Other tips for new mums by Not Another Mummy Blog

Check out this helpful blog by 'Not Another Mummy Blog'
http://notanothermummyblog.com/2011/08/30/my-ten-new-mum-tips-all-i-need-now-is-a-time-machine/#comment-155911

3. Meet up with other new mums

The key here is other NEW mums.  I used to spend time with mums who were on number 2 or 3 and ended up unconsciously comparing myself to them.  It was like trying to run before I could walk, I was trying to be a super yummy mummy ahead of my time!  The moment I started hanging out with other new mums, oh the joy! The sheer joy of hearing other people say what you'd be thinking cannot be underestimated.  I won't forget having my first coffee with 2 new mummy friends and feeling instantly liberated as we shared stories of our labour, the days immediately afterwards, the sleepless nights, the difficulties breast-feeding and the absolute emotional roller coaster that becoming a new mum is.  The chance to laugh about these shared experiences is undeniably therapeutic.

In a funny way, it reminded me of being single.  All my experiences, whether good or bad could be turned into a hilarious story when shared with similar friends and after all, a problem shared is a problem halved!

As the weeks and months have ticked on and my circle of lovely new mummy friends have grown, I like to think that we're all becoming yummy mummies….albeit it with the occasional bit of baby sick on our shoulders!

2. Get some fresh air

Try to get out of the house daily.  Whether for a 10 minute stroll to the shops or for an hour's walk, the fresh air seems to have a wonderfully healing affect.  I always find my mind is much clearer after a walk and now that the weather is just starting to remind us that we're coming into Spring I find myself feeling refreshed.

If you're walking on your own, turn your attention to the scenery and don't forget to look up.  I always find that my own worries seem lessened somehow by looking up at the sky and clouds above and reminding myself how small I am in terms of the earth or universe!!

The other bonus of this is that more often than not your baby will fall asleep and no matter how bad your night has been or how much your baby has cried during the day, staring at their little face asleep will fill your heart with love.

1. Meditation / Mindfulness

I've found meditation to be an extremely helpful method of dealing with baby blues.  By just setting aside 10 minutes a day (I try to do it when I've put my son down for his lunch time nap) I find that I can significantly improve my mood.  This is particularly true when I'm feeling overwhelmed by lots of thoughts bouncing around my head.

There are many ways in which you can meditate or become more mindful and there has been a recent surge of articles in the press about this.  If you want to learn more, then I would recommend reading 'Wherever you go, there you are' by Jon Kabat-Kinn.  There is also a very useful app that guides you through daily meditations Get some head space

To start you off - here is a simple 3 minute exercise.  It's up to you whether you want to sit cross-legged on a cushion on the floor, sit on a chair or even lie flat on the floor (beware of falling asleep though with this one though!).

• Minute 1 - Let your eyes close and start to tune in to the sensations in your body.  Imagine scanning slowly down the body from your head to your toes.  Notice any areas that may feel tense, notice how just this awareness may be enough for that area to relax.
• 
  
• Minute 2 - Start to tune in to your breathing, notice the sensation of the air entering and leaving the body.  Maybe you can feel the air as it brushes over your top lip, maybe you can feel your chest expand and collapse.  Feel how reassuring and comfortable it is to just be with the breath.
• 
  
• Minute 3 - Move out from the breath and back to your body.  Again use a body scan to go from your head to your toes and notice any remaining areas of tension (if you have any!).  Start to tune in to the sounds around you, first sounds close to you and then sounds further away.  When you're ready open your eyes.

When you do this exercise, notice how your attention may drift away and get lost in a thought - if you notice this, allow your attention to be redirected to the here and now.  It is not important that each stage is exactly one minute, take as long as you like!

Let me know how you get on!

The 50 shades of baby blues

Why the 50 shades of baby blue?

As a new mum of nearly 5 months, I now feel able to draw breath, look around me and say 'hey, I think I'm beginning to feel like me again'.  I never for a million years thought I'd find the change of becoming a new mum so hard.  Perhaps I can put it down to being a super independent 'kind of gal' before, that I found the change so difficult to accept.  

Since the birth (which for the record was long but not medically traumatic) I felt unstable like I'd never experienced before.  Four years ago I was single and dreaming of meeting my Prince Charming and having a baby yet here I was with both yet feeling scarily out of control.

As time has passed, I've been able to admit to myself and my husband that I've had a serious case of 'baby blues.'  I wondered at various points whether it was full blown Post Natal Depression but that thought alone scared the hell out of me and so I settled on the rather softer, kinder self diagnosis of baby blues.  The point of the 50 shades is the realisation that there are moments when you feel stuck in the mud with no way out, others when you feel mildly out of body'ish and others when you can have a good old laugh about the various moments of ridiculousness that accompanies having a new little baby.

In my attempt to help pull myself out of the mud when I do find myself stuck, I'm starting to look into various 'feel good' activities and am aiming to blog about them on a weekly basis.  If any of my blogs can help other new mums out there then even better!

If you've felt the same way and have any advice for me or anyone reading this blog, please divulge!