With my baby in my arms and the New Mom tiara over my head, I surely was on cloud nine. It was a very happy scenario for the  first few days after getting my baby home. Soon, I realized how demanding the ‘Mommy’ job was. I made all preparations for the baby to be home. But I totally missed on preparations to help myself after childbirth. It really took toll on me. Along with postpartum stress, I was tired, sleep-deprived and irritated by all the pending household work. I surely learnt from my mistakes and I am summing up my lessons here. Making some preparations for yourself  during pregnancy will help you a lot for first few months (also the most grueling months for first time parents) of parenting a new baby.

Tips for new moms to help themselves postpartum

Buy paper plates : Don’t plan on using dishes for first few months. It takes a lot of effort for new parents, especially when you are sleep deprived. Even arranging dishes in dish-washer for a wash looks like a big task. Buy paper plates, paper bowls, plastic spoons and glasses in advance.

Use Ready-to-eat meals : No matter how much you love cooking, try to avoid it. Use that time to rest. You and your family can do with ready-to-eat meals for a few weeks. Store your favorite canned food, cereals, bars, snacks and frozen food in advance. After delivery, keep fruits handy.

Stock up : Do this before baby’s delivery. Make a list of all the items that you probably would run out in a month or so. Like detergent, toothpaste, toilet paper etc. Shop these items and stock them up in advance. If you have a tendency of forgetting stuff, keep a list of what you stocked where and make your partner aware of it. It is also a good idea to shop items you will need for your infant, in advance.

Ask a friend to do grocery shopping for you : Unless you are really dying for a trip to your favorite grocery store, ask your close friends or relatives to do the favor. SMS the grocery list to them and write them a check of amount they spent for it.

Taking help is good : Don’t say no to those who are willing to help, once your newborn is home. It will benefit you overall. Any kind of help is welcome. No it is not a sign of weakness. All it shows is how much others care for you.

Let the house be untidy : You will not get any award for keeping a tidy house during first few weeks of parenting. So let it be. You can clean it to your heart's content later on. And if anyone complains, invite them to help. Ask your partner to do the laundry for a few weeks.

Take a rest, Mommy : Well every women wants to be the best mom for their kids. But trust me, that will happen only if you are in good health. Take care of yourself, let your body rest and don’t skip meals.

After first few weeks postpartum, you get used to it and are able to figure out some ways to do everything. Yes, you become the Super-Mom. Also your body, which needs some good rest after nine months of pregnancy and delivering a baby, is better now. These small, helpful tips will keep you sane and you will get over exhaustion soon.

Happy parenting.