3 TIPS TO SURVIVE WITH A NEWBORN

If you are a new mama, I think you’ll appreciate this article today

Because we are answering a debated question, is it possible to calmly navigate life with a newborn without “losing yourself”?

Every time moms talked to me about their experience it was all about the lack of sleep, feel drained and overwhelmed. I didn’t want this to be my experience.

Practicing yoga, meditation and mindfulness for 5+ years I knew that these skills help you feel energized, calm and balanced no matter what life experience you are going through. So why wouldn’t it work when you were a new mom?

I wanted to my motherhood experience to be filled with inner calmness regardless of the external chaos.

My new mom experience wasn’t always rosy. I had sleepless nights, unexpected challenges and my routine got transformed but I had a different experience than most other moms because I consciously choose to practice mindfulness and meditation to help me stay centered and balanced through it.

So I’m going to share exactly what I did with you…

TIP 1: Create your own reality

Mantras are a wonderful way to create new anchors and create your own beliefs. Your beliefs become your reality so really you call the shots. I started to practice these mantras during my pregnancy:

MY MANTRAS

1. I will enjoy each moment I share with my child.
2. I will get the exact amount of sleep I need to have enough energy for my day. 
3. I will balance my life by listening to my body and being present for my baby. 
4. I have enough time to accomplish what is necessary.
5. Self-Care is not selfish.

TIP 2: STAYING CALM WITH A CRYING BABY

Ayaan’s newborn photo shoot was my first experience of extreme frustration when I couldn’t console him for 20 minutes. (Nobody ever tells you that those peaceful looking babies are totally not that chill between scenes.)

When I palpably felt my frustration and anxiousness, I handed him to my husband and walked away. I took 5 minutes to re-group, breath and regain my center.

When I came back to console Ayaan from a more loving and calm space, I could feel him relax and slowly calm down too. This was my first experience that when dealing with newborns, your energy, vibrations and thoughts are more powerful than your words.

Baby’s don’t communicate with language and words, they communicate by feeling your energy. If you are anxious or frustrated, they will sense your vibrations and will get equally as fussy.

Continue to breathe deeply until you feel centered and calm. A good cry never hurt a baby. So take that 5-7 minutes you need for yourself so you can console your baby from a loving and centered space.

{P.S- This is all a learning process. If you find that you have lost your cool or became anxious, after you have regained your center, kiss your baby and apologize. It may sound crazy because you think they don’t even understand you. It’s more important for you to forgive yourself and also ask for forgiveness for the mistakes we make parenting.}

Yes, breast or bottle feedings will be a new added task with a newborn. With no schedule and each day being different, spending these 10-45 minute sessions is the perfect time to energize your body and be fully in-tune with your baby. These moments are intimate bonding moments and memories that last a short period of time.

Practice this energizing breathing technique to boost your energy when you are feeding.

Mindfulness is not meant to cause overwhelm in your life, it is meant for you to be more present during the moments of your life.

Each mom tells me to cherish the moments with your newborn because your babies grow up fast. Today, they love to sleep on your chest, tomorrow they want to be independent and don’t want to cuddle with you anymore. Take in each scent, each cry, each smile and each poopy diaper.  The simple moments of your baby looking up at you, during a  late night feeding and giving you a smile are the moments which melt your heart and make your life truly magnanimous.

The only way I know how to be fully aware during those simple yet extraordinary moments is by infusing a mindfulness practice into my motherhood experience.

Now I want to hear from you new mamas.

Remember you don’t have to practice all of these at once. I want you to pick one of the tips above and set a commitment to practice it.Leave a comment below and let us know which one you are going to practice and feel free to share any of your tips that help you navigate life with a newborn with more ease.

We have thousands of mod-zen mamas who visit our site, your inspiration might be exactly what they need so please share your insight with us.

Sending you so much love,