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Home » Routines & Schedules » Advice for New Parents (How to Rest, Relax, and Enjoy)

Advice for New Parents (How to Rest, Relax, and Enjoy)

Updated January 15, 2021

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Want simple chaos-erasing family routines? Who doesn't? Check out our Family Routines Reboot!

Want simple chaos-erasing family routines? Who doesn't? Check out our Family Routines Reboot!

Here is some down to earth and easy to implement advice for new parents that'll help you breathe easy, rest more, and start enjoying your journey as new parents.

Here is some down to earth and easy advice for new parents that’ll help you breathe easy, rest, and start enjoying your journey as parents.


When I became pregnant with my first child… I was so so scared. 

In addition, we had other plans for the next few years and this seemed to derail them. But not only that… I had no idea how to take care of a baby. I had not been the babysitter type.

Generallly, I was not the teenage girl whom all the neighborhood kids adored. In fact, I was barely ever around kids. I felt it was a recipe for disaster.

So, I did what I always do when I’m completely freaked out.

I read and read and read until I feel a bit more confident.

After all those books and 5 babies of my own, I want to boil down into a few practical points what really makes the biggest difference with little ones.

Read: Advice For New Moms Your Doctor Won’t Tell You

witching hours baby solutions, advice for new parents

How to ease your tension a new parent

As part of my advice for new parents, I want to give you some peace of mind here. There are only a very few things you need to focus on in those early months that make for smooth sailing for the months after that.

Get these few things down and you are Good-To-Go.

1. Create An Easy Newborn Routine

One of the biggest mistake first time parents make is to wait and try to decipher baby’s cues.

Of course you’ll want to use your instincts & respond to your baby’s cries.

But do not assume you’ll understand what baby wants when baby cries.

This is why one of my best pieces of advice for new parents is that a good newborn routine is key. It takes the guesswork out of daily life with a baby.

You’ll learn to…

  • Feed baby before baby is staving
  • Put baby down to speed be fore baby is too exhausted to fall asleep
  • Stop worrying about when and how to get baby down
  • Focus on simply feeding, changing, and resting
  • Relax with a little happy camper

This will also help minimize witching hours. 

Read: A Newborn Routine That Works Every Time

advice for new parents

2. Work On Baby Sleep (Without The Tears)

It’s a lot harder to teach baby to sleep on their own when they have developed sleep props. 

When baby is addicted to rocking, nursing to sleep, riding in the stroller, or whatever else… it ain’t easy to break that habit.

It’s much easier to teach a tiny little thing to get to sleep on their own. You don’t want to end up with a super tired baby if you don’t have to!

Proven tips to help sleepy baby: 

  • Put baby to sleep at the first sign of sleep cues, or within an hour or so of starting to feed.
  • Swaddle baby (I prefer these swaddles) because it helps them transition through sleep cycles. (Psst.. here are some super interesting swaddling tips for baby at night)
  • Put positive sleep associations in your baby bedtime routine.

Read: The Ultimate Newborn Sleep Schedule: Week By Week

If your baby is already having trouble sleeping, you can take my free series on the 3 biggest reasons babies don’t sleep— and how to fix them!

3. Reset Household Expectations

An important piece of advice for you new parents… your home will no longer look like it did pre-kids.

It’s impossible.

Even if you hid the crib and swing and infant seat… you’d still end up with more mess than before because now you’re distracted and focused on a baby instead of the speck of dust on the kitchen floor.

Remember this: life is like a video not a photo.

Take a nap when your baby naps. It’ll be the best thing for your hormones, mental health, and mood.

Honestly, the house will be dirty and you’ll be spat on. Look up, do some tidy routines, and take a bath.

Read: The Non Obvious Reason Your Home Feels Chaotic

advice for new parents

4. Meet Baby’s Needs In A Timely Manner

If you are working on a routine, this will happen naturally. A good piece of advice for a new parent? Don’t wait for baby to cry to meet their needs.

One of the most encouraging things a new mom can do for herself is to make sure that her baby’s needs are met.

This results in a calm, content, happy baby (barring medical issues you couldn’t have predicted nor prevent) and mom who can relax a little.

