The very first time you bring home a newborn your world shifts. And surviving the newborn stage can be tough! Even if you felt as prepared as possible, there’s no doubt it’s a major adjustment. Constant feedings, diaper changes, witching hours, day/night confusion, and constant care without much sleep can be a lot for a new mom (or dad) to adjust to. And if you’ve just given birth, your body is still recovering, your hormones are all over the place, and you’re not quite feeling “yourself” as you adapt to this new world of motherhood. It can be hard.
As I’ve gone through the newborn stage 6 times now, I will say, I love it more and more each time.
I’ll tell you why.
The first time around, you’re “in it” and it’s all new/exhausting and you’re basically just trying your best to navigate, but the second time around you’ve not only been “in it” but you’ve been “past it” too. It’s easier to realize that this little newborn will turn into a baby whose faces lights up when they see you, whose smile can bring you the purest joy you’ve ever felt, and whose love for you is so strong you feel it grow week by week.
I will note that not everyone is wired the same- some moms naturally prefer the toddler stage or little kid stage to the baby stage, where other moms love the baby stage and struggle with the toddler stage!
But chances are, when you have a wild toddler throwing epic tantrums over not getting ice cream for breakfast or spilling a giant box of crayons across the floor just for the sake of making a big ol’ mess, you’ll reminisce about the sweet days of babyhood.
I’m sharing my best tips for surviving the newborn stage (and loving it).
*Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. All opinions and recommendations are my own.
Tips For Surviving The Newborn Stage (And Loving It)
Don’t Take Things Personally
First and foremost, if you’re a first-time parent, remember: don’t take things personally! What I mean is, your newborn is going to cry (a lot), your newborn is going to scream, your newborn may not be a good sleeper, and this is not your fault!
Sure, there are ways to help soothe an infant, or to help baby sleep better, but sometimes, you know what, you get a baby with colic. Or your little one has a tough witching hour. Or no matter how hard you try, your newborn is awake all night and cries to no end whenever you put them in their crib.
We learn prior to having a baby, that babies communicate through crying, but it’s easy to forget this when you bring home your little bundle, and suddenly you’re thinking to yourself “why are they crying so much?!” “am I doing something wrong?!”. No, you’re not failing as a mom. This is just part of the newborn phase. It’s loud, it’s fussy, it’s emotional. But if you can remember to not take baby’s cries personally and instead be confident in your role as a mom, trust me, it’ll suit you better during this newborn stage.
Remember This Is A Temporary (And Short) Phase
The newborn stage is SUCH a short phase in the grand scheme of things. Try your best to keep this in perspective, especially when things are tough- your exhausted, your postpartum emotions are all over the place, baby won’t sleep, etc.- that this is temporary.
Remind yourself of the mantra: “this is temporary”, and remind yourself often, so you not only survive the newborn stage challenges easier but so you remember to slow down and soak up this precious stage that will be over before you know it.
White Noise Machine
Buy a white noise machine. This is non-negotiable! A white noise machine is such a life-saver not only during the newborn stage, but well into the toddler years (and little kid, big kid… heck, we have one in EVERY bedroom, including ours, and it’s such a game-changer for sleep!).
Life inside the womb is very loud, so for a newborn, the transition outside of the womb to this new “quiet” can actually be quite challenging. Having a white noise machine helps mimic the sounds of the womb and will help your newborn sleep, help them to eventually understand cues for nap time and bedtime, and help you be able to go about your day-to-day tasks without feeling like you need to tip-toe around the house or get mad at your spouse for sneezing.
It’s also beneficial to have a portable white noise machine for car rides and stroller rides as well.
(I absolutely love this Hatch sound machine and have one in every bedroom. I love that you can control everything from your phone. You can put on a lullaby to let baby know it’s time to wind down for bedtime, and then switch to a louder option like the “waves” for solid sleep. You can adjust the colors so it’s very dim, or a little brighter if need be. I swear by this great sound machine and I highly recommend!)
Prioritize Your Mental Health
I can’t stress this enough: prioritize your mental health. Your body, mind and hormones have gone through some rollercoaster rides during the past 9ish months (and will continue to do so), so take time for yourself to figure out what you need to stay as mentally-balanced as you can.
Is it 10 minutes of yoga in the morning? A cup of tea mid-day? A relaxing bath every night? Talking to other mom-friends that have been down this road before you?
