For some people, becoming a parent can be one of the most fulfilling, life-affirming, and empowering things you can do. The only thing is, we are all first-timers, and nobody can effectively explain how parenthood works. You have to figure it out for yourself.
Tips for new parents come in many shapes and forms. We want to give you a parent survival kit with actions and products that will make parenting truly easier.
Essential Oils for Your Family's Health and Wellbeing
Smell and memory are closely linked. The brain is easily triggered by smells and it is very effective at bringing to the present memories long past. A smell sensory experience can also spark a change in attitude or predispose you towards a situation.
Scent and emotion are linked, and you can use this by providing a sensory experience for family time. Light a scented candle that brings good memories or that delivers an instant burst of positivity and happiness.
You can even start during pregnancy. The smell is the only fully developed sense a foetus has in the womb, and it is the most developed in a child through the age of ten. When you are a new parent, the connection with your child also comes from the smell sense.
Now that you are a new parent, your needs will be different and may change as your baby grows. With aromatherapy you have options to get your all-time favourites or to discover your ideal scent blend based on your current needs and your fragrance preferences.
- Love: For when you want to feel emotionally connected with your baby or your partner.
- Happy: Citrus and mint aromatherapy blend that delivers an instant burst of positivity and is perfect for moments of gratitude.
- De-stress: A soothing blend to help you juggle more throughout your day as a new parent, keeping you calm and in control.
- Sleep well: Having a deep uninterrupted, peaceful sleep may be difficult at the moment, but you can awake well-rested with this scent blend that helps you to relax your body and quiet your mind.
- Focus: An invigorating blend that will help direct your mind and boost concentration in those moments you are experiencing a bit of a brain fog and want to actually get things done while your baby sleeps.
- Escape: When it’s time to shift gears from your duties as a parent and need to dedicate some time for yourself.
An Emergency Bag: Aromatherapy On The Go
When you become a parent, half of your planning powers go down the drain. The days when you only had to get up, get ready and leave are behind you, and now you have to make sure your little one has everything they need before you start thinking about yourself (and your partner). Sometimes it seems like the hours are shorter, and you run out of time to complete everything before leaving the house.
Make a spare bag with all the essentials you need to survive the day as a parent and leave it ready in the car. This bag will give you peace of mind knowing that you have a version of what you need in the worst-case scenario. The trick is not to rely on your emergency bag daily but to keep it for emergencies only.
Mornings might be extra rushed now that you have a baby. Let’s face it, you are going to forget to pack things sometimes. For those rushing moments, your emergency bag has you covered. Wipes, hand sanitiser, sunscreen, a blanket, extra clothes, nappies, a mini first-aid kit, and anything else you think might be helpful while far from home. Keep this Mary Poppins bag in the car, ready to save your day in unpredictable weather or unplanned adventures.
One of the best tips for new parents is to be prepared for any situation. Remember to pack things for you as well, like snacks, water, and a leak-free aromatherapy balm to keep you in a good mood. Our uplifting citrus and mint blend is fantastic when expressing gratitude.
Remember to replace what you have used from the emergency bag as soon as possible. Avoid running out of sunscreen that sunny day you unexpectedly went to the garden.
The Importance of Keeping a Routine
Self-care is a must in any survival kit for parents because we can hardly give our best to our kids without it. When it comes to tips for new parents with a baby, many point out products that can make life easier, and they are not wrong. But the wellbeing of the parents is also a fundamental part of any childhood.
As rewarding as it is, parenthood is an extremely challenging mission. Staying on top of everything does not come easy, especially when you are sleep-deprived, when you are returning to work, or perhaps you are still a little bit hormonal.
To help you out in moments when everything is urgent, an easy-to-follow schedule is your best option for ensuring you get enough moments for yourself as an individual, not as a parent.
- Make a list of the activities you engage in every week, including chores and responsibilities, as well as time for yourself.
- Draft a weekly/daily plan that works for you, being as flexible with the hours as you can but including all the non-negotiables. Eating time is as important as “me time”.
- Test your schedule, and modify it as needed. A predictable schedule can help you stay calm, and it will make you used to the fact that your personal needs are important too.
Since time is short, you can use aromatherapy to help you reach that "me time" zone quicker. Smell has the power to transport us to wherever we want. Smell and memory are closely linked, so you can light a scented candle every time you take time for yourself. In a couple of weeks, you will notice how you start connecting the smell with that activity and finding the mind space for it will become easier.