For nine months you carried this little bundle of joy filled with anticipation, excitement and perhaps a little worry about the prospect of pending motherhood. Now that moment is finally here, you’ve brought home your little miracle and the real work begins.

Your worries, fears and insecurities have probably kicked into overdrive at this point. Don’t worry, as a mom of two, I’m here to let you know it’s perfectly normal. Not only are your hormones raging (oxytocin, prolactin, estrogen and progesterone) after birth, but sleep deprivation is also playing a role controlling your emotions, or lack thereof. 

First and foremost if no one has told you lately, you are doing a phenomenal job! I mean that wholeheartedly. It’s hard work being the sole source of nutrition and comfort for these babies 24/7, so with that I want to leave you with a few tips on things I did, and some I wish I knew or did the first time around. Hopefully these will help you as you transition into your fourth trimester.

1. ASK FOR HELP! I can’t express the importance of leaning on your people. You don’t have to do it all alone, even though you feel like you do. Believe me I understand, considering we carried the brunt of the work for nine months, but there’s no shame in asking your spouse, partner, family member, friend, neighbor or coworker for assistance with something. You’ll be surprised at the amount of support you can find.

2. REST: I know, seems impossible when you have a screaming infant, and for some of you mamas an infant and a roaming toddler. Still, the best postpartum advice I ever received was learning to sleep when my baby slept. No one cares if your house is spotless or if the laundry is folded and put away. You may not fall asleep, but use the time for a little selfcare whatever that looks like to you (soak in a bath, take a yoga class, meditate, go for a walk, do you girl!). 

3. BABY WEARING: A great way to be able to get things done around the house, or even going to the store without carting around the carseat. Find the right carrier for you. Here is a list of the most popular carriers to give you some inspiration on your baby wearing style.

4. START A JOURNAL: Sounds crazy with all of the other things you have to keep up with, but trust me you will be so glad you did. I did it for my son’s first year of life, but you can keep it going until your little one goes off to college. It can be written, photos, or a little bit of both.This journal can include milestones, memories, hopes, wishes, prayers, or just capturing moments from growth. It’s a beautiful little keepsake that you can either gift when they graduate high school or have their own little miracle. Added bonus is it reminds you to stay present and embrace all the beautiful little moments that are happening around you.
5. DATE NIGHT: Continue or start to schedule weekly, bi-weekly, or at the bare minimum one date a month. It doesn’t need to be extravagant or expensive. It could be as simple as grabbing dinner then hitting up the grocery store, killing two birds with one stone, spending time together and accomplishing a household task. It might even be more fun doing it this way! However, I can’t express enough the importance of checking in and connecting with your significant other as you both go through this major transition into parenthood.
6. COMMUNITY: Find your tribe of mom friends. Mom friends are the best because you can get tips/tricks, vent, commiserate, share big wins and laugh a lot at the ridiculous things your kids do. No one understands what you’re going through like a fellow mother sharing in your postpartum journey. They can be in-person mom groups through a postnatal yoga class or breastfeeding class, you can also find them virtually through a Facebook. I did all of the above, but I found one of my best mom friends at a kids gym like Little Gym. It was a win-win for me and my baby. My daughter was able to play and learn, and we both made besties.

All of this probably seems too good to be true, but it really is that simple. These tips are oh so important for nourishing your body and your soul. It’s a short little list of self-care. When you care for yourself you are caring for your baby by being able to show them the best version of yourself. Your fourth trimester will fly by before you know it, so hang in there, you’ve got this mama!

With Gratitude,

Diona