Try to incorporate as much self-care during the newborn phase as you can. It’s easy to forget or slack on your own needs while you’re giving so much care to your new baby. But you’re both in this together. So don’t forget about your needs too.
(There are so many resources if you’re facing postpartum depression/anxiety, so be sure to talk to your doctor and utilize these helpful resources!)
Prioritize Your Physical Health and Fitness
Your body has gone through SO much these past 9ish months. If you’re anything like me, your physical health and mental health are very intertwined. Gaining a ton of weight during my pregnancies always sends me into a downward spiral, and as soon as I can feel more “fit” (and that means something different to everyone) I naturally become more mentally-balanced during the postpartum stage.
But this takes time. And you may need to start slow.
But there’s no doubt that incorporating physical fitness into your schedule during the newborn stage will help you feel better, and when you feel better, you’re more likely to enjoy the newborn phase more, too.
Start small- incorporate as much walking as your body can handle, or 10 minutes of light yoga in the morning, or calf-raises as you brush your teeth, or glute-squeezes as you breastfeed (I do all of the above!).
One of the BEST larger purchases that helped me mentally and physically postpartum (and especially since my 3 girls were all born in the darkest, coldest days of Chicago winter) was a treadmill. I could go on and on about how much I love having one, and it gets used every day, but I find it’s especially beneficial during the newborn stage where you want to squeeze in a few minutes of walking during naps. I’ve even worn my newborns in a wrap/carrier while I walk on a slow speed! It would help the baby sleep and it would help me achieve my postpartum fitness goals. Win-win!
Babywear
If you’re overwhelmed by the thought of babywearing- don’t be! There are so many tutorials on YouTube nowadays to teach you how to properly wear a wrap with an infant. It takes a few tries but once you get used to it, chances are you’ll love it.
Not only does it foster that skin-to-skin bonding for baby and mom that’s so important, but it also helps increase breastmilk supply, regulate mom and baby’s heartbeat, and allow you the freedom to “hold” your baby while having your hands free!
Plus, in the newborn stage, you may not get a solid sleeper. However, wearing a baby is a quick recipe for increased chances of sleep! Babies love to snooze snuggled into mom’s chest, which allows you to get things done around the house, or get in lots of walking or light exercise.
I get VERY stir-crazy at the end of my pregnancies and after my hospital stays, so with each newborn I’ve wrapped them up in this baby wrap and went out for walks outside the DAY I get home from the hospital. (I prefer a stretchy baby wrap in the newborn stage, and then a baby carrier around 3 months old).
Get Fresh Air Often
When you get home from the hospital it’s easy to get caught up in this whole new newborn stage world. Your days are filled with caring for your baby, changing diapers, constant feedings, trying to squeeze in sleep when possible, that soon enough you may find that the only time you’ve left the house is for the pediatrician appointments.
It’s easy to start to feel a little stir-crazy and cooped up, especially if you have a winter baby and don’t live in an ideal climate. Make sure for your mental health to get fresh air often! Sounds basic, but it helps SO much. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or ready to start easing into exercising again, walking outside in the fresh air can really help. (And babywearing makes it easy to wrap up baby and get outside!)
Listen to Audiobooks/Podcasts Or Find A Good Show
As much as I love staring at a sweet newborn baby all day, these constant nursing sessions can get a bit long. Make them more enjoyable by listening to an audiobook or podcast or watching a good show! This way if you’re not loving the sleep-deprived feeding sessions in the middle of the night, it gives you something to look forward to every 2-3 hours!
Our first baby had extreme colic which consisted of me holding a screaming newborn from around 9pm-1am every night for 3 months straight, and watching old episodes of Barefoot Contessa literally saved my sanity! Thanks Ina!
Skip The “Traditional” Swaddle
Everyone loves a newborn baby all swaddled up and adorable, especially for photos, but when you actually have to swaddle a newborn baby 100 times a week, especially in the middle of the night, it gets old real quick.
However, most babies do like the snug feeling of being swaddled. So consider skipping the “traditional” swaddle and opt for this zip up swaddle (one of my hands down favorite newborn items!).
Plus, as you quickly realize how strong and wiggly your newborn is, it’ll take away any anxieties of the swaddle blanket becoming undone.
Accept Help When Offered
Remember, if friends or family offer to help that means they want to help. Some moms (me included) have a hard time accepting help for whatever reason. But as they say, “it takes a village”, so please let others help you!
