I love, love, love, love x1000 all things baby. I really, really do. I could talk about pregnancy, labor & delivery, breastfeeding, sleep schedules, and baby things for days on end. So I decided to put together a little list for the new mamas!
#1 Let your Mom move in.
I’m not joking. Ask her to come(or let her come when she asks) and let her stay as long as possible. It will be the best thing EVER. She’ll trim your baby’s talon nails that you’re too scared to do yourself, and she’ll help you with her first bath, and she’ll cook you your favorite meals. It’ll be the best.
#2 Line up your help
Unfortunately, your Mama isn’t *actually* going to move in with you permanently. *tears*. As much as you might want her to stay forever and ever, amen.
Once she leaves, bring in the next wave of reinforcements. Enter stage right, Mother in Law. And after that, meals from friends. Keep it all coming as much and for as long as you can because….
#3 You need rest!
Don’t be crazy, fool. You birthed a kid. You’re healing. You’re hormonal- trust. You’ll be crying over a leaf falling from a tree because it signifies time passing and other crazy business. Allow the people who love you the most to come along side and do the unimportant stuff(well, I mean, food is important- you need it- you just don’t need to be worrying about cooking it.) while you lounge in bed/couch/recliner/glider and hold your new baby.
#4 Take as many giant jugs of water from the hospital that you can without looking like a crazy klepto.
You know. The ones that look like this?
You’ll be guzzling water from that bad boy with a thirst like you’ve never known. Ran a marathon? Walked across the desert? Ate a hot pepper? It ain’t nothin compared to 24/7 nursing thirst. You’ll be needing that jug attached to your hip along with your baby- and a Mom or MIL willing to refill it approx every 30 minutes.
#5 Let your husband help
Guess what ladies! This is your baby Daddy! And as much as you feel all sorts of Mama Bear and maternal and “I am woman, hear me roar” you actually have no more of an idea of what you’re doing than he does(remember? I had my mom take care of my kid’s fingernails for me) so, let him learn alongside you. Don’t be bossy. Don’t be controlling. Let him change those diapers(seriously. There will be so many. Just let him do it and be so happy about it) Let him do the burping. Let him dress them. And let them carry the carseat(that thing is so heavy. Your arm will fall off).
He’ll be so thankful that you let him.
#6 Buy as much boob stuff as you can
I’ll keep this brief so as to not completely freak out my readers because of words like, nipple. But, in those first few weeks you need this stuff:
They’ll be happy. You’ll be happy. Even if they act unhappy(babies are so weird) they’ll actually be happy. Do it.
#9 NETFLIX
Women, you will be up feeding that baby all hours of the night. And you will be TIRED. So tired, it will be hard to stay awake. I needed help staying awake to make sure Abigail kept eating…instead of snacking and falling asleep herself and repeating a vicious cycle of being awake every 30 minutes AND SO that’s where Netflix came in. I watched every episode of Say Yes To The Dress, Man V. Food, and every other 30 minute show there is. It was perfect. Utilize it.
#10 Savor all of it
Savor it all, new mama. This is your biggest job and why it is so important to get as much help as possible. So that you can do just this. ONLY this. The savoring. The minutes, hours, days, weeks, and months will pass by so quickly you will wonder how it is possible for time to go so fast.
There will hard times. You will hurt and recover. You will be so, so tired. There will be times you are so in over your head it’s terrifying. But, please, don’t wish away those moments. Not for a second. This is the one and only time your baby, YOUR baby, will be one-a baby, that is. They will never be that size, or that age, ever again.(No pressure, right?) Cherish it. Savor it. Absorb it. All of it. You’re going to be so great. I’m so excited for you, new mother.
Oh hey, and if you find any cool new shows on Netflix in the middle of the night- lemme know, okay?
Yes, Yes, Yes! Our lists are pretty similar:)j And I love that you're on board with letting dad do stuff! It always makes me sad when I hear about moms who don't let dads do anything or always tell them they are doing it wrong!
I had 5 of those water bottles and they were scattered around the house. It got to where I didn't have to ask my husband or mom to refill them, they just came and did it when I would sit down. I could never remember to do it myself…must have been the mommy brain!
The water bottles are so weird because I honestly don't like drinking out of them now. But at the time it was like nectar of the God's or something equally crazy
Okay so I woke up this morning craving seafood (major flashback to past pregnancies! I love seafood, but at 6AM?!), and almost crying over everything. No, I'm not pregnant. Just somebody who is getting her hormones played with constantly, not to mention her hopes and dreams for life.
This post *shouldn't* probably have made me cry. But it did. Maybe it's just because I don't know if I'll ever get these moments to cherish. Maybe it was all your adorable pictures of your precious little family. But DUDE! I should've stopped half-way through and come back to it. 😛
In other words, I think I'm saying, "I like this post". Ha ha ha.
Yes, Yes, Yes! Our lists are pretty similar:)j And I love that you're on board with letting dad do stuff! It always makes me sad when I hear about moms who don't let dads do anything or always tell them they are doing it wrong!
I had 5 of those water bottles and they were scattered around the house. It got to where I didn't have to ask my husband or mom to refill them, they just came and did it when I would sit down. I could never remember to do it myself…must have been the mommy brain!
I need to go read yours! I love your posts 🙂
The water bottles are so weird because I honestly don't like drinking out of them now. But at the time it was like nectar of the God's or something equally crazy
I completely, *totally* agree with everything you said. 🙂
Woohoo! Great minds and all that 🙂
I loved your first one! 🙂 My mom came out and spent several weeks with me before and after my daughter's birth. I so appreciated all of her help.
Yes, it was so great. My mom is also a RN so there is an extra boost of helpfulness that I seriously appreciate!!
This was an amazing post!!!! Now I want to write one similiar lol!!
Thank you!
Do it! And go link up with Becky! She has prompts lined up for the next few Mondays, that way you can plan ahead if you want to.
Yes! I laughed more than once reading this!! It's all SO TRUE 🙂
Hah, good! I'm glad to know I won't be steering the new mama's the wrong direction.
Oh yes, they're absolutely perfect for that. I used mine daily for months!
Great post! I still also love talking all things baby!
Thank you! I know, there's just something about babies. Can't stop!
Okay so I woke up this morning craving seafood (major flashback to past pregnancies! I love seafood, but at 6AM?!), and almost crying over everything. No, I'm not pregnant. Just somebody who is getting her hormones played with constantly, not to mention her hopes and dreams for life.
This post *shouldn't* probably have made me cry. But it did. Maybe it's just because I don't know if I'll ever get these moments to cherish. Maybe it was all your adorable pictures of your precious little family. But DUDE! I should've stopped half-way through and come back to it. 😛
In other words, I think I'm saying, "I like this post". Ha ha ha.
I'm so, so sorry, Meg. If I could do anything to change your situation I would in a heartbeat. Praying so fervently for you and David.