You've been a new parent for 2 weeks! 👏

Medically reviewed by Carissa Stephens, RN, CCRN, CPN & Adda Bjarnadóttir, MS, LN

You've made it through the first 2 weeks of being a parent — well done! Hopefully your body is feeling better by the day, but remember that it will take time. Don't rush it and make sure to rest when you need to.

Breastfeeding is natural they said —so, why is it so hard?

If you're breastfeeding, you might be in shock right now at how difficult it can be. You may be feeling like a complete failure. Don't. It IS hard, and it can be very difficult for both you and your baby to figure it out at first.

You’ll want to make sure that your latch is correct, figure out the position that works best for you, and learn how to take care of your nipples in the first few weeks.

Most importantly, schedule a session or two with a lactation consultant. Even if things seem to be going OK at first, it's worth connecting with an LC. They can help you make sure that your latch is correct, and they can also help ease your mind when you worry about whether or not your baby is getting enough milk.

An LC will show you how to weigh your baby before and after a feeding so you never have to wonder if your baby is getting what they need. The less you have to worry about in these first few weeks, the better.

Everything hurts, please send help

Whether you had a vaginal or cesarean delivery, you're likely still experiencing some discomfort. Learn how to make yourself a comforting sitz bath and make sure to use a peri bottle filled with warm water to clean yourself after peeing until you're healed. You can also make padsicles for soothing relief.

C-section moms, keep your incision clean and dry. Get ahead of the pain, by taking some ibuprofen every few hours. This is no time to be a hero — the better you feel, the more time you can spend enjoying time with your baby.

How are you really feeling this week?

There’s a lot going on with you right now, and most of it is completely overwhelming. You have two main jobs to focus on: Take care of yourself and take care of your baby. You know that demo they always do on airplanes where they tell you to put on your own oxygen mask first before helping others? It's good advice. We want to make this crystal clear: Focus on YOURSELF.

We know it feels wrong, but it isn't. Do what you need to do to feel better. Accept help from your partner, your parents, whoever the heck is willing to give it. If no one is offering, ask for it! They may be worried about getting in your way, so let them know what you need.

Eat well. Sleep. Drink water and then drink some more water. Your anxiety levels are probably through the roof because your hormones are all over the place and also because, whoa, you have to take care of this baby! But listen. You don't need to figure out parenthood this week (18 years isn't even enough time to figure it all out), you just need to continue to recover after giving birth.

Fuel your body with postnatal vitamins

Ritual's Essential Postnatal has key nutrients to support you postpartum and throughout lactation, and it's delivered right to your door every month.

Learn More

Eat

12 foods that are high in omega-3. Omega-3 helps lower anxiety levels, and we're betting your anxiety levels are pretty high this week. So try adding some of these into your diet where you can.

Dried fruits. Try putting dried cranberries, bananas, or apples in your cereal or granola, or have some as a snack while breastfeeding. If you're still having trouble with constipation, eating dried fruits should help.

Listen

The Boob Group. The name pretty much gives this one away: a podcast all about breastfeeding. Think of it like having a really supportive breastfeeding group that's available 24/7 and right in your own living room. There are lots of episodes, but make sure to check out the ones labeled "New Mom Breastfeeding Manual," which are super helpful for first timers.

Watch

Orange Is the New Black. Give yourself a mindless break while feeding your baby and watch (or rewatch) this Netflix original — seven full seasons for you to binge watch!

Do

Sleep. We know it feels impossible to feel rested in this phase, but if your anxiety levels are off the charts and you're finding it difficult to sleep, try some guided meditation. Sometimes all you need to get your mind to relax is for someone else to take the wheel. Try Yoga Nidra: Sleep Sessions or InsightTimer Meditation and Sleep App.

Your baby at 2 weeks

Your baby is sleeping anywhere from 15 to 16 hours on average a day, though it may not feel like it at all to you. Your baby's sleep doesn't have any set pattern yet, but you may start to notice some sleep readiness signals this week. Yawning, rubbing their eyes, and turning away are all signals that your baby is ready for some quiet time.

Your baby's brain is working overtime as they’re trying to figure out the world around them. When you see them resting quietly after a nap and seemingly doing nothing, they’re actually in their newborn "quiet alert” phase. In quiet alert mode, your baby is taking in everything around them and learning new things about their new world at a rapid pace. It's a lot of work!