Becoming a parent is one of the most difficult challenges you will face. It is also the most rewarding. There is nothing that compares to the love, joy, and wonder you feel as a parent. That does not mean that you will not have hard moments. Parents do themselves a disservice by expecting everything to be smooth sailing when parenting. As a parent, you should expect difficult moments and challenges.
Your sleep will never be the same again. When you have a new baby, you will feel exhausted. Your newborn will not sleep regularly and will not sleep when you want to sleep. This will be difficult. It is hard to function when you are sleep-deprived. It will cause stress for you and your partner. It will cause you mental and physical stress. It may cause bickering and fighting between you and your partner. If you have severe sleep deprivation that is not resolved, you may have difficulty breastfeeding or bonding with your baby. It is helpful to reach out to people you trust to help you to give you a break and much-needed sleep.
You will no longer be in control of your own schedule. You will be lucky if you can plan when to take a shower. Your baby will rule things for a while. You must work hard to create a routine for you and your baby, but understand that it may not always be easy to follow. Routine is important for the development of your child’s brain and reasoning. A great way to begin creating a routine is telling your babe what is going to happen, even if you think they will not understand. When you are giving your baby a bath, or getting them dressed, explain what you are doing and what is coming next. This can be a calming way to prepare you and your baby for the next steps.
Parenting can be a scary thing. You are not given an instruction manual. Just having a brand-new baby can be daunting. When there is something non-typical happening to your baby, it can feel even scarier. No matter what is happening, it always helps to know about your resources. If you know you have options for help and assistance, it makes a challenging situation a little easier. If you are facing medical conditions, difficulty sleeping, or any other concern, find the appropriate resource. If there were permanent harm caused to your baby during delivery, you may need a child birth injury lawyer to find out what additional options you have.
