1. Don’t be ashamed to ask for help
◦ If things get really hard ask for help from your support team. It’s okay to ask for help from your partner, parents, and friends when you are having a hard time. Having a infant is tough in and of itself. This also helps when you just need time to yourself.
◦ 2. Don’t be afraid to talk to someone.
◦ Especially if you are dealing with anxiety and post partum depression. I thought that I wasn’t going to have depression because I’ve handled kids for years being a teacher. Boy was I wrong. My body could not handle the change of hormones and talking to someone and taking the right medications helped a lot.
3. Don’t plan big life events in the first year
◦ This one is really important especially when you have a infant and are trying to get into a routine. My husband and I put our house up for sale when our son was two months old. That combined with my post partum and covid on top was not a good situation. While I am glad that we are in our new home my husband promised me to not ever put us through that again.
4. Have a support group.
◦ This is extremely important especially going through post partum depression. Anyone that will be able to help you or even talk to you when things get hard. It also helps to have someone that already has kids and can give their advice.
5. Don’t be afraid to set boundaries
◦ This is especially important when it comes to grandparents or strangers. If you don’t feel comfortable then just say it. You are the parents and only you can decide what you want for your child.