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New
Mom Survival Guide
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Sleep whenever you get the chance. Your
baby will keep you up most of the night, and your sleep will be fitful
and disruptive. You need to rest if you want to be able to cope with the
demands made on your body by your baby. Motherhood can be exhausting, so
don’t think of napping off whenever you get the chance as a waste of time.
It’s a much-needed energy recharger.
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Pamper yourself often. Call the massagewalli
over and get a body massage. Massagewallis usually charge around Rs. 80-100
for an hour-long body rub. Ask friends, neighbours and relatives to suggest
a massagewalli. You could of course ask your husband to massage you, if
he is willing to give your body his undivided attention for an hour – and
ignoring the needs of his!
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Go for a steaming hot bath after your
massage. You may feel like you’re being over-indulgent, but if you don’t
deserve it, who does?
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Join a yoga class, or find out if you
can have a yoga instructor come over for an hour, a couple of times a week.
Yoga helps you stay fit – for life. No matter how busy your schedule, make
time for yoga. Give it the priority it deserves.
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Exercise. You don’t have to do anything
rigorous, but a short walk with a friend will help pump up your circulation
and bring about a much-needed rejuvenation.
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Better yet, go for a walk with your
baby, or get a baby sling, and take your baby along with you as you go
about all your errands. Start enjoying his company as early as you can,
before he reaches the age where you’ll be happy if you catch flying glimpses
of him before he dives into his bedroom!
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If your friends or cousins offer help,
take it. Don’t ask them to go out of their way to help you, or they will
think twice before offering again. But if a friend is going grocery shopping,
ask her to do your shopping as well. Your friends can run a few of your
errands along with their own. Repay them immediately and return the favour
when asked.
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Often you may feel like you’re ready
to burst into tears at the slightest provocation, and you may feel overwhelmed
with emotion, frustration and even depression. Understand that these feelings
are totally normal, and that you WILL overcome them. Giving birth makes
you feel vulnerable and all your emotions are heightened so don’t beat
yourself up for bursting into tears at the drop of a hat.
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Try and get your baby to sleep through
the night. This will make things a whole lot easier for you. Make him wear
pampers at night, so he doesn’t wake up when he passes urine. As far as
possible, don’t change him at night, and if you do, do so without turning
on the light. You could keep a night-light on for this purpose.
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Help your baby adjust to the day-night
schedule quickly. When you feed him at night, feed him quietly, in the
dark, and put him back to sleep immediately. When you feed him in the daytime,
make sure he stays awake for a short while by distracting and playing with
him.
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