New mom, Brittany Harriot, and her husband welcomed their son in January 2024. They’ve learned quickly, life is now all about baby.

“We’re living in his world. I’m learning new things. My husband is learning new things. We are sleep deprived but we are figuring it out and doing our best,” Harriot said.

Other new mom’s like Harriot are similarly learning to adjust to their new lives. That usually includes sleepless nights, going to the doctor, diaper changes, feedings, laundry and so much more. It all can leave parents, and specifically moms, who often carry a heavier load, feeling overstimulated.

While overstimulation likely will occur in some form or another, there are things you can do to reduce those feelings of being overwhelmed.

Sticking to a Schedule

Creating a schedule helps you accomplish those daily tasks without letting the day slip away. This isn’t foolproof. The middle of the night wake ups and cries for attention can sometimes throw a wrench in your plans, so do what you can. 

“I have learned how to do things for me on schedule. When I want to shower I know I have a specific time of the morning to wake up and do that. I know when I can sneak meals in. But other than that, I’m on my child’s schedule,” Harriot said.

Don’t feel like you need to cross off everything on the list. Getting one or two tasks done will help you feel more productive and less overstimulated when the day winds down.

Utilize Your Village

As the old proverb says, “it takes a village to raise a child.” 

“My advice to new moms would definitely be to secure a village before the baby comes,” Harriot said. “At this point if I don’t ask, I don’t get.” 

Not only should you be open to help, you should ask for it.  Harriot says one way that she gets assistance from her mother and mother-in-law is to assign jobs that they can tackle when they stop by and visit.

“Can you help me sweep the floor? Can you help me [prepare] these bottles,” Harriot said.

She says this has been a big help when she and her husband want to get rest or take care of something else. 

Make Time for Yourself

This new life change means you are probably putting yourself, your wants and needs on the back burner more than usual. Making time for yourself is all about taking little moments when they become available.

Harriot said her mother has encouraged her to take time for self-care. Of course your baby is a priority, but it’s ok to allow yourself time to do the things you enjoy. Now that she is two months postpartum, she is taking small steps to do things she once enjoyed before pregnancy.

Rest

Sleeping is important to your well-being as a new mom. 

“I am prioritizing rest better these days but overall I still feel tired. I try to take a little bit of naps. It depends on how the baby rests,” Harriot said. 

This may be hard to do, especially after the first weeks of bringing a baby home. Harriot says it has not been easy prying her eyes away from her son while he’s sleeping. But she does find a few minutes to rest when there’s an opportunity.

“I think sleep when the baby sleeps works for some, but for me it hasn’t,” said Harriot.

Having a Mom Tribe

Having someone you can relate to is so helpful in this new journey. 

“I would like to find some moms to hang out with,” Harriot said. 

These are the people you call when you have a question about the baby or yourself. You should find moms who are going through this experience for the first time like you, or ones who have been down the road before. While she hasn’t yet found moms to plan play dates with, Harriot says she has a few women on speed dial ready to answer her questions.

“I did reach out to some moms to ask typical questions like, ‘what did you use the most, what things do I need?’ Now post-pregnancy, I do sometimes send messages asking about feedings or products that they use. There is so much stuff out there, it is overwhelming,” Harriot said.