The first few weeks of motherhood can be stressful, and mothers can find it difficult to keep up. In an interview with the Health Channel, Nancy Martinez, a Mother Baby Clinical Educator with Homestead Hospital, assures that these feelings are completely normal. 

Mothers often find it difficult to get enough sleep, which can become a problem very quickly. Nancy says that familial support is crucial in helping mothers get the sleep they need. Grandparents and dads can help change diapers and take care of the baby so the mother can get some rest, even if it is just for a few minutes or just long enough to take a hot shower. Nancy insists that moms need to know that letting go is okay, they don’t always need to be fussing over the baby. 

Nancy instructs mothers to get their rest, eat well, and drink water because those first few weeks are important for bonding with your baby, and it will be harder to do that if you are in a bad mood from lack of self-care. “You’re going to feel very overwhelmed in the first weeks when this baby is born. It’s a newborn and you’re completely responsible, so feeling overwhelmed is completely normal,” Nancy assures, “but you have to remember to take care of yourself.” 

Nancy recommends new mothers try to sleep when the baby sleeps. “I didn’t learn that until my third child. I was trying to do dishes, then I would go shower, clean the house, and do the laundry,” Nancy admits. She says that it is better to use that opportunity to sleep because you never know how the night is going to unfold and how much rest you are going to be able to get. 

To watch the full segment of Nancy Martinez offering advice to new mothers, visit the Health Channel’s YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/c/AllHealthGo