Many new moms are naturally nervous. It is normal to worry about every sneeze and hiccup after all it is your first time at the rodeo. Unfortunately your baby feeds off of your energy. When babies become stressed they cry sometimes uncontrollably which of course makes mom more nervous and stressed. It can easily turn into a very vicious cycle.
As a mom there is something that you need to understand. You are in charge! You set the pace. If you are stressed than baby will become stressed. If you are calm than baby will be calm. Many pediatricians feel that “colicky” babies are actually babies that are stressed because mom is stressed.
Colicky babies are usually more prominent in families where they are the first baby. If you are breastfeeding your baby it is even more important to stay calm. The stress hormone cortisol can interrupt your milk supply and it may increase the hormone in your baby as well.
What Can You do?
Staying calm those first few months will play a key role in how your baby adapts to life on the outside! Of course it is easier said than done if you do not know how to go about getting to a peaceful place.
There are some tricks a new mom can use to get to a peaceful place where they are at least not exhibiting the signs of stress.
- Educate
- Ask
- Practice
- Believe
Educate yourself as much as possible about pregnancy, birth and the first few months of life. If you educate yourself as much as possible you will take a lot of the worry out of pregnancy and those first few months.
Ask for help. As a new mom you are going to need a support system. It can be a little overwhelming at first and having help when you need it will take some of the stress out of your days. Ask family members to help out when you need a break. Ask for advice from family and friends on how they handled situations with their baby. Ask your doctor for advice. Ask any questions that you have so you do not dwell on them which causes stress.
Practice makes perfect BEFORE baby arrives try your hand at taking care of a friend or family member’s baby. Take a parenting course it will help you feel more confident when baby arrives which will reduce your stress.
The power of positive thought is tremendous. Learn to meditate and make “I am capable” your mantra. If you believe that everything will be ok than your stress level will stay down and ultimately your baby will be a happier easier baby to handle. Believe that your baby will grow and this time of uncertainty will pass and you will be an old hand at baby rearing before you know it.
A peaceful mother is a peaceful baby. Your baby from the time he or she is born is watching you for cues on how to react!