Mindfulness for New Parents: How to Manage Stress
The arrival of a child in the world is a moment full of joy and happiness, of tenderness, of numerous and intense emotions. This comes together with having more responsibilities, since a child comes into the world helpless and totally dependent twenty-four hours a day.
Being a parent implies that life changes completely, and along with the countless joys of the arrival of a child, numerous insecurities appear, such as fears about the ability to be good caregivers, comparisons with others parents, etc. All this coupled with stressful situations such as not knowing what is happening to them (especially in the earliest stage in which they still cannot speak), schedule changes, lack of sleep ...
These situations, together with the insecurities described, can push parents and parents to the limit. causing the stress they suffer to seriously affect their emotional stability and to her performance in any activity.
The importance of stress management in parenting and parenting
Although there are many help books and tutorials on parenting and coping with this moment, the reality is that when a baby is father or mother have their baby in her arms, everything read can help, but it will not be an instruction manual with all the answers.
Constant concern for our son, physical and mental fatigue appear, the lack of time with a partner, the decrease in leisure time, etc. There are many changes almost immediately that if we do not learn to cope, they can lead to many problems due to stress.
Therefore, it is important to take into account a series of recommendations, which can help us go through this moment of happiness and uncertainty at the same time.
1. Express the emotions and thoughts that are generating that stress
Being exposed to comparison and social judgment causes much suffering in parents with doubts, with fear, because they do not dare to expose themselves to the world.
Lean on yours, on your partner, on family members who have children, on friends, in trusted people with whom you are not afraid of that judgment and can express yourself freely.
2. Try to relax
Especially in the earliest stage of babies, the adult's sleep will be disturbed and reduced. This causes irritability, due to fatigue and increased activity. It is important to rest the hours you sleep, so that the sleep is as restful as possible.
3. Take care of your diet
Baby feeding and safety are a priority. However, many parents tend to eat anything and usually not in the amounts they need. That is why it is important to pay attention to what you are going to eat; It is not about making elaborate recipes, but about eating a healthy diet.
4. Incorporate physical activity that is enjoyable for you
The release of dopamine during any sports activity will help balance stress levels.
Since you have much less time, you can combine for example half an hour of aerobic exercise outside the home and some activity that can be done at home.
5. Time for you
If you feel good, your baby will feel it. Spending time will not make you a worse parent, nor will you be selfish.
You need to be well in order to deal with the frustrations that may arise in this time of constant change. It is important to find a moment for yourself, to do something that you like, a reward.
6. Don't compare yourself
Don't try to be the bestBecause we are sorry to tell you that there are no instructions for a better father or mother. Focus on your child and not on what other parents are doing.
It is about being the best you can for your baby and accepting that this does not mean being perfect, that it is a learning process that you can also enjoy.
7. Return to a calm state when you stress
The practice of Mindfulness or mindfulness is a great help for "automatic pilot" and be more aware of everything that parenthood generates for us.
With this practice, in addition to improving your well-being, you can be more attentive, better navigate your emotions, avoiding reactions impulsive and uncontrolled, and you will learn to be flexible and to be a parent who values compassion and connection emotional.
8. Psychological Support
If you have not previously attended therapy, the arrival of a child in the world is a good time to be able to solve certain needs.
Going to the psychologist helps to see what burdens we have that we do not want to pass on to our children, what is in us that we want to remain, what we need to repair and what we want to let go of. Our child will benefit from the work we do, because we will not be conditioned by our past; It will be a new experience, a relationship that is built from another base.
Mindfulness workshop for parents at Cepsim Madrid
At the Cepsim Psychological Center we held a training workshop on Mindfulness for parents that will help you in your paternity or maternity. It will be held on March 2.
Since motherhood and fatherhood come with countless responsibilities, you have to adapt quickly to everyday life. Also, as the baby grows, the needs change; It is an evolutionary process of change that can exhaust us, and through this course you will learn tools to be able to deal with all that anxiety and enjoy. This course of Cepsim Psychological Center It is indicated for people who have recently been parents or are thinking of being one.
Through the practice of Mindfulness you will learn to educate in a responsible way. As we said before, it is not about being the best, but about being aware of how you educate yourself and from where we are doing it, if from our experience, from the fatigue of the moment, or from the power to reflect and stop. All this paying attention to what happens to our son, why it happens to him and how we can help him.
You can learn about our Mindfulness workshops on our website www.psicologiamadrid.es.
Psychological support for pregnant women and new parents
In addition, from the Cepsim Psychological Center we offer psychological support for pregnant women, as well as for first-time parents, to cope with the stress and problems that this stage of life can bring lifetime.
