Taking care of a newborn is a challenging task for new moms of any age. Being a single mom to a newborn can be particularly difficult. While the prospect of raising a child can be overwhelming, there’s no need to panic.
If you are an expectant mother, you don’t have to do this alone. There are options available to you to help you along your pregnancy and beyond. Don’t let your worry for the future cripple you. You’ve come to the right place to explore your options and get the right resources for peace of mind.
Can a Single Mom Raise a Newborn?
As your due date gets closer and closer, you might be wondering how you will handle the added responsibilities a child requires. Are you really capable of being a single mom to a newborn?
The truth is that you can be an excellent parent to your newborn, even if it’s just the two of you on this journey. According to the CDC, over 1.5 million newborns were born to unmarried mothers in 2018. While being a single parent isn’t uncommon, it’s essential to understand that the journey won’t be without its fair share of difficult moments.
While being a single mom to a newborn certainly won’t be easy, understanding the challenges before your baby is born can definitely prepare you for when your beautiful baby arrives. Let’s talk about some of the biggest challenges you’ll face as a single parent. Educating yourself on what to expect can leave you feeling more prepared to navigate the newborn phase.
Financial Burdens
Babies are expensive, even for a two-parent home. According to the USDA, a middle-income, two-child, married-couple family will spend $12,980 annually per child. So, how can you afford that type of expense as a single-parent home?
When you are a single mom to a newborn, you can experience a range of financial struggles. Although you are likely to experience financial strain once your baby is born, there are several resources you can turn to for support. From churches and charities to state grants and funding, you don’t have to juggle the financial burden alone.
You can find more information about financial grants, food assistance, and housing assistance for single moms here. Plus, if you’re a single mom attending college, there are several scholarship opportunities available. While the financial burden of raising a newborn can be overwhelming, the reward you’ll get as you overcome these challenges with your baby by your side is more than worth it.
Feelings of Doubt
Every mother struggles with feelings of doubt, but this emotion can be even stronger for single moms. Single moms who put extra time into work feel guilty that they aren’t with their baby for important milestones. Moms who stay at home more often feel guilty that they aren’t providing more for their baby. Since single moms deal with these feelings alone, it’s not always easy to overcome these things.
The best thing you can do is make the most of your time with your child. Connect with other moms for support. Accept that parenting isn’t a competition and there is no right way to do it. Regardless of what type of parent you become, the important thing is that you are there to love and support your child in the best way you know-how. Doing that makes you more than enough!
Fatigue
Dealing with fatigue is possibly one of the hardest adjustments of being a new mom; you’re going to be exhausted at first. Being a single mom to a newborn makes fatigue more prevalent. There will be times when you can’t get the emotional or physical break you need to care for yourself.
When it comes to fatigue, it’s important to push yourself to find moments for self-care. If you don’t care for yourself, you can’t care for others. While you have a little extra time before your baby is born, make a journal. This is an excellent strategy for being a single mom of a newborn because you’ll have a list to go to when you need to recharge. From getting outside to take a walk to sleeping while your baby naps, there are several small things, you can do daily that make all the difference when it comes to exhaustion.
Work-Parenting Balance
Work-life balance is hard enough, but work-parenting balance is even harder. You might need to pick up extra shifts at work as your child gets older. While you’ll be happy to have some extra money in the bank, many moms experience a range of emotions as they try to balance their work-life and their time with their baby.
Single moms have a particularly tough time with this because all the other responsibilities at home fall on their plates. While finding the right balance takes time and a little creative thinking at times, it’ll get more comfortable as you get used to your new role as mom.
If you’ve done your research and still feel that being a single mom to a newborn is not the path for you, you have other options. In some cases, adoption is the best option for you and your family. Adoption is a selfless and loving choice that can provide your child with a great life when you thoroughly explore your options. Adoption is an option worth exploring.
Tips for Being a Single Mom to a Newborn
If you’re worried about being a single mom to a newborn, we’re here to help! Here are some of the best tips we can offer to help you tackle single parenthood with more confidence and excitement for the future.
Form a Support System
While you might be raising your child as a single parent, you don’t have to go through parenthood alone. Think about friends and family you trust to help you once you bring your baby home. Help could be as simple as driving you and your baby home from the hospital to running a quick errand for you if you need something from the store. Having a support system to encourage you through the process will ease the burden of caring for your new child.
Create a Routine
This one will take time to perfect as you settle into your new lifestyle, so don’t be too hard on yourself at first. In general, creating a routine and sticking to it will make life run smoother as the days go on. Babies aren’t known to stick to schedules, but they do thrive off of routine. So, be flexible at first. Other parts of your routine could be doing laundry every other day, changing your baby’s diaper after every feeding, and going for an afternoon walk with your baby during their naptime.
Focus on One Day at a Time
Being a newborn mom is overwhelming for anyone. Being a single mom to a newborn can be a unique challenge. Sometimes focusing on one day at a time can be a great strategy.
Instead of worrying about the future, concentrate on getting through today. If it’s a good day, use it as leverage to have an even better day tomorrow. If it’s a bad day, put it behind you and try to make tomorrow a little better. The more you focus on today, the more present you will be with your baby.
Find Resources Unique to Pregnancy in College
If you’re a single mom in college, there are additional resources available to help you get used to your life as a new mom. The thought of adding college to the mix as a single mom can seem like an impossible mountain to climb.
From scholarship opportunities to school accommodations, it’s essential to know your rights and what resources are available to help. For more information on the next steps for pregnancy in college, check out this great resource.
Are You a Single Mom? You’re Not Alone! Texas Adoption Center Can Help.
If you’re worried about being a single mom to a newborn, you’re not alone. Countless mothers have had the exact same worries you are facing right now. Texas Adoption Center’s compassionate team has helped thousands of women plan for their new life as a mom to a newborn. Our judgment-free support team provides the support you need no matter how close you are to your due date.
Whether you need emotional support, financial assistance, or answers to common questions, we’re here to help you. Contact us today at 512-893-7943 to discuss your questions and concerns about single parenthood.
