Stress And The First Year Of Parenthood

The first year of parenthood is a memorable time You’re
getting to know your baby and becoming acclimated to your role
as a parent You learn how to feed your baby, how to clothe him
or her, and even how to medicate your baby Every few weeks, you
check with your pediatrician’s office to chart your baby’s
growth It is, in fact, an incredible period of growth for both
you and your baby
However, there is also a great deal of stress associated with
new parenthood You often have to toss aside your pre-conceived
notions as you actually experience motherhood or fatherhood You
may be stressed out by the endless diapers and mounting piles of
laundryby the constant feedingsand by your newborn’s
continual crying At times, you may even wonder whether you’re
really cut out for parenthood
The important thing to remember is that every new parent feels
stress It is, in fact, part of the job And the stress will
continue once your child is in school, once your child becomes a
teenager, and once your child starts college In essence, the
moment your baby is born begins a lifetime of stress for you and
your mate
How can you best combat new baby-stress? Recognizing the amount
of stress you’re under is an important first step Many new
parents become frustrated and irritable, never realizing that
they are simply reacting to stress Given the fact that new
parents often get little sleep, the stress can be easily
compounded
Once you recognize your stress, it is important to engage in
some stress relief For many parents, this will mean calling
Grandma and Grandpa to take over during the rough times Just a
few hours away from your baby can help you to re-charge your
batteries, enabling you to improve your coping skills It can be
particularly helpful if you and your mate arrange a date night
while your baby is with the grandparents This couple time can
be extremely relaxing and beneficial for your relationship
A simple technique you can use is to play lullabies–not just
for your baby, but for yourself as well There is something so
soothing about a pleasant lullaby–it can take a great deal of
the tension away Singing with your baby can also help to cement
the bond between you and can help to eliminate stress You might
even try dancing with your baby–the best dances include both
parents! Taking the time to relax with your baby can help to
reduce the tension you feel
Books can be another helpful resource There are a number of
books on the market that tell you what to expect during your
baby’s first year For instance, many offer doctor’s
recommendations on when it is necessary to call the
pediatrician, and when a home remedy will work just as well
Reading such “baby how-to” books can take a great deal of the
stress out of first year parenting
Arranging play dates for your baby can also be quite
therapeutic In some cases, you might be able to drop your baby
off at a friend’s house while you do your shopping, cleaning, or
other chores In other cases, arranging a play date offers you
the opportunity to get together with other mothers and fathers
who share similar stresses Just talking with other parents
might help to ease your worries tremendously
Another tried-and-true formula for dealing with new baby stress
is to put the baby in a stroller and start walking Just a short
walk around the block can help to clear your head, helping you
to better deal with the demands of new parenthood You might
even enlist a friend to walk with you Some mothers and fathers
even buy special jogging strollers so that they can run while
their babies roll along Such exercise can be quite relaxing,
especially after a hard day around the play pen
Your new baby should be the light of your life Therefore, you
shouldn’t let stress ruin your relationship By employing some
simple coping strategies, you can learn to love your new
life–despite all the stresses involved You’ll wake up each day
refreshed, and ready to take on the day’s challenges

Tags | batteries, coping, diapers, grandpa, memorable, motherhood, notions, parenthood, parents, pediatrician, relief, result, stress, time