Outsource What You Can
If you’re feeling overwhelmed during the newborn stage, outsource what you can. Don’t feel ready to get back in a car to go grocery shopping? Use this time to utilize a delivery service like Instacart. Don’t feel like cooking dinner as your newborn hits their witching hour? Get meals delivered. If you’re not ready to “handle it all” then outsource what you’re able to to take a little bit off your plate. Again, this phase of life is temporary.
Reach Out To Mom Friends
If this is your first time trying to survive the newborn stage, reach out to other mom friends! I’ve found that most experienced moms love to help and share their own experiences of what they’ve been through during the newborn stage and what personally helped them.
Plus, a motherhood bond is such a special thing to share in a friendship- you’re moms for life so it’s important to lean into each other for support.
Use Online Resources
Nowadays there are SO many helpful online resources that offer helpful newborn care tips, from nap schedules by month, to blog posts written by moms who have suffered through postpartum depression/anxiety. These resources can be extremely helpful, offer great advice, and be a means of support in feeling less alone.
Create Small Daily Goals
One of the hardest things in surviving the newborn stage is feeling overwhelmed. Feeling overwhelmed mentally. Feeling overwhelmed physically as you’re exhausted and your body is recovering. Feeling overwhelmed by your to-do list that turns upside down and you’re trying to figure out when to accomplish these things that used to be part of your weekly routines.
I find that creating small daily goals really helps me feel energized, productive, and motivated during the newborn stage. I’ll make a list of small daily goals, so as soon as baby naps I’ll know what it is I’d like to accomplish: a shower, 10 minutes of yoga, responding to emails, etc.
The key here is to have small goals. You’ll still feel productive and accomplished without the feelings of overwhelm.
Up Your “Self-Care” Game
Now, more than ever, it is SO important to up your self-care game. You’ve been through 9ish months of being pregnant. You’ve brought a new human into the world. And now you’re devoting all of your time and energy to keeping this little babe fed and alive. You deserve as much self-care as you can get!
However, having a newborn in the house doesn’t make it very easy to go book a massage or have a spa day, so incorporate self-care at home as much as possible. Take a relaxing bath with lavender bath salts, take a shower with a soothing body scrub, sit and have a nice cup of tea. Any of these small “self-care” ideas can make the exhausting newborn stage much more enjoyable.
Consider A Pacifier
Some people are pro-pacifiers and some are anti-pacifiers. And some babies are pro-pacifiers and some just spit them all out. If your newborn will take a pacifier to help calm him/her down and this little human learns to soothe and sleep, that’s a GOOD THING. So, during the newborn stage especially, consider introducing a pacifier.
(My favorites have been the Hevea Orthodontic 0-3 month pacifiers, but this version keeps going out of stock online!)
Use A Nursing Pillow
During the newborn stage, you’ll feel like you’re spending half of your day feeding your baby! This should be as comfortable as possible. Another newborn must-have, a nursing pillow will help support you and your baby to make feedings more enjoyable.
Remember This Is A Time To Bond
If you can’t get to your to-do list, and your house is a mess, that’s okay, because the newborn phase is truly all about bonding with your baby. And that’s a big accomplishment in itself! You could get through the entire newborn stage feeling overwhelmed about X, Y or Z, but at the end you need to remind yourself that you did a great job of nourishing, caring for, and bonding with your baby. Way to go!
Snuggle
Because there’s nothing better than baby snuggles.
Take Moments To Just Soak Up Newbornhood
This is the key to loving the newborn stage.
Slow down. Pause. Stare at this sweet beautiful baby you’ve brought into the world. Hold them close. Realize they’ll never be this tiny again. Hold those little hands. Touch those little feet. Kiss those little cheeks. Listen to those baby breaths. Savor those adorable baby hiccups. Let them sleep in your arms. Let them rest on your chest. Take moments to just soak up newbornhood. And I promise, in those moments where you soak it all in, you’ll forget about how exhausted you are, you’ll forget about the things you need to do, your life before baby will turn into a bit of a blur, and you’ll not just be surviving the newborn stage, you’ll be loving it.
Here are a few items mentioned that really helped me survive the newborn stage:
You might also enjoy:
Pregnancy Self Care Ideas (For New Moms And Experienced Moms)
DIY Natural Homemade Baby Wipes
Hospital Bag Checklist For Mom And Baby: What Iâm Packing For My 6th Time!
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