Surviving Life With a Newborn

Life with a newborn seems to bring an abundance of emotions; ranging from deep love to pure exhaustion, the first few weeks of your baby’s life can be a whirlwind. Don’t get me wrong, I love my children more than anything on this earth, but the newborn stage has always been a personal challenge – sleepless nights, colicky babies, no sense of a schedule, etc.

Bringing baby number two into this world, I’ve contemplated the many obstacles and joys surrounding the newborn stage. From a new mother who understands the frustration, happiness, and chaos of caring for a newborn, check out these 6 secrets for surviving life with a newborn.

I received samples and compensation in exchange for this post. Affiliate links are used below. All opinions are my own. 

6 Secrets for Surviving Life With a Newborn

1. Say YES to help: As a new mother, the smartest thing I ever did was taking people up on their offers to help. Whether it’s babysitting your other children or allowing people to bring you meals, let others serve you!

2. Lower your expectations: Don’t be upset if you’re not able to function normally for a few weeks (or months) after giving birth. Newborns take a lot of time and energy and with that, you have to learn to let things go. Don’t expect to keep a clean house or see the bottom of your laundry hamper. The more realistic your expectations, the happier you will become.

3. Have something to look forward to: Instead of dreading nighttime feedings, give yourself something to look forward to. For me, I have a favorite show that I turn on while I’m nursing in the middle of the night.

4. Establish a routine: I thrive on schedules. However, in my experience with newborns, establishing a schedule can be nearly impossible; newborns will eat, sleep, and poop when they want to. Instead of aiming for a schedule, try establishing a daily routine. For example, after your first morning feeding, get dressed, then do a few minutes of supervised tummy time.

5. Tag team feedings: Having my husband help with daily feedings has been a huge life saver. At least once a day, I pump a bottles worth of breast milk so my husband can have a little bonding time with our daughter while mommy gets a break.

6. Get a Boppy® Newborn Lounger : Sometimes caring for a newborn, you run out of hands to complete your daily tasks. When situations like this arise, you need the Boppy® Newborn Lounger.

Although I wish I could sit around and snuggle my newborn all day long, caring for my other child means that I have to set my baby down for periods throughout the day. Thankfully, my little one can relax in absolute style, safety, and comfort with the Boppy® Newborn Lounger.

Designed for babies 0-5 months, I truly love everything about the Boppy® Newborn Lounger: its light weight design, recessed interior (provides excellent support for my newborn’s bottom), wipeable fabric, and fun pattern. Perfect for my daughter’s awake time, the Boppy® Newborn Lounger also provides the perfect amount of elevation to help with her acid reflex.

How did you survive life with a newborn?