Tips and Tricks

AFTER BIRTH: 5 TIPS I WISH I HAD GOT

After giving birth, hormones, love, and fatigue come together in one big cocktail.
In the midst of all the new things, it's easy to forget about yourself. Here are my personal experiences and five simple tips that made the postpartum period both easier and more beautiful.

I'm certainly not an expert just because I've had two children. But there are still some things I've learned (often the hard way) that I wish I had known - and that might help you too.

November 4, 2025

Julie Zangenberg

Julie Zangenberg er mor, iværksætter og en del af Tuttelu-universet. Her deler hun sine personlige erfaringer og bedste tips til en hverdag med børn, hvor nærvær og ro er i centrum - også i en travl juletid.

The first days as a mother – beautiful and vulnerable

The time after you have a baby is wonderful, but it can also be incredibly challenging. Your hormones
is on a roller coaster (read: your mood can fluctuate between euphoric happiness and deep sadness within the same day), you are exhausted after pregnancy and childbirth (it's absolutely amazing what you and your body have just accomplished!), you may be getting significantly less sleep, and when you do - there is also a small new, amazing creature that is 100% dependent on you (and your partner).
It requires constant energy and attention around the clock.

But as I've said before: there are things you can do to make some of the hard work easier. The focus is of course on a healthy, safe and happy baby - but it should also be on a healthy, safe and happy mother.

1. Partner voting

If you have a child with a partner, that's exactly what the person should be: a partner for you. Before I had children, I often heard men say to my husband that “he couldn't do that much in the first year anyway.” I still get furious when I hear that kind of nonsense. There's a lot a partner can do - right from day one, and it benefits everyone. And a little harshly but honestly: I can see my husband has a completely different relationship with his children (and his wife) than the men who “couldn't do that much in the first year.”

If you're pregnant, have a little "meeting" with your partner and brainstorm how you can divide up the chores after the birth. Here are some ideas:

For example, your partner can:

Be responsible for all food in the house - make sure it's bought, heat food, defrost from the freezer or order something delicious. If he/she can't cook, there are YouTube and cookbooks that can teach him/her
That. You've grown a child, he/she can make you a sandwich. I think so...
Take responsibility for keeping the house tidy and clean.
Changing diapers
Have regular times every day where he/she connects with the baby after breastfeeding.
Go for walks with the stroller so you can have some alone time, take a bath or eat in peace.
Change the child's clothes.
Give a bottle if you are giving formula, or if you are pumping so that your partner can give your milk via bottle.
Sort the laundry.

There are many ways your partner can support you, whether they are on maternity leave or not. It's all about planning and prioritizing. There may not be much time for anything other than baby and work in the first few months, but it can be a fair trade-off for a happy, secure, and well-functioning family where no one feels like they are "drowning."

2. Reset the shift

Sometimes babies cry. That's how it is. It's usually because they're hungry, tired, need a fresh diaper or just need to be held. If the baby has colic, that's a completely different matter, of course, but otherwise food, sleep, rest and a fresh
diaper often helps. If nothing works, I do what I call a “reset change.” Babies can’t tell you if their pants are tight, they have a lump in their eye, or their cheek is itchy. So I start all over again:

I…

Feed until they can't eat anymore (or find out if they actually don't want to eat).
Dim the lights and eliminate noise. But talk softly to them continuously so they know that someone close to them is there looking after them.
Put them on the changing table and carefully take off their clothes and diaper.
Give them a little “bath” with a warm cloth from head to toe.
Give a small massage with baby oil, for example around the navel in a clockwise direction to help the stomach.
Put on a fresh Tuttelu diaper and some clean, soft clothes.
Wrap them in the blanket and hold them close to me.
Maybe try feeding again.

Often something magical happens here, they calm down because everything feels good again.

3. Sleep training

Sleep training is a controversial topic, so I won't say too much - other than: read up on it if you're curious. Talk to your healthcare provider or search for knowledge online.

We have sleep trained both of our children since they were very young, and for us it has worked fantastically. It has resulted in calm, secure children who get regular sleep and feeding, and as a result: a happier mother with a little more energy.

But all children are different. Nothing should be forced. For some families, sleep training is a gift – for others it doesn’t work. Listen to your child and yourself, and remember to consult with professionals along the way.

4. Come out!

I think it's important to notice if your baby is being overstimulated. I've always been a little extra sensitive about it myself and have felt best when baby is very much at home at first - safe and calm in his base.

But! I have also seen how positive a little trip out into the world can be, both for baby and for me. It can be a short walk, a trip to the park or a quiet moment at a sidewalk café with a good coffee or tea.

Pack a good diaper bag (you can read my previous article about what it should contain), make sure baby has eaten, burped and had a fresh diaper - and then: get out into the fresh air.

Fresh air works wonders. Baby gets peace and often a nice, deep nap, and you get the feeling that you are still you – not just a mom. It's a small but important balance in getting our children safely into the world and preserving ourselves in the process.

5. How you feel is important

I'm a lioness to the core. And most moms are. My kids (and my husband) are the most important thing in my life. I love them getting bigger! I enjoy cuddling them, nerding out about kids' stuff, changing diapers, and reading about dinosaurs (boys' mom over here!).

But… I have also learned that I am just as important.

When I lose myself in “the mother load”, where everything is about the children and I don’t have a minute to myself, the mood at home drops. It affects everyone. In our desire to give our children everything, we forget that they need a mother who is happy.

I have therefore learned how important it is to continuously check in with myself and communicate it to, for example, my husband, a friend or a family member. To say out loud how I feel and find small ways where I can be relieved or have time to recharge.

It may sound banal, but when you're holding a little new life in your arms, it's actually easy to forget about yourself. So sticking to feeling yourself, listening, and finding small ways to meet your own needs is not selfish - it's the best thing you can do for your little team. ❤️

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