We’ve all done it, read every “I wish I knew” and “Things they never tell you” blog post out there to make sure we really get the full story on being a new mom, deciding that over prepared is the way to go.
I did what we all do, pinned those cute colourful lists, signed up for the blogs/community newsletter with helpful tips and freebies, experts and mom-perts. .
Well I can tell you, as a new mom of an adorable 2 month old boy, they are essentially all the same. As part of my pre-labour research I even sat down with all my “mom” friends and family members to get the full story. Even reached out to friends of friends who happened to be new moms to get all the gritty details that maybe they weren’t sharing on Facebook.
I am here to say, you will never get the full picture because … point number one, every woman’s experience will be different, yes this is the number one sentence repeated throughout “What to Expect when you’re Expecting” book that 80 – 90% of us will read. It will never truly sink in until you are going through it, and sometimes you will wish to be one of the “average” moms, going through an average situation, just for the sheer relief of knowing what to expect.
Saying all that, just for fun and to add to the numerous posts out there, here is what I have found through my experience, 6 Hot Tips I wish I knew before my bundle arrived.
Mind Games
Literally nothing will prepare you for the sleep loss, and emotional roller-coaster that comes with those first few weeks. There really isn’t more to say except, you likely are not the only one going through it. Thankfully we have new mom Facebook groups, where you can be almost guaranteed to find a sympathetic ear at any hour of night or day. Let it out, cry, vent, write it down, sing it out, whatever you need to do. While we are all strong mommas and poppas, there is no winning when you lock away how you are feeling. Shout out to “Sexy Mommas Support Group”!
CALMING NATURAL CANDLE
Bladder Control
I have been lucky enough to have gone through my life known as a ‘camel’, what does that mean you ask? No it has nothing to do with my humps, and everything to do with my ability to go hours on end without a trip to the bathroom. That being said, nobody ever told me to PEE WHEN YOU CAN. At the start I took my camel status for granted and had a couple close calls. Also note, the recommended kegel exercises are not a joke, you will not regret working those pelvic muscles when you have to make the Sophie’s choice decision between waking your sleeping baby or going pee. Because they are passed out on your chest or lap or wherever and it took you forever to get them to sleep.
Milk Gets Everywhere
Whether you are breast feeding or not, pack a change of shirt for yourself in that diaper bag. We all know that babies, while adorable, are drooling spit-up machines. But never forget, nipples leak both from your boobs and bottles. Also, wJust when you think you are having a light day and don’t need those nursing pads that your Aunt bought you, BAM leak city. Of course this will only happen at the MOST in-opportune times, like while you are sitting at a restaurant, having one of your first ever lunches out with your old super handsome co-worker.
DIAPER BAG TEE / We love Coy Depot‘s funny, retro and 100% Canadian Made Tees.
NURSING PADS / ReFluff‘s reusable nursing pads are super soft, absorbent, and come in fun patterns.
Work with What You Got
While we all know that women are incredible multi-taskers, the true fact that there aren’t enough hours in the day will eventually catch up with you. I highly recommend investing in moisturizing face wipes, dry shampoo, and a great pair of sunglasses. Any mom can look like a solid 10 with a great pair of shades and a sexy messy bun / pony. Wear your tired look with pride, after all you did just bring new life into the world. Remember, you get to hang out with that awesome little person you made all day, a pretty awesome accessory that others are surely to swoon over.
THE PERFECT PAIR / We love Randolph Engineering‘s American made aviators for a look that will last til pre-school.
Strength Train
More and more doctors are saying that you can continue your regular work-out, exercise, activity level well into your pregnancy. But, if you are like me, and subscribed to the, ‘just don’t over do it’ theory, then you may have run into the same problem I did. Which was that after 9 months of “not overdoing it” with the physical lifting of weights and heavy objects, my arms, wrists, back and core had all gotten pretty weak and lazy. So when you are rocking your newborn baby (all 6lbs 12oz of him) for an hour or more straight, the pain is real. Who ever thought that 6 pounds would feel like 50, and that your arms could go numb yet keep on holding that precious bundle. Point being, continue to strength train, even if it isn’t part of your regular rountine, your muscles will thank you.
Get Creative & Confident
Not everyone is born with the natural gift of song, or the creative imagination of a seasoned author. However, your little one love love loves the sound of your voice, so snap out of your shy self doubt and speak up, shout it out, and don’t forget to write it down. You may not get a lot of time to put pen to paper, and while you can use your phone to record most things, having a hard copy in a treasured keep-sake style notebook makes the perfect grab-able item when your batteries are running low (both the cellular and your own). Learn to love your own voice, it has the amazing ability to sooth. And get creative with your own stories, your baby will appreciate them more than your pop stars newest download from iTunes.
NOTEBOOK / We love Night Owl Paper‘s whimsical designs, the perfect paper place to record your treasured memories, made up mom songs, and short stories.
I hope you found this amusing at the very least, and helpful in preparing for your baby to come, or your baby who has just arrived.
*This story was written in March of 2017, the adorable baby boy is now 8 months and all these tips still apply! Purchases made through our links may result in a small commission coming back to the author of this post, which is me, thank you in advance for your support.
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