Let’s talk about how to Get it Together when you bring home your newborn AND have a Grandma (or inlaw or outlaw) staying with you to “help you out.”
GIT Tip #1:
You must get a time frame for when the visit will end. Then have a calm and professional dialogue about what each person expects while you’re all living together. It’s an emotionally charged time for everyone and contrary to what you believe that it should be all about you and your new baby, Grandma can get nuts and make the experience totally brutal. So you’re going to be a Mom now, this is no joke, so start with getting the guts to speak up to your own Mom and take control of your home and life. Be calm, be professional, and speak your mind on how you expect the visit to go.
GIT Tip #2:
Welcome your Mom or Mother-in-Law into your home with open arms knowing it’s a very special time for them to bond with your newborn baby, not to mention helpful, but, it’s normal if something goes awry and it becomes awful. If someone is being a bad girl commiserate with your partner and don’t take sides against him because the Grandma’s will leave eventually, but, he won’t.
GIT Tip #3:
Get ready new Mommies because Judgy Judy is coming to visit. She will feel she knows better than you how to take care of a baby and that you pretty much suck and have no clue. No! Remember you’re a confident Mama and know what you’re doing. Just take a breath and explain to Grandma why you’re doing what you’re doing while remembering parenting has drastically changed from when you were born.
GIT Tip #4:
Lean on your mom! Fire up your to do list for her which will keep her busy and out of your face and you’ll get to do more of what you want! Swish!
GIT Tip #5:
Take a break from her! You are going to be tired and cranky and feel nobody is helping you. Get out of each other’s face before a nuclear meltdown happens. You don’t have to love each other every second, but, you do have to respect each other. Raging hormones and sleep deprivation don’t justify mean behavior. Start your mommy time out right away!
