Once you settle into your new routine and start getting into the groove of parenting, you might notice that some days feel very familiar. Sometimes it feels like all you do as a new mom is repeat the same thoughts and activities on a loop. The days blur together, the nights feel endless, and it can start to feel like a never-ending remake of Groundhog Day.
These feelings can be hard to process. While you may be overwhelmed with joy over your newborn, it’s also okay to feel plain old overwhelmed. This season is full of ups and downs, so be gentle with yourself as you navigate it. As a new mom, you might feel like sometimes all you do is . . .
The Things New Moms Find Themselves Doing Every Day
In the early days of motherhood, these everyday tasks and thoughts can start to feel like they’re on repeat, even as your baby grows and changes.
Nurse
Then, nurse again. And once more for the babies in the back. But seriously, breastfeeding is no simple task. You might feel like you are auditioning for the latest raunchy comedy with the amount your breasts appear in your household daily. Your baby will settle into a routine, and you will likely become more efficient with your feeding sessions. But for a while, you might feel like you are starring in “Girls Gone Wild” at every waking moment.
Change Diapers
This one is a given. Have a baby and change diapers. But in those early days, you will change those diapers more times than you can count. Bonus points if they are blowouts that require an outfit change as well.
Related: How To Change a Baby’s Diaper
Cry
I mean you, new mom, not your newborn (although they will do plenty of crying, too). You will cry a lot in those early days. Everything can feel so new and scary, and your hormones are all over the place. Allow yourself to cry and lean on your support system as much as you need.
Laundry
Babies require outfit changes frequently, especially in the early days. The spit-up, the blowouts, and outfit changes can make laundry build up faster than you can ever imagine. Stay on top of it if possible, but be kind to yourself if it piles up. Those clothes will eventually get washed. But folded and put away? Now you’re pushing it.
Clean Bottle Parts
You might feel like you are constantly filling milk bottles if you are formula-feeding or pumping. Some bottles have more parts than others. However, the constant washing and rewashing of nipples, bottles, and caps can quickly get old.
Google Every Symptom
The Internet can be an incredible place. But it also can be a scary rabbit hole that might do more harm than good, especially for a new mama who is sleep-deprived amid another late-night nursing session. Try to stay off Dr. Google and stick to more lighthearted scrolling.
Related: Top Googled Parenting Questions
Plan Milestone Events
The mental load of this one is heavy. There is always an upcoming holiday or milestone. You might feel like your brain is constantly preparing for what is coming next, ensuring you and the baby are well-prepared. Prep as much as possible, but remember that not everything needs to be an elaborate event.
Organize, Buy, and Change Clothing Sizes
Your newborn is growing rapidly, and they might already be busting out of newborn clothes. As a new mom, you may constantly rotate clothes, put away those small ones, and swap them out for the next size up.
Clean
No matter what, your house is never truly “clean” with a newborn. There is stuff everywhere, and after spending every waking moment with the baby and every other moment trying to catch a few minutes of sleep, there is not much time left to scrub down the kitchen. You might find yourself picking up around the house all night. But no matter how often you do it, it still looks like a tornado blew through.
Hold the Baby
This one seems like it might be a good thing, right? It can be, and soaking up those newborn cuddles is one of the best feelings in the world. But it can also be overwhelming and challenging to have a newborn who never wants to be put down and doesn’t allow you a minute to yourself. While it’s easy to remind yourself that you will undoubtedly miss those cuddles one day, it can be stressful when you need a break and a shower in the worst way.
Sterilize Pump Parts
If you are pumping, this adds a whole new aspect to your day as a new mom. You will constantly feel like you’re sterilizing your pump parts in time for the next session. Do yourself a favor and invest in two or even three sets of pumping parts. That way, you don’t have to wash quickly between sessions.
Look for Your Coffee or Reheat It 100 Times a Day
If you’re a new mom, you know the battle of sleep deprivation wreaking havoc on your body daily. You might feel like coffee is the only thing getting you through the day. But you might also misplace that mug as you tackle the million other items on your to-do list.
Search for a Clean Pacifier
If you have a baby who uses a pacifier, you may constantly search high and low for this magic tool. You might also find yourself on all fours under the crib, desperately searching for it to soothe your crying baby.
Rock the Baby to Sleep
This is one of the best feelings in the world. It can also be fraught with stress and anxiety as you are sleep-deprived and begging your newborn to get some sleep so you can, too. You might feel like you are making grooves on your floor with all the pacing that is going on as you silently plead for your little cherub to realize how good sleep can feel.
Worry If the Baby is Eating Enough
It can be stressful making sure that the baby is getting enough breastmilk or formula and gaining the appropriate amount of weight. You will be at the pediatrician’s office more times than you can count, getting weight checks and completing well visits to ensure your baby is on the right growth curve.
Walk Around the House in Circles
You might start walking into a room and forget what you’re doing, or pace around the house aimlessly as you tick off items on your to-do list in your head. Regardless of the reason, it is just one of those things that happens once you become a mom. I can’t explain it.
Care for Others
You might feel burnt out as you enter the new world of parenthood. It can be the best feeling in the world to welcome your baby. However, constantly remembering that you are responsible for another life can be an overwhelming thought. Factor in that you may still have a partner looking to you for time and attention, which can get overwhelming quickly. Take the time you need, and remember to carve out time for yourself. Easier said than done, I know.
Related: Tips To Avoid Mom Burnout
Worry
With all the joy that comes with a new baby and parenthood, it is also accompanied by a level of fear that you may not be familiar with as a new mom. The worry can feel overwhelming, and if it impedes your ability to enjoy your life and be present with your family, please reach out to your support system for help.
Smile
You might feel like a clown as you smile at your baby all day, hoping to get that elusive first smile. It can get exhausting trying to entertain a newborn. Remember to pace yourself and know that they love cuddling up in your arms as you calmly snuggle them just as much as they love seeing you work on your stand-up comedy skills.
Not much can prepare you for the moment you arrive home with your newborn. You can take every class and read every book, yet still feel exhausted and overwhelmed. These feelings are valid. While the days may feel repetitive, this season is temporary. And even when it feels like you do the same things over and over, your baby is grateful for every single one of them.
