Tips for New Mothers, Avoiding Parent Burn Out, and More
API's Eight Principles of Parenting are recommended companion readings as the foundation and context for all of our research-based resources.
Balancing family life with young children is hard because it's complex. It's a constant activity that requires an ongoing and flexible awareness of and response to everyone's changing needs as much as possible.
It's common for parents to feel out of balance and we encourage parents to form and use groups and networks to share tips and support. Find and join an AP group in your area, start one, or find another group that gives you the support that works for you.
Tips for Supporting New Mothers
New mothers can be so focused on the baby (there's so much to learn and do!) that she forgets about, ignores or denies her own needs. Mom's support team can help by following these helping guidelines:
- Be patient and sensitive
- Observe mom and baby and offer words of admiration and appreciation
- Notice and be grateful for what's going well
- Be an empathetic listener
Free Resources from API's Library and Blog
- Strive for Balance in Your Personal and Family Life - one of API's Eight Principles of Parenting
- Read Parents Need Boundaries, Too by Carrie Kerr
- Read Simplify Your Morning Routine by Sharon Chinn-Heritch
- Read When the Going Gets Tough...A Little Self-Care Goes A Long Way by Karen Walant, Ph.D.
- Read Be Selfish: Finding Balance in Your Life on APtly Said (blog)
- Read A Balancing Act on APtly Said
Articles from API Publications
- Striving for Balance in Family Life
- Chaos Theory: The Search for Personal Balance Amidst Parenthood
- Dear New Moms
- Length of Postpartum Depression Determines Mother-Baby Attachment Difficulties
- You Are What You Eat: A Nutritional Guide to Preventing and Treating Postpartum Depresssion
External Postpartum Support Resources
- Postpartum Support International
- Cherished Mom
- American Psychological Association
- Postpartum Depression and Breastfeeding Podcast with Kathy Kendall-Tacket, PhD
- Relationship between Breastfeeding and Maternal Mental Health video (2 min) with Kathy Kendall Tacket, PhD
