Weeks after giving birth you are bombarded with visitors and sleepless nights. The post baby hormones are real and scary. You are filled with doubt and questions and exhaustion. Everyone is offering their advice and sharing stories from their experiences… but here is what you really need to hear in those first few weeks:
You are a good mom.
It gets better.
You will get sleep again in the future.
Leave the dishes.
One more hour of snuggling is definitely worth it.
There is no best formula, despite what the books will tell you.
Breastfeeding is hard. Really hard. Stick with it. It gets better.
If you decide not to breastfeed, stop making yourself feel guilty.
You are going to make a mistake, you weren’t the first mom, and you won’t be the last to make one.
Cloth diapers. Pampers. Huggies. It doesn’t matter.
Let someone else hold your baby while you shower.
Sleep when your baby sleeps.
Seriously, take a nap.
Have your husband do the laundry.
The #1 thing your baby needs is love.
Trust your baby, they will tell you when they are hungry and tired.
Take care of yourself, mama’s health matters.
Accept help… and meals.
Post Partum emotions are real, talk to someone about them.
It is OK to be tired and short tempered, you are sleep deprived and giving every ounce of energy to your baby.
Babies cry, it’s their way of communicating, it doesn’t mean you are a bad mom.
You are a good mom.
Take a walk. Get fresh air. Get your blood pumping.
You’re allowed to cry, the first few weeks with a newborn are tough.
Eat. Seriously. Don’t skip meals.
Let your husband hug you and listen to him when he tells you how good of a mom you are.
You are beautiful.
Cherish the moments at 3 am when you are up feeding your baby, they go by quickly.
Take lots of photos in the first few months, once you get out of the new parent haze you will be glad to look back on them.
If your baby falls asleep in your arms, hold her close and don’t move.
Have the glass of wine.
Listen to your gut.
Look your baby in the eye and tell them how much love you have for them.
The baby weight will come off, it’s not something you need to worry about right now.
Give your body grace and time, it has been through a lot.
It’s ok to think your baby is the smartest, funniest, cutest baby in the whole world.
Be selfish with your time, take care of you.
Relish in the milestones and baby firsts, everything they do is a miracle.
No one knows what they are doing, everyone is mostly figuring it out along the way.
Dressed in spit up, yoga pants and unwashed hair is normal.
So next time someone offers you unwanted advice, or you read a book telling you about the best way to raise a child, just remember that
You are beautiful, you are mom, there is no one in your baby’s life that they need more than you.
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