5 Ways to Reduce Stress Instantly

Being a new parent is hard work and it’s perfectly normal to feel some stress, after all you’ve got a brand new person in your life and you’re trying to learn a brand new job (and identity) at the same time… plus it’s pretty much 24/7, with zero pay increase! Luckily, there are some simple things you can do to reduce those stress levels and feel a little more chilled.

1. FIND YOUR VILLAGE

Once upon a time, we lived in smaller communities where new mums had family, friends, and neighbours to help them out. We were never meant to do this parenting thing all alone, but now many of us live far away from our family, our friends aren’t always at the same stage of life as us, and we might barely have spoken to our neighbours, so we can easily feel isolated trying to manage everything ourselves. So, you need to Find Your Village.

If you do have family nearby ask them to help, maybe they can drop some evening meals off or help out with bathtime, laundry, etc. Having my mum around to help out after the births of all three of my children in those early days made a HUGE difference to my sanity. You’ve just been through a major physical and mental event, it’s okay to let other people look after you and help out. Maybe you have friends who can be supportive, whether it’s popping in for coffee, checking in by phone, or bringing a well-timed takeaway. Friends help keep you sane when things feel tough, so let them know how helpful it is to just chat for a bit, or have someone else physically there, especially if things are feeling hard. People are usually happy to help, but you might have to ask for what you want.

If you don’t have family or friends that can help, find out what mum groups are in your area and go along to them. I know it can feel like a major undertaking but it’s a great way to meet people who are at the same stage of life as you, and it helps you realise you are not alone. Plus, you might make some new friends who can swap babysitting duties with you in the future as your little ones get bigger. If you can’t get to an in-person group right now, find some Facebook groups to join. It’s great to be able to ask questions and connect with others even if it’s online.

Remember, there’s no medal at the end of all this, nobody scores extra points for being Superwoman and doing everything by themselves, so gather your village and enjoy the support that comes with it.

2. TAKE IT OUTSIDE

Getting out of the house can be a HUGE stress reducer… as long as it is to enjoy being outside and not to get a ton of chores done. Drop the to-do list and just go for a walk! Of course, you can walk around the shops or your local area, but being outside in nature is far more beneficial for mental wellbeing and lowering stress levels. It’s also great for babies as they get to take in all sorts of new sounds, smells, etc. all of which stimulate their brains and aid healthy development. Make sure your baby is dressed appropriately for the conditions (and keep checking they are not getting too hot or cold), remembering that they can’t regulate their body temperature efficiently yet. Keeping a ‘grab-bag’ by the front door stocked with wipes, nappies, etc. can make getting out and about feel like much less of a challenge. All you have to do is choose where to go. Whether it’s the park, beach or woods is up to you.

3. DANCE IT OUT

Yes, Meredith Gray and Christina Yang knew what they were talking about in those iconic Grey’s Anatomy scenes. Music is good for our souls and dancing can be a fabulous stress reliever. Babies also love music so it can be a great way to keep them happy too. Pick your favourite uplifting track (or tracks) and then let your inner Dance Diva out for a home boogie session. You can even dance with your baby if you want to, but keep them held close to you (you could use a sling if you like), and don’t go too crazy, just keep the movements nice and gentle, especially if they don’t have any head control yet.

4. ZONE OUT

I don’t mean ignore your baby, I’m talking about getting your Om on. Meditation is one of the best ways to lower stress levels and research has shown that even a short meditation session (5 minutes), when done on a regular basis, can make a big difference. There are lots of guided meditations on Youtube, or check out some of mine. It’s normal to find it hard to stop your mind from racing during meditation, but the more you practice the easier it becomes. It is my number-one go-to anytime things start to get on top of me. As much as I LOVE my daily yoga, I would rather miss that than my meditation. It helps with my anxiety, keeps me feeling less stressed, and keeps me grounded no matter what else is going on. When my kids were little the days I meditated were always better than those when I didn’t make the time.

Why not give it a quick try now?

Here’s what to do for an instant calm-fest: Close your eyes, relax your shoulders, and take 3 deep, slow breaths in, sighing them out loudly. Next, breathe in for a count of 4, hold for 1, and breathe out for a count of 4. Repeat this another 4 times. Then let your breathing return to normal, and slowly open your eyes.

Notice how you feel. You can use that simple exercise anytime you feel overwhelmed or stressed for a quick bit of calm, and look at adding a regular meditation practice to your day.

5. LET GO

I know, I know, it’s not easy to just let go of stress. But it is easy (sort of) to let go of some of the other things that are taking up space in your day/brain and contributing to your stress levels. New babies take up a lot of time and have a lot of needs, but things often feel most stressful when we are also trying to tick off a long to-do list every day. There’s laundry, housework, food shopping, cooking, and a whole host of other things vying for our attention. This is where we have to figure out what to let go of. What are the non-essentials? Things don’t need to be perfect. You don’t need to vacuum every day, or iron bedsheets, or whatever else is taking up time that you could be spending focusing on getting to know your new baby, or taking care of yourself when they are sleeping. I’m not suggesting you let your house end up looking like an episode of hoarders, but you can ease up a little right now, the world will not come to an end. Your priority right now is taking care of your little one, and taking care of yourself. So, delegate where you can and let the rest go. These early days are your chance to just be with your baby, everything else can wait a little while.

What are your favourite stress-busting tips? Share below, I’d love to hear xox