First 8 Weeks with a Newborn: Real Postpartum Tips for New Moms

When you're pregnant (especially with your first), people will offer endless newborn tips and new mom advice. The funny thing is, no one gives you the practical postpartum advice that would actually be helpful once your baby is born — the kind that applies across the board for all moms. 

Instead, they give you advice on which vaccines you should and shouldn't do, why you should or shouldn't encapsulate your placenta… you know, deeply personal things that everyone has strong convictions about. 

Here are some of the real postpartum tips I learned in the first 8 weeks as a first-time mom that I wish someone would have actually told me, from meal prep strategies to breastfeeding survival tips and learning to give yourself grace.

Having premade frozen meals come in handy more frequently than you think

If you take anything away from this section, start freezing meals as soon as you enter the third trimester and consider getting a garage freezer for your stash.

Before having a baby, I cooked dinner pretty much every night. In my third trimester, though, I started freezing leftovers instead of eating them the next day so I’d have meals on standby once the baby arrived.

Boy, do I wish I had bought more food storage containers and made even more meals. It would have been much cheaper (and better all around) than the amount of last-minute food deliveries we succumbed to.

While you have the energy during pregnancy, buy extra food storage containers — these ones are my favorite and the perfect size for a meal for 2 — and make double portions of your dinners so you have backup during postpartum recovery when you really need it.

Start building a breast milk freezer stash as soon as possible

After 48 hours of labor, an emergency C-section, and then having a tiny baby who needed supplemental feedings for the first 24 hours, I was already running on fumes. That led to a feed–pump–store–rest–repeat cycle while completely zombified… followed by a three-hour cluster feeding session on our second night home.

I nearly had a nervous breakdown. 

No one warned me about cluster feeds. Your baby is literally unsatisfied for hours… the second you take her off, she's rooting and whining and begging for more. This is actually normal newborn behavior (usually happening in the evenings), but it doesn't happen often — when it does, be ready.

I wish I had been prepared with newborn feeding tips so my husband could step in, take a feeding, and let me rest and recoup. Don’t start pumping too early — you don’t want to send your body into early labor — but definitely take your doctor’s advice when your boobs start leaking and she tells you it’s okay to start collecting. Usually a couple of weeks before your due date.

I have a detailed guide on how to build a low-maintenance, pump-free breast milk freezer stash once baby is here and breastfeeding is established. Perfect for new moms who want backup without adding more to their plate.

Learn how to use your baby products before baby arrives

Nothing says “this is hell” like trying to figure out how to use your breast pump (I love this one) for the first time on negative hours of sleep.

Do yourself a favor and actually learn how to use your stuff before baby is born. Other helpful things to practice:

• Putting on your baby wrap if you plan on baby-wearing (I have several, and this one is hands-down the best)
  

• Swaddling your baby — there are a million ways to do it and everyone swears theirs is right
  

• Watching several YouTube videos on how your specific car seat works

Trust me. Don’t put these things off like I did.

Not sure what baby products you actually need for those first weeks? Check out my newborn essentials registry with all of my low-tox favorites that actually got used.

Be okay with doing nothing because you’re already doing everything

I’m extremely type A, there’s no ifs, ands, or buts about it. If you’re anything like me, you’re going to have a hard time adjusting to just existing to keep your baby alive in those first few months.

I’m here to tell you: it’s okay and it’s only temporary. By week 10 you should have a good enough rhythm and be able to get stuff done again.

Having a baby teaches you how to slow down and simply be. You’re a human being, not a human doing. All of your energy in those early months will go toward taking care of your little bean, and yourself in the small pockets of time when you manage to shower or eat.

No matter how much you want to, don’t overextend yourself. Sleep when you can. Give yourself grace. Your world just changed for the better, even though some moments might make you feel like a mental patient.

Last but not least, I have a post sharing exactly how I got my baby to sleep through the night by 6 weeks. These newborn sleep tips helped me get my life back to somewhat normal sooner than later.

You got this, mama.