Remember…

  • Feed at regular intervals (cluster feeding in the early evening) so baby doesn’t get starving or have blood sugar drops.
  • Put baby down for a nap after every feed. Watch sleep cues so you’ll know what baby’s perfect sleep window is.
  • Avoid over stimulation and over tiredness, both of which make it difficult for baby to calm down and drift off to sleep.
  • Give baby full feeds and avoid snacking.
baby advice that every mother needs to know

5. Don’t Take Shortcuts With Feeding and Sleeping

It is much easier to teach a positive habit today than to continue a negative one and then have to correct it later.

In short, with things like feeding and sleeping… you want to put the hard work in early.

Without a doubt, If you wait to start good habits until baby is 6 months or later then there are many more factors involved that make it harder.

Start out like you can hold out. – my grandmother

Research shows that if you…

  • Feed well, don’t let baby snack all day because then baby won’t get the rich hind milk, they’ll never be “full” and will become fussier and fussier as time goes on. Babies who are not full don’t transition well through sleep cycles which causes short naps and multiple night wakings.
  • Add in a dreamfeed so you’ll be able to go to bed immediately after and get more sleep.
  • Find baby’s tired cues so you can put him down and let him learn to sleep on his own. This is very easy with tiny ones, much harder as they get older.
  • Give yourself the grace and compassion you’d give your best friend during this time.

You can do this, mama.

As a mother who had 5 kids in 5 years… you’ll get through it. 

Need sample routines for babies 6 weeks and older?

By now, you know how to handle the newborn days, but what after? The good news is this: you’ve set your baby up for a foundation of success.

Now all you need to do is continue to find routines that work for you and your baby as they grow up and begin getting bigger and bigger. Sob. After having had 5 babies with 5 different personalities, I know a thing or two about finding a good schedule.

This is why I’ve created a book of sample routines and schedules for babies ages 6 weeks up to 5 years. The book includes information on how long to let baby stay awake, how much play time is good for each age, what to do with baby when baby is awake but not quite mobile, and even how to manage toddler and baby joint routines.

Chapters covered in Rhythms, Routines & Schedules  include:

Section One: Sample Schedules

  • 6 Weeks to 3 Months Old
  • 3-6 Months Old
  • 7-9 Months Old
  • 9-12 Months Old
  • 12-18 Months Old
  • 2-3 Years Old
  • 4-5 Years Old

Section Two: Tips and Tricks

  • Tips for Managing the Day With Multiple Children
  • Daily Rhythms for an Only Child Ages 1-4 Years Old
  • Daily Rhythms for Multiple Small Children Ages 0-5
  • Sample Bedtime, Mealtime, and Playtime Routines
  • Tips for Keeping Kids Busy Throughout the Day

For more sample routines, mom tested and approved schedules for babies ages 6 weeks and up, check out Rhythms, Routines & Schedules right now.

::

I’ve created a free email series just for you! If you struggle with creating an easy flowing routine or rhythm in your home… this is it. I’ve gathered all my easiest routine hacks into one free series and, best of all, you can get a big sneak peak into our book that has over 25+ routines for babies ages 6 weeks to 5 years. This series will help you:

  • find a routine and rhythm for your child
  • learn how to juggle multiple routines (for 2 or 3+ kids)
  • know what is and isn’t working so you can make one tweak that’ll change your day

Click here to sign up for my free email series or simply click on the image below.

Routines Funnel Opt In With Free

Rachel

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I'm Rachel, mother of 5 young kids living in the Florida panhandle with my Australian husband. I write about family culture, family rhythms and routines, and boundaries in motherhood and life. You can see snippets of my daily life here and visit my shop for baby sleep, organizing, and routine help.

“Inside my brain”

Geeezzz, it was like you were inside my brain today!  (and most days recently)  I needed this badly.

Thank you!!!
Andrea P.

“Nothing was working…”

I just wanted to say thank you for your easy peasy routine for 2 year olds! I day-weaned my 2 year old a month ago and have been trying everything to get him to go down for a nap without the nursing. Nothing was working and I was starting to think he would never have a nap again.

Anyways I started following your routine and we just sat in bed and had what I told him was “quiet time.” We sat and read and made a fort and had warm milk. Then today I told him it was quiet time again and he tried to escape the bed a couple times, but in the end he snuggled up after the warm bottle and fell asleep for 3 hours! I was almost in tears I was so excited! So thank you!

