5 Suggestions for New Moms

R ecently I was at a get-together where my children were the oldest ones there (3 1/2 and 15 months). Most of them were newborns or still pretty young. It’s a very odd feeling when your baby isn’t the baby. She looked so big! And usually I’m trying to protect her from the big kids, not the other way around.

The new moms were discussing new mom things – mastitis, sleeping through the night, going back to work guilt, etc. I sat there trying to stop myself from sounding like a know-it-all because I was so there only a short time ago. Being a new mom can be so scary and you can be so vulnerable.

On the drive home I was thinking what I wish I would have known when my firstborn was little. Here’s my list:

1) Your pediatrician is not the end all/ be all.

If you don’t like something they are or aren’t doing, say so! You’re not at their mercy and they don’t know your baby better than you. Advocate for your baby and what is right for his/her.

2) Let your partner do their fair share.

I’ll admit I was a bit of a control freak with my first. And although they can’t lactate, they can do lots of other things and they should! Not only so you can rest, but because they need to bond with their child too. With baby #2 I was forced to give up some of my control and, to my shock, my husband actually didn’t scald the children with their bath water or lose them at the grocery store.

3) Your pre-pregnancy weight is overrated.

Some women lose the baby weight immediately and some women take a year, but I’ll tell you this, trying to jog with boobs full of breastmilk is not the answer. One day your little baby is going to be a little toddler – chasing them around the house will ensure you get back to where you need to be. In the meantime, just focus on being healthy, not being thin.

4) Don’t compare.

It’s hard to do and I still struggle with it, but comparing your baby with others is unproductive. All of them develop at a different rate.

5) Be present.

Taking photos and writing down memories is great, but don’t spend so much time documenting their firsts that you aren’t taking it all in. The best baby book will be in your memories. You’re not going to forget the first time they smile at you, I promise.