Becoming a parent is a wonderful experience, but it can also be a bit scary, especially when you’re a first-time mom. There are so many different challenges you are going to face, and it can be overwhelming at times. Your schedule will be non-existent for a very long time, and your physical and mental health will change too. You will also have to learn a lot of new things, and you’ll keep hearing advice from people you never expected. To help you deal with all that, we’ve prepared a list of tips you never knew you needed.
Trust your guts
When faced with a dilemma and not sure what to do, try to close your eyes and listen to your instincts. You will be getting a lot of conflicting advice from a number of different people, but you shouldn’t ignore your motherly instincts just because somebody else told you something that made you doubt yourself. All babies are different, as are all moms, and just because something worked for one of your friends, it doesn’t mean that it will work for you and your baby. Be informed, do a lot of research on sensitive topics, but the bottom line is – your instincts can be handy too.
Shop mindfully
New parents usually go on shopping sprees and end up with a “mountain” of new baby things. As tempting as it is to do this, try to remember that your baby will outgrow the new things soon enough and it would be a good idea to try to save money when buying things for your child. You can easily find baby clothes sale online and buy a lot of things for very little money. You could also see if any of your friends or relatives can donate some old toys or other baby products that they no longer need. Make a list of essentials and try not to deviate from it too much.
Work with your partner
New moms understand that the baby has become their number one priority in the world, but it doesn’t mean that you should shut off the rest of the world. It’s important to get your partner involved too because this will allow them to bond with the baby, but more importantly, it will help the two of you bond as well. So many couples discover that their own relationship has suffered because they were so focused on the baby that they forgot to take care of each other. Encourage your partner to connect with the baby too – it will give you some time to be alone and focus on yourself a bit.
Stand your ground
We already mentioned that you would be getting a lot of advice from people who are close to you, but also from people you don’t even know that well. You will be getting a lot of different requests, and some of these you won’t always be comfortable with. Learn early on to turn down those requests that aren’t in your baby’s best interest: don’t let other people hold your baby if you don’t want to, turn down visits at odd hours, and outright forbid those who are sick from coming over to see the baby.
No matter how stressed out you are at the moment and how much you wish that your baby grows up already, try to remember that babies grow up faster than you think. In a blink of an eye, they will change from toddlers to grumpy and moody teenagers, so try to enjoy every phase of parenting as much as you can. Take a lot of photos, cuddle and play with them for a long time, and cherish the small moments, because very soon you’ll wish you could go back to these simple times.
