Use Naptime

Not getting enough rest is the universal problem faced by all moms. Sapna Rajpal, a housewife and mother of a two year old girl says whenever she wanted to catch a nap her baby would be wide awake… looking at her with bambi eyes.

"My baby never slept at night! I had to stay awake the entire night just looking after him," says Sarita Gomez.

Most moms try getting housework done when their babies are sleeping. Sarita would get her few winks of sleep when her baby was sleeping.

Get Them to Help

When you decided to become a mother, you didn't offer to shoulder all the responsibilities yourself, did you?

Media Professional and mother of a two-year-old, Amrita Ganguly-Salian ensured that her child was not totally dependent on her.  "When I wasn't around, I made sure that she was comfortable being taken care by somebody else," she says.

Amrita made sure her baby ate with others. Her kid was given bath twice a day, once by Amrita and once by her maid. She also made others sing her baby to sleep. "Of course, I did all this without compromising on my position as her mother," adds Amrita.

They don't call your husband your better half for nothing. Make a list of things that the two of you can split and do. Don't be ashamed to ask for and receive help.

"Sometimes my husband puts the baby to sleep. I take this opportunity to read a book or watch some TV," says Amrita.

Charlotte Ferrao was in a fix when she had her daughter. Without in-laws and a maid, she was compelled to look after her baby and do all the housework. She got so engrossed with motherhood and household chores that she did not have time to rest. The end result… postpartum depression.

Even if it is just a refreshing bath or a walk in the neighbourhood, you need to recharge your batteries.

"I feel it is most important to eat healthy and rest properly. You also need to exercise so you will be strong enough to look after your child," suggests Amrita.

Don't neglect your physical appearance either. Just because you are a mother does not mean you take on the title of Frump Queen.

Draw the Line

And then there is the array of relatives and neighbours who are hell-bent on giving you 'priceless' advice.

Charlotte found it an absolute nuisance when relatives would stay back till 2-o-clock in the wee hours. "I just wanted to tell them go away. I needed sleep. But I couldn't appear rude so I would just shut up," she wails.

Here is where help comes in again. Ask your mother, your husband or even your friends to help you out when relatives are expected. Politely ask for their leave, go to your room and take that much needed rest.

Nobody said motherhood was going to be a cakewalk. But Amrita sums it all up when she says, "At the end of a stress-filled day, when I walk in through the door and see my baby smile… I know it is all worth it."