Finally, the glowing days of pregnancy are gone and now the days as a new parent are here. Are you starting to think, “what has happened to my social life?”
There is no doubt that for many new parents, the entry of a newborn into their lives is a joyous occasion, and indeed it can be.
However, do you find yourself sometimes feeling overwhelmed? Do you feel as if you’ve stepped into a completely different world? Or if you’re already a parent, feeling like you’re juggling multiple balls and finding it difficult?
Also, do you feel like it’s been a year since you left the house? Well, you’re not alone. Raising children, or indeed, just one little one can be a community effort.
There are still ways to keep your social life, even with a new family member. Here are ways to avoid feeling like a hermit and have some time for you.
A trip outdoors:
When entering out into the world as a new parent, that first trip out with your new bub can feel daunting.
However, starting small and walking around the park with an ABC Design pram can make things seem much easier.
This way you can be able to enjoy the outdoors with the knowledge that you have everything you need.
You also get opportune time with your baby out in the fresh air of nature and can spend at least some period of time not looking at a changing table.
Build up your support network:
While you may feel like you’re the only one going through the ups and downs of parenthood, you really are not alone.
Believe it or not, humans are not solitary creatures. We lived in tribes and groups as a means to feel a sense of belonging and identity. It also helped us protect each other. We also learned from those who came before us.
By building up your support network, whether it’s through a local mother’s group or playgroup, you can learn from other parents and possibly seek some good advice.
This can include exchanging sleeping techniques to possibly gaining a good babysitter.
Schedule in time with friends:
When you become a new parent, it can often feel like some part of your identity gets lost under a new routine and that you don’t feel like the same person you once were before kids.
Yes, there is now the fact of your little one, and sometimes, after sleepless nights and trying to feed them, it can feel like you can’t be bothered.
Yet, whether it is hiring a babysitter for the night or calling your parents for grandparent time so that you can go out and have one adult conversation, do it.
As lovely as your kids are, focus on topics that don’t involve them. It’ll remind you that you have an identity outside parenthood.
Be selfish once in a while:
As difficult as it may seem to do, you need to take some time for yourself once in a while. Usually, there is another in the mix who can help you out who can help you and who is capable, whether it is your partner or your parent.
Take some time for self-care. Your life doesn’t have to always be around your kids. Just because your newborn is a baby doesn’t mean the movie you see has to be a cartoon, do what is good for you.
Learn to “forge your own means of motherhood,” and whether or not the baby sleeps through the whole thing, it will make you feel refreshed and in a better mental state.
Conclusion:
Now, there is no means to say you should or have to these right from the beginning. Enjoy time with your baby and the joys that come with being a new parent, but also remember your own self as well. Good luck!