Nothing rivals the physical and emotional adjustments new moms experience. While childbirth is one of the greatest milestones in your life, it may also be the most challenging. As you strive to meet your baby’s needs, don’t neglect your own. Your joy may be boundless, but your energy isn’t. Sleeplessness, anxiety, and exhaustion can take their toll. Consider these tips to ease into your new role.

1. Drink plenty of water.
Put bottles of water around the house, especially where you’ll sit to feed or nurse your baby. Once you’re both comfy, you won’t want to get up, no matter how thirsty you feel.

2. Eat well.
Many new moms notice their digestive system slows down. High-fiber fresh fruits and vegetables as well as whole grains can help. Temporarily avoid foods and spices that cause indigestion, especially if you breastfeed. Foods that upset you may upset baby’s tummy, too. Add them back to your diet gradually, if you must have them.

Sound nutrition will help to ease fatigue. Studies show that mothers who eat regularly, especially a well-balanced breakfast and lunch, return to their pre-pregnancy weight faster. Try eating several smaller meals throughout the day instead of three larger ones. Include a high-quality multivitamin and mineral supplement in your daily routine, too.

While you may crave sugar, caffeine, or alcohol, try to avoid them. These substances cause mood swings that may slow recovery. Try decaf coffee, nonalcoholic beverages, and fresh fruit for sweetness. Sip herbal teas to relax and refresh.

3. Pace yourself.
Your body takes weeks to rebound from childbirth. Add caring for an infant, and the result can be mind-numbing exhaustion. “Forty-two percent of postpartum women rarely or never get a good night’s sleep,” reports Meir Kryger, MD, director of research and education at the Gaylord Hospital Sleep Center in Wallingford, Connecticut.

Sleep deprivation leads to moodiness, irritability, and other problems that may interfere with your ability to enjoy and care for your baby, so nap or rest when baby does. “Women have to understand [that] sleep is vital,” says Joyce Walsleben, PhD, RN, a sleep medicine specialist at New York University Medical Center. In addition, women who are well rested are more likely to maintain a healthy weight. “Lack of sleep is the source of a lot of obesity” explains Dr. Walsleben.

4. Enlist help.
If relatives and friends offer to fold laundry, run the vacuum, or pick up a few things at the store, take them up on it. Have handy a list of things that need to be done.

Reduce time and energy spent in the kitchen with occasional prepared meals and paper plates. Try to limit your responsibilities to caring for yourself and your baby. Your most important job is to relax and bond with your child.

5. Call other new moms for a tea break or a walk, or just to chat.
After all, who else knows how you’re feeling? Support goes a long way. Share laughs and even tears.

6. Exercise with your doctor’s permission, but don’t push to lose weight, especially if you’re breastfeeding.
You’ll drop pounds safely by consuming at least 1,800 calories daily and eating foods rich in calcium, zinc, magnesium, vitamin B6, and folate. Breastfeeding can also help reduce pregnancy weight gain.

Harvard researchers report that to shed “baby” pounds, women should focus on daily walks. Getting outside for some light exercise may help you sleep better. Limit TV and computer time and avoid dietary trans fats. “Our findings aren’t that you need to run marathons or be at the gym six hours a day,” says lead study author Emily Oken, MD.

7. Indulge yourself.
A massage, pedicure, or facial offers rest, relaxation, and rejuvenation. The more relaxed and calm you feel, the easier your new challenges will seem.

Take the “BabyBlues” Seriously

Sometimes called the “baby blues,” postpartum depression can develop in the first few months after childbirth and, if neglected, can be prolonged and disabling. More than half of new moms experience sadness or depression. Hormonal changes, anxiety, and lack of sleep contribute to these feelings. Most women feel better within a few weeks. But if the blues persist, it is crucial to see a healthcare provider. Symptoms may include trouble concentrating or making decisions, feeling guilty or incapable of caring for your baby, and headaches, among others.

New moms with iron deficiency may be less emotionally in tune with their infants. “The effects of mild iron deficiency, which are easily correctable with supplements, can disrupt the solid foundation that is established by healthy mother/infant interactions,” says Laura Murray-Kolb, PhD, coauthor of a Penn State study. Noting that iron deficiency can contribute to postpartum problems, she advises new mothers to have their iron status checked by their healthcare provider.