Hey there new mama!
This blog post today is for you. I was in your place almost five years ago, but in some ways it seems like just yesterday. That moment you’ve been waiting and waiting and waiting for has finally arrived. Your baby is here. You are officially a mom.
I know that you’re busy, and sleep deprived, and probably not on the internet right now to read a book. So, I’ll keep this blog post short. Here are 10 things every new mom needs to hear.
10 Things Every New Mom Needs to Hear
It’s okay to be sad if your birth experience wasn’t what you expected.
You know you should just be glad that baby is here, but you feel sad about the birth experience. My first baby’s birth went smoothly but it still felt traumatic to me and for the first month or so I just wanted to cry when I thought back about it. It’s okay to feel that way.
It’s okay if you don’t immediately feel a close bond with your baby.
Remember, although you’ve been carrying your baby around for nine months, you’ve only really just met him/her. There is nothing wrong with you if you don’t feel a close bond right away. It will come.
It’s okay to do nothing all day but hold your baby.
I remember some days after Caleb was born where I barely did anything but hold him because he slept so much better in my arms. I didn’t get all that much done on those days but who cares; I got to snuggle with my firstborn. And I watched a lot of Netflix, haha.
It’s okay to hand baby to someone else and take a break.
Yes, it’s okay to hold baby all day if you want to, but it’s also okay to acknowledge that you need a break and pass him off to someone else. And if you don’t have any help and your baby won’t stop fussing, it is also absolutely okay to lay him down in his crib or a safe spot and take a break.
It’s okay to feel ALL the emotions.
The baby blues are real y’all. And of course they are, your body is going through massive hormonal changes! It’s okay to feel happy and sad and excited and terrified all at once. Know your limits and communicate with your husband about how you’re feeling. For me, I know that I can’t have a lot of people over during the first couple weeks unless I want to end up in my bedroom crying, ha.
It’s okay to miss your pre-baby body
Your body just did an incredible thing – and you know that – but it’s still easy to feel a bit of dismay at your postpartum body. That is normal. But give yourself grace. It took nine months to grow your baby – give yourself at least that much time to get back to “normal”.
It’s okay if parenting doesn’t “come naturally”
I remember crying in the car as I drove Caleb home from a doctor’s appointment early on, overwhelmed by the responsibility of being a parent and needing to make decisions for my child. Parenting felt scary then – and let’s be honest, it probably always will to some extent. As a mom you won’t always know what to do. At the beginning you may feel like you don’t have a clue. That’s where prayer comes in, and lots of calls home to your own mom. 😉
The first weeks and months of being a mom can be magical in many ways, but they can also be so hard. But it will be okay my friend, because here are a few more things every new mom needs to hear:
God has equipped you for this task – and He’ll be with you every step of the way.
He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young. (Isaiah 40:11)
You will find yourself capable of more love than you ever imagined.
There is just something about a mother’s love – gentle but strong, tender but fierce and protective. That baby in your arms is going to steal your heart and you will do anything and everything to keep that baby safe.
Life will never be the same again – nor would you wish it to be.
That little person you just met? Soon you will not being able to imagine life without him/her. Life will be different for sure – most likely involving a whole lot less sleep – but it will be good.
And now, go cuddle your new baby – (or pace back and forth with him – babies tend to want the maximum amount of effort.) 😉
You’ve got this mama!
