How To Survive Having A Baby In Winter
Did you know that seasonal depression effects woman more often than men? Add some post partum hormones on top of that and you have yourself the perfect storm for a difficult winter! But as a new mom you deserve so much more than that, and I am here for you. Let’s talk about what you can do to survive having a baby in winter!
Talk With Your Doctor
The person who can best help you in this is your doctor. They have professional experience, knowledge and advice, can refer you to a therapist and even prescribe medication. Keep in touch with your doctor throughout your pregnancy with your emotional state, as well as informing them of any worries you may have regarding depression afterwards.
After you have your baby know that it is normal to have a dip in excitement and energy. Although this is natural be sure to discuss it with your doctor at your six week appointment. Sometimes we do not realize how bad our emotional wellbeing has gotten until we discuss it with a professional.
Freezer Meals
To survive having a baby in the winter you will need some easy meals to throw into the oven! Of course you will want to stock up on a few frozen pizza’s, but to save money you can always do your own meal prep! There are thousands of ideas and meal plans on Pinterest. You can prepare your meals in a tin to cook in the oven, or you could make crockpot meals and store them in a freezer bag.
A fun activity to do with your family and a few friends is a crockpot meal prep class! You can often find these at a local grocery store, like Albertson’s or Kroger. Basically you sign up and pay for a class where a teacher will guide you through meal prepping crockpot freezer meals. When you get there everything you need will be ready for you to cut up, measure out and put in freezer bags. It is a fun outing and from it you will come home with a dozen or more meals!
Safety
Living in eastern Idaho can be dangerous during the winter. For all of my Idaho Falls and Rexburg mamas here are a few tips to help you keep your newborn safe during these cold months.
Have your infant’s car seat inspected by a trained technician who has completed a standardized AAA-certified course. Call your fire station, police station or even hospital to see if they offer this service. It should be free to you and will only take a few minutes.
Avoid going out during rush hour. Try to create a schedule that will allow you to avoid high traffic times on the road.
Do not allow your infant to wear a coat under their seat belt. This creates space between their body and the seatbelt. Instead buckle you baby in their seat first, then wrap a blanket of coat around their body.
Avoid SIDS by practicing safe sleep. Do not keep blankets, pillows or stuff animals in your newborn’s crib.
Avoid large gatherings, and set boundaries for hygiene and personal space. Carry round some hand sanitizer for friends and family who want to hold your newborn and set boundaries for kissing, or getting too close to, your baby.
Pro tip! If you are lactating pump some of your milk and wash it over your baby’s head. This will protect your baby as some components in breast milk are antibodies that fight off bacteria and infections.
Make Time For You
To survive having a baby in winter you need to spend some time with yourself! Make time to take a long bath, go out to eat, or hang out with a friend. In the beginning this will be hard as your baby will need to eat every few hours. However, as you learn your newborn’s schedule you will be able to better plan when you will be able to do these things for yourself. As you take care of yourself, you will be able to give more to your newborn and other loved ones.
The beginning of your postpartum journey can be difficult. And for many of use winter is a tough time too. Follow these tips and you will lessen stress and more bring peace into the winter months with your newborn. You will learn how to survive having a baby in the winter months and even enjoy the time! Check out 5 ways to make baby’s first holiday memorable on the blog!
