We are excited to introduce a new series where we will profile women in various stages of life to discover how they achieve balance in family, work, and health.

The first woman we will profile is Sarah – a first-time mom to baby Luke and wife to Philip.

Hi Sarah! Tell us a little about your family.
I have been married to my wonderful husband for almost two years. We just had our first baby two months ago – his name is Luke and I am loving being a new mom. 
  
As a mom of a newborn, how do you find balance?
To me it is important to balance rest at home and getting out. I tend to feel cooped up if I am at home too much, so I try to run at least one errand a day or go visit a friend or family member. 
  
What tips do you have for making sure a brand-new mom stays healthy while caring for a new family?
Listen to your body. If you are feeling tired and worn out, allow yourself to lay down for a while. Let people take care of you so that you can take care of your baby.
 
How has being a new mom made you view sleep/rest differently?
I have learned that I don’t require as much sleep as I thought I did before having a baby. However, everyone tries to warn/scare you by saying you’ll never get to sleep again when you have a baby. I refused to believe that. Once you make it over the hump in the first couple of weeks of waking up several times a night to feed the baby, it is completely manageable.

What advice do you have to fellow women?
Every experience is different. If you are about to have a baby or have a new one, take other women’s advice but don’t listen to the negativity. I found that while being pregnant everyone wanted to tell you their horror story of birth. Then they would try to give us “advice” by saying that my husband and I would never have time for each other again. Or we will never sleep again. They would always say it with a smile or laughing but it begins to wear on you. Just know that many women have done this before and that you can do it too. Take the time to enjoy every day with your baby.


 
What mistakes did you make that you wish you could go back and fix?
I think I am a big multi-tasker. I like to be efficient with my time and do several things at once. Looking back on the first couple of months I wish I wouldn’t have been planning on what my next thing that I needed to get done was and just relax and enjoy the moment with my son. 
 
What is the hardest part of maintaining balance in your new life?
It is just a matter of making an effort and being aware. If I notice that I am feeling blah, I try and take Luke to go do something fun. For me that means going to visit friends. I like getting to interact with other people throughout the day and not just sitting in my house alone. 


 
What does a balanced life for you look like?
Being balanced to me is still maintaining a life while getting to incorporate Luke into it. The world doesn’t stop because Luke was born, we just get to show it to him now. It also feels more balanced to me when my husband and I spend quality time with each other. We still want to talk and act as if we were dating, but now we can have the added bonus of Luke too.

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To the women who have been in Sarah’s shoes before, what is your best advice for a new mom? Remember – only positive, balance-building advice for these first-time moms, or moms-to-be.