Becoming a new mom is such an exciting time, but can be a shock as your world turns upside down and you enter a completely different phase of life. Adjusting to life as a new parent is – in a word – hard!
As I stumbled through the last two years as a new stay-at-home mom to a two year old boy, and now, a 10-month old little girl, I struggled to dig through the multitude of resources and advice out there, and find what works best for my family.
There are so many decisions to make in the beginning – what to buy for the nursery, for the baby, for yourself. Then the baby arrives and the questions become, how do I get this child to sleep more?! Why is nursing so hard? What do I cook for my toddler? How in the world do we travel now? How do I find time to exercise? How do I invest in myself and still feel like me?
Two little ones and a ton of research later, I have learned so much, but I never felt like there was one place to find the answers to all (or most) of my questions. I hope this blog is that for you! I’ll be sharing all things life with babies, including tips on how to get your baby sleep better, the best baby products, how to prepare for traveling with kids, organizational tips for your home, and my best beauty and fashion finds that are mom (and budget) friendly.
How to Prepare for Your Baby’s Arrival
Preparing for a baby is fun, but can also be daunting. There are a million things to buy, and you have no idea how life is going to be with your new little one! Here are a few things you can do right away.
- Find your tribe! Find the people that you can rely on for help in those first few weeks. Friends, family, neighbors – don’t be afraid to ask for help, and if someone offers it, take it! There will also be a multitude of advice coming your way from seasoned parents. Some of it may seem silly, some annoying, but try to take it and file it away. You never know when someone’s tips might come in handy.
- Talk to your partner about how you will handle those first few newborn weeks. Will you be doing night feedings? Will your partner? How much time will you each take off of work? How will you handle child-care after that if you both are returning to work? Sit down and write out a plan, because you will be exhausted in the beginning, and will need to rely heavily on each other to get through the newborn phase.
- Plan a babymoon or some time away before baby. Take a weekend for yourselves, and enjoy the solo time. You will have time to yourselves again, but it will be much harder to plan, so take advantage of only having your schedules and yourselves to worry about.
- Join mom groups in your area. Facebook is a great way to seek out parents in a similar situation to yours. For example, you can search for mom groups in your area, or moms due in the same month as you.
Other Posts You Might Like: Last Minute Things You Should Do Before Baby Arrives
Common Questions/FAQ About New Mom Life
Here’s a few of the biggest questions I had before my first, and questions I hear from new moms:
1. What do I need to buy for baby?
There are ton of products out there, most claiming to be miraculous in their niche and a must-have. In reality, you don’t need that much, other than a safe place for the baby to sleep, a car seat, clothing, and diapers. There are obviously many more items that are extremely helpful, and I will have tons of recommendations for you!
2. How do I get my baby to sleep?
This is probably the hardest part of being a parent. When baby is awake, you are on, and you quickly realize, being on at 2am every morning is tough. I had no idea that my infant should have a bedtime, and we were completely winging it in the beginning. He ate when he needed to, and slept when he wanted. It was exhausting. Some people thrive in this situation and find this time to be an amazing bonding experience with their baby; that was not the case for me, so I sought out resources on how to get my baby to sleep better.
For us, putting my son on a schedule was a game changer. We were all happier and he continues to be a great sleeper to this day. We started working on schedule much earlier with my daughter and with the ok of her pediatrician, she was sleeping through the night at 8 weeks. See my post here for a breakdown of the newborn schedule we used for our daughter and how we implemented it.
3. How do you stay in shape as a busy new mom?
Post-baby number one, I worked out occasionally, but didn’t consciously try to lose weight knowing a second was hopefully in the plans fairly soon after. After having my daughter, I struggled a bit with the weight not falling off, even with going to the gym twice a week.
After doing some research, I started Kayla Itsines’ Bikini Body Guide (BBG) program, and it was a game changer. Read all about my experience with the program here.
4. How do I find clothes that are flattering and comfortable, but aren’t pajamas?
I love my pajamas, but fashion is fun, and for me, feeling not frumpy is an important part of maintaining a sense of self and happiness. My favorite retailers are Nordstrom, American Eagle, Gap, Old Navy, and Loft. I have a ton of affordable favorites, including some beauty products, that I’ll be sharing.
The Last Thing You Need to Know about Surviving Life as a New Mom
Keep your expectations low and go easy on yourself! Your delivery may not go as planned, you may not bond immediately with your baby (I didn’t!), you may struggle with breastfeeding (I definitely did), or you may gain more weight than you thought you would. It’s all normal and there are a ton of resources out there to help.
What are your biggest questions as you prep for baby? For my experienced moms, what most surprised you about motherhood?
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