5 Tips To Help You Feel Confident as a New Mom

Before you had a baby, maybe you were living your life, doing your thing, feeling pretty confident about it. Perhaps you had a job you had mastered, an education you’d worked hard for, or a mix of activities and responsibilities you knew how to handle.

And then a new little human arrived on the scene and your confidence took a nosedive.

Becoming a parent is enough to make anyone feel less than self-assured. From navigating breastfeeding to handling a new (and ever-changing) sleep schedule, there are so many unknowns that come along with a tiny little person. And unless you took intensive pre-baby parenting classes or had nine younger siblings, there’s a lot no one really prepares you for.

* Boost Your Baby Knowledge

When you don’t know how to do something, what do you usually do? Wring your hands? Shine the Bat Signal into the sky? No! You probably take steps to get educated. Just like anything else, learning the ropes of parenthood takes time and perhaps a little study. It’s ideal to start gathering information pre-pregnancy, but even if you’ve already had your baby, it’s certainly not too late to find the right resources to broaden your knowledge.

* Talk to the Experts

There’s no shortage of baby experts out in the media, many of them self-proclaimed. To get the highest quality advice for your own situation, though, it’s often best to have a real-life chat with a qualified professional who can answer your unique questions.Your pediatrician, for example, can be a wealth of individualized assistance. They’re not just there to measure baby’s height and weight; they’re trained in numerous other facets of baby’s health and care. So take advantage of your time at checkups by speaking up with your concerns. Having the all-clear from someone in authority can free you to know you’re doing the right thing for your child.

* Use Positive Self-talk

How’s your inner monologue? The way we speak to ourselves has major influence on our self-assurance, for better or for worse. Instead of beating yourself up for “failing” in a new-parenting situation, remind yourself that you’re new at this, and you’re still learning.

Think of how you would speak to a friend in the same circumstances. “Moms need to remember to be their own best friend, because caring for children and a partner all day long and definitely leave a mother needing nurturing,” says Ziskind. Beating yourself up won’t make you a better mom—but being kind to yourself certainly might.

* Build a Community of Fellow Moms

Find a group of moms in the same life stage and you’ll find a treasure trove of collaboration, comfort, and (sometimes) commiseration. For one thing, friendship boosts mental health in general, which certainly helps in this tough time of transition. Plus, getting together with those in the same boat can provide a space to discuss your particular challenges or bounce new ideas off of those who’ve been there, too.

* Be Selective About the Advice You Listen to

Though friends or family members may be well-intentioned when giving you advice, sometimes hearing tips on every little detail of baby care can leave you feeling like you’re not doing anything right. Perhaps it’s time to get proactive about protecting your mental space. You can’t always prevent others from giving you advice. What you control is whether or not you allow it to get into your head.