Here are 10 habits of happy new mums. Try them out for yourself – you’ll notice the difference straight away, says.
ILLUSTRATION CHENG PUAY KOON
Be yourself You don’t need to pretend to be super-funny or super-athletic or super whatever. Your baby loves you for who are you; he doesn’t want you to be someone else. So if you’d rather to chat to him or read a story, then just do it.
REMEMBER A happy new mum relaxes with her baby, and is authentic and natural.
Have realistic expectations Maybe you want to be the best new mum in the world who copes confidently with everything. But it’s okay to be “good enough” – your baby only needs you to love him, keep him safe and warm, and play with him. When you expect too much of yourself, you could be setting yourself up for failure.
REMEMBER A happy new mum doesn’t expect too much of herself and so avoids setting herself up for failure.
Sleep when you can Your baby cries when you want to sleep. He sleeps when you want to feed him. Oh, and he wants to play when you want to rest. No wonder you feel exhausted much of the time.
REMEMBER A happy new mum takes naps whenever possible.
Adjust to new priorities Once he arrives, you can no longer think solely of yourself. That’s not to say that before you had a baby, you led a selfish life. It’s just you had only you and your husband to think about. But now your baby’s needs come before yours because he is totally dependent on you.
REMEMBER A happy new mum accepts that her baby comes first.
Admit you don’t have all the answers Perhaps you ran a complex and successful business before you had your baby. Now you are faced with a baby who doesn’t do what he is asked, who can’t tell you what he wants, and who at times seems beyond your understanding.
REMEMBER A happy new mum admits parenting involves a very steep learning curve.
Ask for help Don’t be afraid to seek support from your husband, friends, relatives or professionals. Help can be physical (for example, by looking after your baby for an hour to give you a break) or verbal (for example, giving you suggestions about breastfeeding).
REMEMBER A happy new mum understands that a little help can make all the difference.
Listen to advice Everyone has firm views on how to raise a child – and most are delighted to share their opinions with you. The great thing about advice, however, is that you don’t need to take it. It’s up to you to decide.
REMEMBER A happy new mum listens to advice because that helps her make informed choices.
Take an interest in your husband Caring for your baby means you have less time for yourselves as a couple; and when you are together, you’ll probably spend most of it chatting about your new arrival. But make communication between both of you an absolute priority.
REMEMBER A happy new mum maintains a strong relationship with her hubby.
Learn from experience It doesn’t matter that you made a small mistake in the way you managed your baby today, as long as you learn from that experience when something didn’t go according to plan.
REMEMBER A happy new mum asks herself what she could do differently the next time to achieve a better outcome.
Give yourself a pat on the back Tell yourself each day that you are doing a good job as a mum. Refiect on at least one incident that day which you managed really well. Be proud of your skills and achievements.
REMEMBER A happy new mum gives herself an “attagirl” every day because that boosts her self-confidence.
"A happy new mum understands that a little help can make all the difference."
