This information was brought to you by Save Mum’s SaniTea. Save Mum’s SaniTea was founded to assist new mums and their bubs with some of the most common problems such as: lactation for mums, hydration, colic and wind for bub. They carefully pick organic tea that can help boost milk supply for mum and relieve bub from colic and wind.
