One of the best feelings in life is bringing your baby home. You are excited and happy that the long and arduous nine months of pregnancy are over, and you have successfully brought a new life into this world. But for new moms, these feelings are fleeting, and before they can completely cherish these emotions, they are quickly replaced by the anguish and loneliness that comes with taking care of a newborn. But fret not; we are here with tips to make your life manageable. I would not say that it will make your life easier because, trust me, nothing is easy about newborn care. You just have to hang in there and survive. So, without further ado, let's dive in.

Baby Sleep Advice:


Babies do not sleep on a schedule, especially newborns. It's really hard to get any sleep with a newborn. So in the initial days, don't burden yourself with nap schedules and wake windows. Just let the baby sleep whenever he or she likes. Some babies are notorious for sleeping the whole day and waking all night. During this phase, new mothers usually get a lot of advice to put newborns on a schedule, but it's just not possible until the baby is at least six weeks.

The only advice I give new moms is: Welcome to hell; you're gonna love it here.

Creating a Safe Sleep Environment:


Creating a safe sleep environment is very important for new moms because they are already anxious. Their hormones are all over the place; they are going through postpartum recovery, and they are suddenly saddled with the responsibility of keeping a new tiny human alive who cannot do anything without her.

Sleep is important for babies; it helps them grow. According to AAP, safe sleep rules are very simple:

Put them on their backs on a flat surface.
Separate them from their parents.
Make sure that the place where the baby sleeps has no loose blankets or any toys.
But babies' sleep practices vary greatly from country to country. The cultural differences in sleep practices have been there for centuries. A consensus has not been formed yet. In India and Pakistan, hammocks and bassinets are used, but some parents co-sleep as well.

No matter what practice you follow, make sure that your baby is well protected and safe.

Feeding Your Newborn:


Once you have found a place for your baby to sleep, your next big decision awaits you: "What will the baby eat?" But don't worry too much about it because whatever you choose, you will be WRONG. If you choose to exclusively breastfeed your child, there will be people telling you the health benefits of formula and how it makes babies sleep for longer periods of time and makes them much healthier (read: fatter).
If you choose to formula feed, however, you will be judged severely by everyone, and I mean EVERYONE. From your pediatrician to your best friend, from your coworker to your maid, and let's not even begin about strangers and your in-laws. If you are reading this and thinking that I should never give you or anyone any advice because I'm not doing a very good job. Just remember: You can't win.

So formula feed if you want to, breastfeed if you want to; the baby is too young to remember anyway.

Diapering and Hygiene Basics:


Finally, we are upon a section where I can put on my motherly hat and give some actual, sane, and judgment-free advice. Because, thank God, we all agree on the diapers!
Diaper changes are really simple. Lift the bum up and use wipes or just take the baby to the toilet and wash. But for newborns, I would definitely recommend wipes. Some people also use cloth diapers because they are environmentally friendly and sustainable. But, personally, I would die if I had to wash diapers on top of going to work and taking care of my Irish twins.

Techniques to Calm a Colicky Newborn:


If your newborn has colic, then he or she will be crying for hours, and it can get very overwhelming to continuously listen to your baby crying. Here are some things that you can try.

Feed the baby upright, burp him mid-feed and after the feed. My pediatrician even recommended keeping the baby upright for half an hour after every feed.
Use anti-colic bottles, and don't shake the bottle to mix the formula; instead, swirl it around in the bottle so bubbles don't form.
Use colic drops to alleviate gas.
Swaddle the baby or use a sleep sack.
Use white noise to calm the baby because it will remind them of the sounds they heard in their mother's womb.
Bouncing on the edge of the bed or a bouncing ball.
But honestly, the thing that truly worked for us was the passage of time. You just have to wait it out for at least three months. In our case, it was 4.5 months of pure hell. But hang in there; it will get better. That baby will be walking, talking, and going to school before you know it.

In motherhood, the days are long, but the years are very short, and they will pass by quickly.




Ask for Help:


All the above tips are important, but the most important of them is that you should take care of yourself along with your baby. It sounds difficult when you are in the deep end and have not brushed your hair or washed your face for days. New moms feel that they alone should be responsible for the baby; it is usually because of misconceptions like motherhood is natural and a mom should be able to somehow correctly anticipate the baby's needs as well as fulfill them all at once while she, herself, has barely recovered from her pregnancy and birth.

Never feel guilty for asking for help, and never let anyone shame you into feeling guilty. Motherhood is one of the most difficult jobs in the world, and newborn care is at least 10 times harder.
Always ask for help. Involve your partner, involve his parents, involve your parents, involve anyone who wants to help. Parenthood is a shared adventure, and by leaning on one another, we find the strength and resilience to face its trials and tribulations head-on

Motherhood will change you completely as a person but the bond that you will form with your baby will be much bigger than any of the troubles you are facing today.