The first year with a new baby is not for the faint of heart, but it’s also one of the sweetest times with your children. Not only can you survive during this time but you can also thrive in this first year. This episode is all about the four essentials that your need to focus on to avoid postpartum depression, anxiety, or any other mood disorder after giving birth. The four essentials to surviving motherhood in the first year and beyond.

They all say it takes a village to raise children but there are no villages anymore. We are divided by technology, time, and space. So what’s next? What kind of environment do you need to be in; how do you build your own village? Is it possible to enjoy the first year after birth even though everyone says it not possible? I say yes and I am going to explain it all to you with four simple, tangible, and essential steps needed to be able to survive motherhood and thrive as a new mom!

What Research Says About A Mother’s Brain

My Personal Journey Into Motherhood

No matter what was happening in my mind, my neurons, my chemicals, trauma or not, these 4 essentials were the foundation of survival.

Surviving Motherhood Essential #1 – Sleep

Sleep is one of the most vital parts of all life, let alone after birthing a human. No matter what way you approach sleep with a baby in the house, it’s vital that you prioritize it. With my first I was dead set on doing all the breastfeeding on demand, and everything all the crunch “good moms” did. But that just lead to a lot of sleepless nights and me never really learning some of the key elements of sleep skills for babies.

With my second, I decided to humble myself, which 14 months of waking up every night will do that to you, and get educated on the subject of sleep. I hired a sleep consultant.

Taking Cara Babies

Cara from TakingCaraBabies has the most affordable services to teach you how to get everyone in your house sleeping within the first 3 months of postpartum. If your baby is anywhere in the first year of like I absolutely recommend purchasing her course. You can also attend one of her in-person workshops if you are local to Arizona.

It was the best decision of my life. And you should absolutely do the same.

Essential #2 for New Moms – Self Care

Understanding how to care for yourself once you become a mom is no easy feat, but it is vital. Here is a list of topics to read about so you can be prepared to care for yourself, not just baby in the first year of motherhood.

• vaginal healing
• diastasis recti
• pelvic prolapse
• breastfeeding in public
• mastitis
• belly binding
• postpartum depression

Surviving Motherhood Tip #3 -Food

No. More. Fake Food.

Yep, I said it. You have to start caring about what kind of food you are eating. If you are a breastfeeding mom this is not a question of want, it is a need, not just for baby but for you. Breastfeeding depletes you of all the micro and macro nutrients so baby can thrive, which means you need to replace them. Prenatal vitamins aren’t going to cut it. You need to be eating whole foods without synthetic flavors and sugars, dyes, preservatives, and high levels of processing.

The Healthy Foods to Focus on During Pregnancy and Beyond

Here is what you should focus on eating during pregnancy and for the first year post birth:

• organic foods (specifically the Dirty Dozen)
• grass fed meats
• avocados
• smoothies
• whole food protein bars
• water
• herbal teas (breastfeeding friendly)

My Daily Smoothie Recipe

• 1 cup nut milk
• 1 scoop chocolate collagen powder
• 2 cups raw green
• 1 banana
• 2-4 tbsp nut butter

Tip #4 – Baby Wear

Wearing your baby literally gives you your life back. Need I say more?

The thought for some people can be super overwhelming but I promise the incredibly short learning curve is worth reducing the hours of stress you will experience over the next year.

Here is a list of my favorite carriers:

Solly Baby Wrap
This soft carrier is life. I would buy it 10 times over again. It is soft, butter like, cool, and light weight. Plus incredibly comfortable.

LILLE Baby
This structured carrier is amazing for the later half of your first year of motherhood – and beyond. I still use this carrier multiple times a month with Bay and she is two now. I purchased the option that has completed air flow for the Arizona heat. It carries on the hip, front, back, and baby can face in or out. It comes with a sun shade and a zippered pocket. I am extremely small framed at it sized down to me, plus it comes with a back support for larger framed mommas.

Frequently Asked Questions