All the new mommies out there have begun the most beautiful journey of their life. And being prepared is the most important thing.
“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”
― Benjamin Franklin
To help you prepare for the upcoming challenges, knowing as much as possible is good, but at the same time, don’t overwhelm yourself with information.
This is especially important for first-time mothers, because you only understand what being a parent means, after you become one.
And during your journey, there will be hundreds of pieces of advice you will get from people, whether someone meets you at home or while strolling in a park. Everybody has advice for pregnant women. But not all advice is good.
So, to save you from the hassle of filling your bookshelf with just maternity books and the risk of trying every advice, we have 10 important things that every new mom must know to be fully prepared.
1. Follow your Gut-feeling
But, if you are not convinced, if you feel that you should get this to your pediatrician’s notice, do that. Listen to your gut feeling. Follow your instincts!
Only a mother can know what is best for the baby. Nobody tells a bird that its baby is hungry, it just knows. Because a mother and the baby share a connection. The baby has been in your womb for 9 months and you should trust yourself to know about the baby’s needs.
Mothers were successfully taking care of their babies before Google existed. So, don’t Google everything. You don’t need it.
2. Remember to rest
The biggest challenge that all new mommies face is to find the time to rest.
Yes, I can relate to that. We all can.
Don’t forget that there is no alternative for the care that a mother provides the baby. So, you need to be healthy to be there for your little one. All the other things and household chores can be taken care of by someone else, but whenever you get free time from the baby, REST. Don’t go run towards that laundry basket or those dishes.
3. Give time to your body
Pregnancy takes a big toll on our bodies, and it's a slow transition from there.
After giving birth, your body will take time to feel normal again, you might still feel bloated. Your stretch marks will irritate you, but in all this, you have to be kind to your body.
Don’t look at those instagram models who show that they got back to their pre-pregnancy body in a week. That’s a lie ladies!
That does not happen in the real world.
4. Breast-feeding is not all easy
It might appear that breast-feeding is easy but in some mothers, the milk production is not enough. But that doesn’t mean it's a problem.
There are always supplements that you can use. And if someone tells you it's unhealthy for your baby to not feed on breast milk, don’t pay attention.
Problems in breast-feeding are because of natural causes, and in most cases you cannot undo them. So, no point breaking your head over it. It’s okay.
5. Take care of your diet
This is the part that you can control, so do it well.
Your diet is not only the source of your nutrition, but your baby’s as well. But that doesn’t mean you gotta eat for two people.
All it means is you need to see what your body and the baby need. Include minerals, proteins and vitamins in your diet. Basically, what we learn in school, a balanced diet.
6. Focus on real needs of the baby
In this social media age, we have hundreds of options for strollers and toys for the newborns. Don’t focus your energy on these needs. This is necessary but the real needs are love and closeness, food, sleep, a clean diaper and regular visits to the pediatrician
Yes. That’s all. So, don’t go all worried about whether your baby has enough toys or not, newborns don’t need toys, they need you.
7. Pain doesn't end at labour
After giving birth, the one thing you are thankful for is that the pain is over now. But, I am not trying to make you sad again.
Just a small warning -
If this is your first baby, your breasts might get sore and feel heavy and painful. There are many hormones going haywire in your body right after birth.
Don’t get surprised if you feel this, it is normal and can happen to anyone.
8. Don’t forget your partner
With the baby on board now, new mommies tend to invest all their time in the baby. But, don’t forget the grown up person you live with.
Arrival of the baby is not the end of fun for grown-ups. After all, why should kids have all the fun!
Make time for your partner, even if just 10 minutes. Get away from the baby to rejuvenate, or you will crash and burn.
9. Find a sleep schedule around the baby
When to sleep is a big challenge for every new mom. Many babies tend to sleep very less during the night.
Don’t beat yourself about not being able to keep your sleep schedule. It’s completely alright. For a few months, your life will look like a mess, but that’s okay. It’s a big change for you.
Till then, use those gaps. Sleep whenever the baby sleeps. Try to get used to power naps.
10. Don’t try to be perfect
Everything will not be perfect during and after your pregnancy. And that is totally okay.
It’s okay to mess up a little, it’s okay to not know everything, it’s okay to ask for help.
You don’t have to be the best, there is no such thing as perfect. You only have to try your best. And this advice for everything in parenting. Don’t beat yourself up to do the best thing, just do the right thing.
FINALLY
Welcome to motherhood, it's crazy and wild, brace yourself!
But it’s alright - you’ve got Cradle Plus. We are a community of mothers that share advice to help each other out. You should also look at our shop and feel free to get anything that will make your and your baby’s life easy.
