When exhaustion overcomes us: why it is essential that you are well to take care of your baby

Motherhood is a great physical, mental and emotional wear for mothers, possibly greater than any other challenge that occurs in life. Parents, and especially moms, turn to their babies since pregnancy to give them all their attention and care.

The baby then becomes the center of the life of new parents, who often forget their own needs. In the case of moms, it can be even more serious: taking time for yourself, for your physical and mental care, becomes the last priority.

To the problems of insomnia and fatigue of the nine months of gestation, the sleepless nights and the moments of tension and exhaustion that motherhood brings are often joined. Society also focuses more on the newborn than on the mother.

But be careful, because stopping your hair for lack of time, not buying clothes for acquiring one more set for the children or not spending enough time for the couple and friends is very detrimental to the emotional and mental health of the mother.

Achieve emotional well-being to care

To be able to take care of children, it is necessary to be rested (first), but also emotionally balanced. And this is difficult to achieve if you lack hours of sleep and you don't have five minutes to eat something hot sitting at the table without interruptions. Self-care is essential for the development of motherhood, and something to take into account for new parents, for their closest environment and also, why not, for society as a whole.

If there is no self-care time, the adult collapses and that does not help at all, right? An example: when we get on a plane, the auxiliaries recommend that, in case of emergency, adults put the mask first to put it on the children later. Doing it in another order, we would pass out and we could not help the little ones.

Getting back in the first place is necessary to have greater emotional well-being from which to educate children

This metaphor serves to illustrate motherhood in many other aspects. Self-care is not selfishness or lack of delivery, so you should never feel guilty. It is taking care to take care of others. Getting back first (and not last) is necessary to have greater emotional well-being from which to educate children in the best possible way.

In addition, and if this justification is not enough alone, Only by taking care of ourselves can we teach the little ones the importance of self-care and dedicating personal time. Our example is the best way to deeply value very important values ​​for our children such as cultivating friendships, developing hobbies, playing sports and caring for our body and mind. All this will make them better and provide them with tools to make them happy and full people.

Ask for help when needed

Maintaining a balance between family, work and personal life is complicated, but you have to try. Sometimes, it is worth something as easy (and as difficult at the same time) as asking for help from friends, grandparents or uncles to scratch a little time and develop a hobby that had been forgotten, do some sport, enjoy a coffee with friends or a dinner alone with the couple.

Without going so far, the couple is the best ally so that the mother's needs are not invisible. The two members of the couple need to rest and have personal time, although the baby demands much more from the mother (especially the first months and during breastfeeding) and it is she who is deprived of sleep.

Lack of sleep and exhaustion directly affects our physical and mental state

Rest results in family well-being and also, it should not be ignored, in one's own relationship. It does not escape anyone that the fatigue and exhaustion of the first months usually generates arguments and tensions between the parents, something that can only be avoided by recovering space together and spending time alone and exclusively.

An emotionally and psychologically healthy mother, supported by her environment in the upbringing of the baby, fully lives her motherhood and better overcome any obstacle that arises.

Rest, basic pillar of well-being

Especially in the early years of childhood, the most basic thing to feel better is simply to have a restful sleep. Lack of sleep and the exhaustion that entails directly affect our physical and mental state. In the cognitive aspect, it generates memory problems, learning and attention failures, as well as an irritable mood. We are more vulnerable to discussions and to exploit emotionally.

In addition, health suffers, as it weakens our immune system. This means that our defenses go down, so we are more helpless against colds, flu, gastroenteritis ...

And for parents to rest well, our little ones must do it too. According to the Spanish Association of Primary Care Pediatrics (AEPAP) in a report on childhood sleep disorders, about 30% of children who go to the clinic do so due to a problem related to sleep, whether night terrors, multiple awakening, insomnia, infant apnea ...

The advantages of a good dream for the little ones are equally clear: they acquire more quickly the skills of fine and gross motor skills, they are more resistant to diseases, obtain better academic performance in school and acquire better social skills. Also, a good rest during the night contributes to a healthy growth in childhood, it is even said that children grow while they sleep.

That our baby sleep well is achieved by establishing a good sleep routine, a time before bedtime in which we are dedicated to creating a relaxed, safe and low-light environment that gives sleepiness and favors a long and restful sleep. This routine, which helps children so much, begins one hour before bedtime and usually begins with a relaxing bath.

An emotionally and psychologically healthy mother and supported by her environment fully lives her motherhood

After bathing, it is recommended to take the time to apply the lotion to the baby to give a massage (if you like). This moment of relaxation, as well as changing diapers or putting on pajamas, should be done in a quiet environment, with no noise or games that can activate it again.

After breastfeeding the baby or offering a bottle, it is time to take him to his crib, before he falls asleep, accompanying him with a soft and sweet lullaby or telling him a story to avoid overstimulating him. This routine may not bear immediate fruit, but if it is integrated into the family day-to-day life, the baby will assume it normally and improve his sleep quality.

In addition to the nighttime routine, it is important favor rest with something as basic as the quality of the mattress, and for this you must be firm and breathable. When choosing one, two very important aspects must be taken into account: that it is safe as well as comfortable. Emma Colchón, a German company specializing in rest, has designed a specific mattress for babies and their needs.

This mattress is soft, but resistant and washable, and allows a comfortable and comfortable rest for children from 0 to 5 years. In effect, it has an optimal degree of firmness to avoid sudden infant death syndrome, spinal problems or reflux. In the same way, manufacturing materials are free of sulfates and other substances that could cause allergies. That is why it has received different quality labels, the LGA and FKT, as well as the recognition of the users.

However, the really important thing is to give your baby the chance to have the rest he needs. So, by the way, parents can sleep more calmly and prepared to enjoy an unforgettable upbringing. Sweet dreams!

Images | Dominika Roseclay / Pexels, smpratt90 / Pixabay, Pexels

Video: How to overcome Childhood Emotional Neglect. Kati Morton (March 2024).