By the time you have your baby, you probably can write a book about all the advice everyone you know has given you. It’s not a bad thing, it can just feel overwhelming at times. The hard part is that everyone’s advice is different. Which one is best? I can tell you that the advice that person gave you was probably the best for that person. Now that you’re a mom, it’s time to figure out what works and what doesn’t. It’ll take a while, but you’ll get there. Below, you will find the best advice that I was given to by many moms. These worked for me very well(even though I didn’t follow some of them all the time, and wish I had).
Follow Your Mom Instincts(New Moms Have it Too)
The best advice for new moms is to follow your mom instincts. When you meet your newborn, you immediately fall in love and have this amazing bond like no other. Every day, you get to know your baby, and soon you will learn to recognize their cries and learn how they like to be held. You can get so much advice, but at the end of the day, our mom instincts tells us what is best. I took advice from family on how to get my newborn to sleep through the night. Unfortunately, it didn’t work well for us, and my mom instincts told me it wouldn’t. I took the advice anyway because of the pressure I felt from family. I later realized that I had to do what worked for us. After having my babies, I know that every family and child are different. Do what your gut tells you to do and don’t feel bad about it.
Sleep When Baby Sleeps
Can you count how many times an experienced mom or family member told you to sleep when your baby sleeps? I bet it’s more than you can count! This new mommy advice was given to me many times, and I didn’t take it even though I wish I had. Sleep is very important when you are a new mom and hard to do when you’ve got a long to-do list. I didn’t follow that advice, and I should have because my mood and health were affected due to the lack of sleep. Every hour of sleep counts, so sleep when your baby sleeps! The dishes and laundry can wait. Just remember that it is not forever.
Ask for Help
If given the opportunity to get help as a new mom, take it. If you need help, ask for help. Being a new mom is hard. It is a brand new experience like no other, and a brand new life that changes from one day to the next. It can feel overwhelming because you are tired, emotional, and your body is trying to get back to itself. So much going on! Don’t be shy, ask family and friends for help. I am sure they would be more than happy to help and spend some time with you and baby.
Don’t Over Plan with a Newborn
As a new mom, your priority will be taking care of your baby. Feeding, changing diapers, and naps will most likely take up all your time. For some, it may be hard to accept. Especially, when you have a list of things for the day. My first year as a new mom was tough. Especially because I was away from family, and had to figure things out on my own. Something as simple as folding laundry was tough, and babies need so much attention! It was impossible to tackle my to-do list. My mistake was over-planning, and I wish somebody had given me the advice to not over-plan! I had to accept the fact that my life was different. The things I could get done before baby were probably not going to get done with baby and that was o.k. Over-planning only stressed me out and made me feel like a failure by the end of the day.
Join a Mommy Group for New Moms
The last piece of advice for new moms that I have for you is to join a mommy group. Joining a mommy group has so many benefits. You meet other mommies that are probably going through the same issues you are as a new mom. You also get out of your normal routine and socialize with other adults, which is a plus, as a new mom. Being stuck at home every day and listening to baby music may make you go bananas! Joining a mommy group for me was one of the best things I did as a new mom. Not only did I make long lasting friendships, but my kiddos did too.
What advice have you been given that works well for you?