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Me Time
THE BEST STRESS REDUCERS FOR NEW MOMS
By Kristyn Kusek
Motherhood doesn't come with a manual, which means you'll be doing
lots of on-the-job training. Figuring out what works and what doesn't
when it comes to caring for your infant can be pretty stressful at
times. "With most jobs, we have time to get ready for our new roles,"
says Penny Shore, author of the ParentSmart book series. "But in the
case of parenting, no one can be fully prepared for all of the
unexpected demands that accompany this new role."
Fortunately, there are ways to minimize feeling frazzled during the first few months of motherhood. Here, some expert advice:
- Create a schedule of sorts Start by jotting down a list of
the day's tasks each morning, then decide what you can eliminate,
delegate, or simplify so that you have free time for the unexpected
schedule-breakers that baby may bring to the day. According to Mimi
Doe, author of Busy, But Balanced, this establishes a routine, which
just like your pre-baby life, is important for creating a rhythm to
your day.
- Let it go -- and laugh New moms should not expect
perfection at every moment. "If it's nine o' clock in the morning and
your kitchen sink is full of dirty dishes from last night's dinner, so
what?" says Karen Buxman, MSN, a stress expert and president of HUMORx
in Hannibal, Missouri. It doesn't make you a bad person. Tell yourself
that you'll get to it at some point in the day. And when this kind of
disorder makes you anxious, use humor to put it in perspective. Buxman
advises asking yourself, "How could this be worse?" For instance,
having a pile of dirty dishes could be worse if your husband's family
was coming over in five minutes.
- Share stress relief with baby Relaxing, just-for-you
activities may seem unrealistic right now, but you can enjoy them by
including your baby. When you put your infant down to nap, don't run
around the house cleaning up. Instead, take a snooze with her. Or try
sharing a bubble bath to help you both settle down before bed.
- Pat yourself on the back When all else fails, remember
this: "Look at the miracle of what you've just done," says Doe. "And
tell yourself that you're doing the most productive thing on earth just
by being a mother."
Top
About The Author
Kristyn Kusek is a health and lifestyle writer whose work has appeared in Redbook, Good Housekeeping, Parenting, The New York Times, and Lifetime TV Online.
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