Tips in Dealing with New Parent Anxiety

When your child is born, it is typically thought to be an exciting and wonderful moment. The ecstasy of bringing a new life to this world has no limits.

 But this is not the case for all new parents!

The new parent anxiety of having to now raise a baby until adulthood can be overwhelming and can take a toll on your mental as well as physical health.  

Society projects parenthood to be something glamorous when in actuality it is a loss of your life as just a couple.

Movies and television shows can set unrealistic expectations regarding parenting and showcases it to be a smooth bed of velvet roses. Nevertheless, concealed thorns are experienced when reality strikes.

Sometimes, it can take a few months to really enjoy being a new mother or a parent owing to the baby stress or newborn stress. 

It is really hard to get used to the fact that you have to accommodate a little person, including changing your sleeping habits and free time. 

It is perfectly normal if you are feeling overwhelmed with new baby arrival, but at the same time, you don’t have to get fazed or torment yourself at the thought of it. 

Just take a deep breath and assure yourself that you are neither the first one nor the only one going through the motherhood stress or the new parenthood stress. 

If you are a new parent, or you will be one, and wondering ‘how to cope with parenting stress’, here are some tips for new mothers. 

These coping skills for parents can help make the changes in your life much more bearable.

• Talk with family members and friends

Do not shy away from expressing your new parent anxiety and worries.

You can always talk to your family members and loved ones about dealing with a newborn.

Even if you are an introvert, make a deliberate effort to talk. Talking and expressing, not just aids in fetching new ideas, but also helps in boosting your emotional wellbeing.

You can choose to talk to your friends or family about the first time they became new parents. They can provide you with valuable suggestions to make the transition much easier.

Each parenting experience is undoubtedly unique, so you can always use your discretion regarding which parenting advice to buy and which one to dismiss. 

• Take the help of online communities

If you are uncomfortable speaking to your family or friends, you will find many online communities that provide support to deal with new parent anxiety.

As a new mother, it can be very intimidating to manage yourself, your baby and your home, all at a time.

It is okay for your blood pressure to cut through the roof. But remember, that you are neither God nor Google to know everything.

So, take help whenever needed, prioritize your tasks and deal with just one task at a time, before moving on to next. 

• Share your feelings with your spouse

It is a piece of primary advice for a new mother to tet your spouse know how you are feeling, to effectively tackle your new parent anxiety.

Embracing parenthood for the first time is an undiscovered feeling for both the partners. 

So, you cannot set unrealistic expectations for your spouse to don some invisible cloak, peep into your heart and unveil your emotional turmoil. 

It is imperative that you stay honest about anything and everything you are experiencing emotionally, for your spouse to provide you with much-needed support.

• A certified therapist can lend a hand

You can arrange an appointment with a certified therapist if you wish to acquire new skills for frazzled parents.

The counseling services are available both online and offline and you can choose the mode that suits you the best.

You can resort to a therapist when you wish to seek some professional advice for dealing with new parent anxiety. They can better assist you in dealing with your stress in a logical and medically proven way. 

• Spend some time with yourself

It is one of the most crucial new mother tips to spend some dedicated time for your own self and do what you love doing the most.

Most of the new parents are bound to scream that they can’t even afford to spend even an hour for themselves.

But, if you introspect, you will realize that you spend a lot of time worrying and cribbing, which is more than the time that you actually spend for your baby. 

If you are able to win over your ‘thought pollution’, you will be able to dedicate a fruitful time both for your baby and yourself.

• Forgive yourself if you falter

We all know that no baby is born with an instruction manual.

No author has written the perfect book, by referring to which you can become a flawless parent and raise your child like a divine!

Please remember, that you are a human, born on this planet, who inevitably errs!

You might come across your own parents or your spouse’s parents, who might have projected being the most unerring beings. But, always remember that, its an illusion!

God hasn’t bestowed superbeing powers to anyone, at least on this planet. So, it’s perfectly fine if you falter and miserably go wrong. Everyone does!

If you notice, all these suggestions are trying to persuade you for speaking, expressing and connecting with others. Keeping yourself separated from everyone else can lead you to depression and loneliness. 

It will be difficult for you to revive yourself from the dark unexplored chasm of new parent anxiety if you don’t act upon it in time.

When new parent anxiety has you got you exhausted, mentally and physically, get in touch with Philadelphia MFT to get back on the road to a better you!