how to cope with social distancing when becoming a new parent
Becoming a parent for the first time or even again can be daunting and a little scary, which is why it feels even more so during a pandemic. No-one could have prepared any of us for this, and it feels a little confusing trying to navigate the world in the current state and bring a little life into the world.
We know how you’re feeling, and with the social distancing guidelines in place, it feels as though the support network you expected to have isn't going to be there. But we believe in finding positives in everything, and even though this is going to be a difficult time to get through, we know you will because you are strong and can overcome anything that is thrown at you. Here are some of the ways new parents are tackling social distancing.
social distancing as a new parent
You will have seen on social media how some people are taking to social distancing once baby is born, and although not ideal, there are ways to still make it feel special. Some people have been recognising this as a story that they’ll be able to tell their child once older - about how they were born during this time and had to face challenges like no other.
Even though it’s not always easy to do, during this time we must focus on the positives and the things that we can control, not those which are out of our control.
window visits
Your family are going to want to check in and see how little one, you and your partner are doing after welcoming your new little person into the world. Grandparents might find this a very difficult and emotional time as they won’t be able to cuddle with their new grandchild.
There’s no denying that this is going to be tough for everyone, but they can come and visit you through the window. We know it’s not the same as being able to have a cuddle, but family can feel a little closer to you all by seeing you in-person from a distance.
video calls with friends & family
We have moved into the era of video calls, because now more than ever it’s so important to be able to see those we care about - even if we can’t do that in person. Often during the first few weeks of having a baby, it can be overwhelming having everyone asking to come to your house to see you and baby, sometimes with you having to turn them down because you are just too exhausted to see another person. With this in mind, you can choose to do video calls and also make them work for you. If you need a couple of days by yourself to rest and focus on little one, then schedule a video call in a few days time.
see it as an opportunity
The first few weeks of becoming a parent is tiring, emotional and overwhelming. There a new person that demands all of your attention, doesn’t let you sleep and needs looking after constantly. A lot of new parents often remark that they would like to just spend the first couple of weeks by themselves focusing on their new baby and being immersed in that world - but can’t do that because everyone wants to see them.
So instead of focusing on the negative aspects of not seeing people and having support, see it as an opportunity to spend this time with your new little one completely uninterrupted. There will be days where you might struggle and wish you had a family member to support, but that’s the case even when social distancing isn’t currently happening. Always remember that this isn’t going to last forever and everything is going to be okay in the end.
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