Statistics show that 12% of parents feel prepared when they have their first child. Are you ready to have your first child? How is your partner feeling about it? What things can you do to prepare yourself for this time? No two couples will navigate parenting in the same way, but there are some things that you can do to try to make the process go smoother. Keep reading to learn a few tips for new parents.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help

There is the old saying that it takes a village to raise a child. This holds true even today. Many people in your life will likely be offering their time and resources to help you adjust to this new stage in your life. While it can be tempting to decline their offers, it doesn’t hurt to take them up on it. If they want to cook you dinner, it might mean that you and your partner have more time to spend together or that you don’t have to try to make it to the grocery store before dinnertime that day. Saying, “I need help,” is not a sign of weakness — but rather, a strength in this situation. 

Sleep when you can

The first year of a baby’s life usually does not mean a lot of sleep for its parents. Sleeping when you can is important. Your sleep schedule will be dictated by the baby, so napping is encouraged when there is an opportunity for it. Taking turns letting each other take a nap during the day or weekend can help with this. Depending on your feeding approach, taking turns feeding the baby at night can help you each get more uninterrupted hours of sleep each night. 

Prioritize each other

While the baby is the main focus once it is born, it doesn’t mean that your relationship with your partner goes out the window. Continuing to prioritize each other by talking each morning and discussing how each of you is handling the new change in your lives can help you stay on the same page and provide for each other’s needs. 

Get outside

Go for a walk. It sounds simple but new parents cannot be stuck inside the house the entire day. Exercise will be beneficial for both of you and there are strollers and swaddles that you can transport the baby in. Getting outside will help interrupt the mundane nature of caring for a newborn for hours on end. 

Take time to relax

Watch your favorite TV show at night, put on a movie together, play some music. All of these things can help you wind down from some of the stresses that come with being a new parent. If you are always running around and never give yourself a chance to relax, other issues can begin to build up. If you see your partner needs a break, offer to take over so that they can relax for a while. 

Talk, talk, talk

Communication is extremely important when you have a newborn. What do you need? What does the baby need? What does your partner need? You don’t want to arrive at the situation in which one person feels like they are doing it all while the other feels helpless. Constantly communicating your needs and what each of you could do to solve issues is key.

Be confident

There is no one way to parent a child that is any better than another. Having confidence that you will be great parents and building on this confidence through experience is key. The more repetitions that you get in with caring for the baby, calming down the baby, feeding the baby, etc will make you more comfortable with the process as a whole. 

You’ve got this!

These tips are just a few of the many things that you can do when caring and preparing for a newborn. It will be a stressful time but you will develop routines with your partner that work and slowly gain control over how to parent the new addition to your family. Accepting that you are not going to know everything and being open to learning new things each day will help with this process. And, before you know it, it’ll even start to feel like second nature to you.