Don’t Be Afraid To Ask For Help

We all know the saying, “there’s no such thing as a dumb question”; well this kind of goes hand-in-hand, don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it! Most women tend to overthink and suffer in silence, but you don’t have to! 

Some people are oblivious and others are frequently too self conscious to ask, “how can I help”. But if you’re being self conscious and so are your friends and family, you will never get the help you truly need. The funny thing is, most people love the feeling they get when they help someone; so go on mama, ask for your water bottle to be refilled, the laundry to be folded, or the trash taken out; it’s ok! And yes, you can take a nap while guests are over; they are there for you, but really they are there for the baby, so take advantage and rest!

Now you may be in a situation where you may not have folks around you to ask for help. This still doesn’t mean you can’t get some extra help if needed, you just need to be creative. Instead of grocery shopping, use Instacart, meal prep or Uber Eats instead of cooking. There are dry cleaners that do standard laundry and pick up and drop off at your door, and you can always hire a temporary caretaker. If you have a Doula for your pregnancy, very often they may also offer postpartum care and check-ins. These three options may cost you a little money, but your sanity, sleep and peace of mind is worth every penny; and it’s only temporary. 

Lastly and most importantly, postpartum is no joke. It’s tough and you will get through it, by always listening to your body and your inner monologue. If you ever start feeling like “this is too much” or you are having regrets, panic, or dark thoughts, seek medical attention immediately. Vocalize what you're feeling with your partner, loved one, and especially your doctors. You may be suffering from postpartum depression and a little medical boost may help you get over the hormonal bumps in the road. I never thought I could possibly have any negative thoughts with this precious baby in my arms, but pain and hormones can turn you into a different person that you don’t recognize. So, medication may be the help you may need to get you through to full recovery. This does not mean you will be taking medication forever, just until you are feeling like yourself again and when you’re ready to wean off. But hey, even if you need to continue on the medications for whatever reason, that’s ok girlfriend! If the medication helps, and you can operate at your 100%, amazing, you found something to make you the best possible you for your little one. 

All-in-all friends, you can handle everything on your own, you’re only given what you can handle, assistance is available, in all senses of the word. Don’t be afraid to speak up and use that new mom voice - it will be good practice for all the times you will be raising your voice in the months to come with familiar phrases like; “No” and “Don’t put that in your mouth” and “Say mama, ma…ma…”! Never forget, you got this mamas!