Before I get started on this post, let me remind you that I am not a baby person.

I have always loved toddlers and preschoolers.  For me, the baby stage is nice and I loved my babies, but it’s certainly not my favorite.

The extreme exhaustion, the crying, and the anxiety of new babies are just too much for me.

Yes, I’m still tired with older kids, but there is no tired like newborn baby tired.

That being said, I’ve had two babies and have made it through unscathed…and even have very fond memories of that time.

So, here are some tips for exhausted mothers of new babies.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Balmex. All opinions are 100% mine.

Get Support

Every new Mama needs some reinforcements after the birth of a new baby.  We need time to heal, and time to sleep!

For my first born, we waited a few weeks before we had family come stay with us.  My husband took time off of work and spent the days helping me recover and taking care of our babe.  We also had some good friends bring dinner over, and didn’t hesitate to order pizza instead of cooking.

After the birth of our second, my husband was in school and couldn’t take off much time.  So, my Mom came in town and helped.  It was a blessing to have someone there to play with my toddler and hold the baby so I could shower.  Mom’s also a great cook, so she stocked my fridge and freezer full before she left.  It was a blessing.

If those aren’t options, hire a mother’s helper or ask a friend to spend time with your older children while you sleep and take care of the new baby.

Find a way to get someone to help you, because you will need the help.

Get Self-Care

Babies are hard, and wonderful, and sweet, and they will change your life.

As new Mamas, it’s so easy to get totally wrapped up in the care of your baby, that you don’t take care of yourself.  It’s easy to run ourselves down with all of the baby’s needs, but we need care too.

Get out of the house

Don’t hesitate to take a few breaks and leave the house to get Starbucks, run into Target for a bit, or just go for a walk.  I fondly remember that first solo drive to pick up dinner for my husband and me.  It was a glorious few minutes just for me.

If you aren’t comfortable leaving the baby home with someone else, wrap that baby up and take them with you.

The fresh air, and being around people will help you shake off the Mom Funk.

Get Dressed

Get up and take shower.

Wash off all the spit up and grime.  It will make you feel human again, instead of a milk producing zombie.

I usually put my baby in a bouncer outside the shower or on a blanket, while I took a shower.  It made me feel better that he was right there and I could hear him if he needed me.

Put on real clothes and makeup.  When you feel good, you feel more confident.

If you don’t have clothes that fit…

Buy postpartum clothing.

I was one of those annoying Mamas after my first was born and wore my pre-pregnancy jeans home from the hospital.

The same did not happen after my second was born, and I was very upset about it.  It took me a few weeks to finally realize that I needed to get bigger pants and dresses, and just realize that it was going to take time to get back to my old size.

I can not tell you how wonderful it was to put on pants that actually stayed closed without the help from a rubber band.

Don’t wait as long as I did, and get clothes that fit you.  If you can’t get out of the house, order something online.

I promise that a little bit of self-care can go a long way.

Get The Tools

Babies cry, and some cry a LOT.  We may not always know why they cry, but the crying is exhausting.  It can wear down even the strongest Mama.

As parents, we want to soothe our babies and help them feel better, so here’s some tools to help a crying baby, so you don’t end up in tears too.

Get a great swaddling blanket to wrap that baby up tight. Both of my boys loved being swaddled, it was the only way they’d sleep for the first few months.

Find a good wrap or carrier.  This is probably my favorite way to soothe a crying baby.  They love being close to their Mama and being held tight, and good wrap does both of these things.  Plus, it makes it easier for you to get some things done while baby is sleeping.

Babies get gassy, they just do. So get some good gas drops to have on hand.  You’ll thank me later!

Babies also have really sensitive skin and diaper rashes happen, so I highly recommend getting Balmex with ActivGuard for any redness that shows up.  It’s proven to reduce the redness in just one use and fight diaper rash quicker! Only Balmex has ActivGuard, to help neutralize irritants found in dirty or wet diapers.

I’m really liking this diaper cream because it wipes off easily and it works.  If you want to check it out, you can try it out by getting a Balmex Diaper Rash Cream Special Offer.  You can find it at these retailers: Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, Kmart and Babies-R-Us/Toys-R-Us. It’s a great tool to have in your new parent toolbox!

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