5 tips to help reduce early parenting stress

Parenting stress is distress experienced when demands exceed resources. External and internal factors, such as sleep, social support, child temperament, and economic conditions, can all strain relationships, patience, and family wellbeing. In order to reduce stress, we have five tips to help you.

1. Acknowledge that your feelings are valid

Whatever you’re feeling whether you think it’s irrational (or someone tells you it is), dramatic, or just ‘mum life’ and you have to ‘suck it up’, stop right there!

These feelings aren’t to be dismissed. Don’t just soldier on. You deserve to feel less stressed, and your family needs you to be less stressed.

2. Understand why it’s important you reduce stress

Young children can sense when their parents are stressed, and their behaviour reflects this, creating a vicious cycle of stress. Reducing parental stress is important for the entire family.

3. Identify the specific source/s of your stress

Identify the primary source of stress in your life and address it first; possible sources include colic, a newborn/toddler/twins, sleep deprivation, working from home with small children, a toddler experiencing big feelings, relationship issues, or financial concerns.

4. Work on the solution to your parental stress

Seek emotional and social support to create your own village. Look into local activities for mums and bubs, in-home support and professional advice & support contacts. Find alternatives to stressful sleep training methods or book a consultation. Speak to your GP about any health issues and seek relationship or financial counselling.

5. Incorporate some small stress-busting habits into your day

• Take some deep belly breaths every morning.
• Start your day with a drink of warm water and lemon or ginger.
• Choose an affirmation that makes you feel good and repeat it throughout the day. We have 20 here to choose from.
• Keep some nutritious snacks handy for yourself as well your child, and don’t forget to pack some in your bag to ward off the ‘hangries’.
• Treat yourself each day with something that’s just for you that makes you happy.
• If bedtime with your little ones is stressful, it can help to pop some earbuds in and listen to a meditation or podcast.
• Write lists to feel organised and on top of the life admin. If you have a partner, you don’t have to carry that mental load alone. Here is how you can share the parenting responsibilities.
• Self-care doesn’t have to be complicated or yet another thing to add to your day. Here is our list of simple actions that will bring you joy and fill your cup. Plus, you can do them without having to be child-free if that’s not an option.