7 Things All New Mothers Need To Know

by April McCormick  www.firsttimemomanddad.com  Twitter: @LoveLifeDIY

1. All those fears and tears are completely normal. Motherhood is scary business! Those first few days home from the hospital can be terrifying. This is the time to trust your gut, a.k.a your ‘mother’s instinct’. It will get you though the fear and doubt it if you trust it.

2. Breastfeeding is NOT “Plug and Chug!” Nursing is hard. Extremely hard. It takes time, a fair amount of discomfort and practice for both of you to get the hang of it.

3. BREASTFEEDING MAY NOT BE FOR YOU. THAT’S OK! You, or your baby, may have a medical condition keeping you from being able to nurse. You may just hate it. DON’T LET THIS RUIN YOU! You are NOT!a failure.

4. Listen to your baby’s cues. Within the first week you will notice your baby’s different behaviors and tones of crying. Pay close attention to those different cues and within a week or so you will easily be able to decipher what it is your baby is trying to tell you. For example: Finger sucking and reaching out with arms and legs can indicate hunger.

5. It Takes A Village. Don’t be afraid to ask for help! If someone wants to bring over dinner, let them. If someone wants to come over while you take a nap and shower, let them. Graciously accept all the help you can get, because chances are the person offering the help has been in your shoes before, and knows a little help goes a long way for a new mother.

6. Don’t forget to take time for your partner. It’s so easy to to let your new bundle of joy consume every second of your day, causing you to lose sight of your life and relationship before baby. This is a recipe for disaster. The key for a couple is not to build a new life around your baby, but to blend your baby into your existing life together.

7. Don’t forget to take time for yourself. It’s absolutely crucial you take time for yourself DAILY. Everyday you need to take a shower, put on clean clothes, and eat at least two wholesome meals. Then aim to leave the house for no less than 10 minutes, at least every other day. Even a walk around the block does wonders. Get away to rejuvenate, or you will crash and burn.

Motherhood is a journey filled with ups and down. In the wee hours of the morning, when you have survived for days on little to no sleep and you are sure you cannot survive one more minute… you can. You will. Just keep repeating, This Too Shall Pass, until it does… Hold on tight to every moment and enjoy the ride, because it really does go by so quickly.