Meghan

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Thanks for for doing this Everyday Mom Super Bundle sale. I’m four months into my parenthood journey with a sweet and spirited boy.

I was feeling overwhelmed and frustrated just yesterday, thinking if only I had the right resources and “trail guides” I could figure this all out. Your sale is serendipitous. I can’t wait to dig into my download materials and start learning from your tips.

Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

Lauren N.

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I just wanted to let you know that your blog and emails have been a tremendous help to me. Your practical, honest, and humble writing is a breath of fresh air!

With help and encouragement drawn from your writing, I have made some incredible changes in the order (and sanity) of our home, in just the past few weeks. My kids are doing chores daily, and I also have clearer expectations of myself.

My husband is in awe!

Which helps reinforce what you said- the problem wasn’t me; it was my systems. Our home is in much better order, and so is my mind. So, thank you!!!! You have made a difference for me and my family.

Ann S.

“We are slowly getting back to normal…”

I stumbled upon your blog one morning after praying night after night for God to fix my home! I had just had a baby this May 1st and also have a 2 and 4 year old and my home broke out in complete chaos!

Even my marriage seemed like it was on the brink of extinction and this had happened in 2 weeks! I read numerous amounts of your entries and applied them to my home life and I am happy to say we are slowly getting back to normal. Thank you Rachel! 

Madison S.

“You’ve been a life saver!”

I’m a first time mom to a 15 day old baby girl. I had no idea what I was doing and couldn’t get her to sleep in her crib until I found your blog.

You’ve been a life saver!

Candace R.

“Within a week or two our little girl changed!”

I tumbled into post partum depression/anxiety and didn’t know what to do anymore. I was a mess, baby girl was a mess and I don’t even know how my husband was dealing with it all… 

I googled everything I could think about but there was never really something that felt right, that felt genuine instead of just telling do’s and don’ts. 

And then I found your website and read your pieces about sleeping and eating. I carefully read through your schedules and decided to try it.

IT WORKED!! 

And within a week or two our little girl changed from a frustrated baby into this happy dappy smiling ray of sunshine, that is able to settle herself down by sucking on her fists, even in the middle of the night. At 12 weeks baby girl slept through the night and now at 20 weeks old she sleeps a good 10 to 12 hours every night. 

I just wanted to thank you for sharing your experience online. The way you wrote your experiences made it understandable, seeing it from the babys side but also the moms side. Maybe we were lucky that your way fitted our baby, but it worked and I tell it to everyone that wants to know!

Stephanie P.

“Had tremendous success from Day One!”

I just wanted to thank you for your sample routine.  I’ve been using it for a week with my 13 month old and had tremendous success from day 2! Wind down time is so important and so is consistency.  Thank you so much!!!

Sam M.

“In a few short days…”

I am grateful to have found your blog, as I do a great deal of searching on Pinterest when I am up against a parenting moment that I do not feel qualified to handle.

I will say though that since reading your blog I am really focusing on remembering that every moment is a learning \ experience for my son and I try to take a breath and count to ten. In the few short days that I have been exercising this method I truly have noticed a change for the better in his response to me.

Tami K.

Comments

  1. Felicity Frankish says

    I really like to read articles/blogs online and I found this post very helpful to me.Thank you for your great advice to new parents like me.

    Reply
  2. Thiranya Ravi says

    Really a useful post. Thanks for sharing such awesome tips with us. Keep sharing. Looking for the more valuable post like this from you.

    Reply
  3. Jennifer M says

    I just found your site, my baby is 3 weeks. He is already addicted to sleep props like nursing to sleep. I just started swaddling him at night in hopes that it will help but today he would not nap on his own for hours and i think the daytime swaddle might have been aggravating him…not sure. He cried every time i layed him down. Now he is sleeping without a swaddle…after nursing. Does it take days to get a baby to accept naptime and swaddling? So tired and frustrated.

    Reply

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Hey y'all, I'm Rachel Norman, BA, MS, Language of Listening® parenting coach, mother to 5 babies in 5 years on 3 continents, no multiples. Join me in parenting without losing your mind. Read More >>

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