New Year, New Baby

10 Resolutions for New Parents and Parents-to-be

By Gina Roberts-Grey, LCSW

Ringing in the New Year while expecting or welcoming a new baby is a wonderful chance to establish resolutions, traditions and expectations. Decorating the nursery, selecting the perfect name and realizing your parenting expectations occupy your time and thoughts.

For many, a new year triggers the promise of time-honored resolutions and hope for the months ahead. For expectant parents, the new year is not only the time to bring a new life into their world – it is a time that offers wonderful resolution opportunities.

As the whir of the holidays begins to fade and your attention is turned to preparations for your baby, you have the chance to resolve to rediscover yourself and your partner. Although resolutions of better health habits or improving your financial portfolio are admirable, consider also incorporating a few alternative New Year's pledges. Focusing on resolutions that shape your life and your parenting ideals gives you a strong and positive basis with which to approach the year.

Resolve to take time to reflect on the emotions of having a baby and being a parent. Setting aside an hour a week to write in your journal or talk with your partner about your feelings helps keep you focused and grounded. As you feel the pressures of your household mounting, taking time to recharge your mental and emotional batteries is essential for new parents.

Personal health and fitness trainer Mark Gryzbowski of Tampa, Fla., recommends taking time to rejuvenate your spirit. "I work with many clients who find the rigors of parenting exhausting," says Gryzbowski. "Allotting time for yourself to go to the gym, take a hike or experiment with new recipes gives you back a sense of yourselves as adults."

Promising you'll make time to take a walk or read your favorite book will help you maintain a sense of yourselves as adults and parents, as well. Making sure to make time for your partner will also keep the two of you connected and help you grow together in this new phase of your life.

Want to see more?

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• Learning to Let Go: Coping With the Stress of New Parenthood
• Mommy's Day Out
• Talk about it!