Tips for new parents: How to avoid comparing yourself to others

It’s human nature to measure ourselves against others and with social media at our fingertips 24/7, it has become even easier to tap into what others are doing in their lives. 

Pictures of perfectly swaddled, sleeping babies being taken out for a stroll on a sunny day are lovely, but when your reality is a baby who struggles to settle and a good day is managing to shower, these images can be particularly unhelpful. 

In this podcast we talk to Vicki Mansfield, a mother and mental health accredited social worker about the natural instinct to compare ourselves to others, how this can increase new parents and how to remind yourself you are doing a good job.

Content warning: This podcast includes mentions of miscarriage. If listening to this podcast brings up any difficult feelings for you, please seek help from your mental health professional or one of these crisis or support services.

In this episode you will learn:

• why new parents a more inclined to fall into the behaviour of comparing themselves to other parents [01:08]
• how social media can play a safe role in your parenting [04:58]
• the effects negative self-talk can have and how to manage this [12:22]
• how to stop being your own worst critic and remind yourself you are doing a good job. [14:59]

Further information and resources:

PANDA https://panda.org.au/

Self-care for parents and caregivers https://emergingminds.com.au/resources/self-care-for-parents-and-caregivers/?audience=family 

Adjusting to parenthood: Mothers and birthing parents https://emergingminds.com.au/resources/adjusting-to-parenthood-mothers-and-birthing-parents/?audience=family 

Adjusting to parenthood: Fathers and non-birthing parents https://emergingminds.com.au/resources/adjusting-to-parenthood-fathers-and-non-birthing-parents/?audience=family 

Communicating with your baby during ‘tough times’ https://emergingminds.com.au/resources/communicating-with-your-baby-during-adversity-or-tough-times/?audience=family 

Understanding infant mental health and wellbeing (for parents) https://emergingminds.com.au/resources/understanding-infant-mental-health-and-wellbeing-for-parents/?audience=family