Ok let’s get real, I’m a new mom and there are plenty of people becoming new parents everyday. Everyone, and I mean everyone has their own advice, the products they love, and their go-to methods. Nothing wrong with that, and nothing wrong with listening to some sound advice. However, every single baby is different, and newbie parents are just doing the best they can in this new world where you are raising a human! Yes, raising a human, that’s my favorite phrase right now because it is still profound to me. I still laugh sometimes at the thought of me being a parent let alone a mom. 

What I’m going to do now is share some things that worked for me, because hey, you never know who is googling blog after blog of pregnancy and newborn tips, tricks, and kicks. It happens, why? Because in a cruel way your third trimester starts leaning towards a no sleep marathon preparation for your babes arrival.

1. Become a yogi: Even if you have never practiced yoga a day in your life, your body, baby, and brain will be thanking you every day as it goes through this slow transformation of skin stretching and organs reorganizing. It’s uncomfortable, your body isn’t used to it and a little yoga goes a long way to make this process go smoothly. I searched Amazon high and low and my favorite cd was this one. Prenatal yoga ….I would use it even if I wasn’t preggo! 
2. Walk: ok now I sound like a fitness freak. I am not, but I do believe in the power of some sort of excercise and how a little goes a long way! Besides the proven benefits of cardio while pregnant, a 20-30 minute walk in the am or pm gives you a chance to reconnect with yourself, your body, and your baby sitting snug in that beautiful belly. 

Now those are my pregnancy tips, yes that’s it. I won’t touch diet because let’s face it you are pregnant you don’t want to hear it. I’ll let someone else write it. Now to touch on the newborn stage. Promise it won’t be long, because it goes quickly, too quickly. You had your baby yay! Relish in the newborn sweetness!

1. Keep visitors to a minimum the first week. Yea I wasn’t so great at this, both myself and the spouse have a large family. Minimal visitors is so important because not only is labor exhausting, it is so important for you to bond with your baby as well as a family with your spouse. Your emotions will be everywhere and your body also slowly recovering. If you are breastfeeding it is even more crucial to make sure you are free to nurse whenever the baby needs it. Breastfeeding is in the babies instincts yes, but latching…not so natural for them and it takes a lot of practice! Took me an entire month if not a little longer. So try your best to let people kindly know, we are keeping visitors to a minimum. That is one thing I would do over if I had the chance! 
2. Take the help when offered. Another one I was not so good at! I was very self proficient before I had Mary and I had no idea how tasking it would be with her, despite being warned I never imagined my dishes, laundry, and….ew dust, piling up! I thought I could take care of it all including her and myself. It simply is not possible and that is OK, take the help. Please, just take it. 
3. Trust your instincts. You know the whole woman’s intuition?? Goes with being a mom too, if something seems wrong with yourself or baby it never hurts to see your pediatrician. And on the other hand if your baby is crying or upset and you know what it is, yet a family member is trying to tell you something else is wrong? Well, be polite, accept the concern and advice, but you are the mommy. Don’t let someone convince you otherwise. Now don’t get me wrong, it doesn’t hurt to ask a seasoned mom for advice, I’m just saying in certain situations go ahead and go with your instincts. You won’t regret it. 
4. Accept that you will cry. And I’m not saying because of the nipple soreness (haha) I’m saying your emotions are for extreme lack of better words, cray cray. Crazy! They just took nine months to build a human being, they are going to take awhile to become your own again. When my daughter was born I knew I would be emotional and I had read tons of articles and stories of baby blues, and postpartum depression. I didn’t realize it went hand in hand with anxiety….and due to anxiety, I cried. I got anxiety when we had to leave the house, I got anxiety when there were more than three visitors and they all wanted to hold Mary and she wasn’t in MY arms. I couldn’t believe it! I knew she was perfectly safe but due to my hormones I just wasn’t myself. And that my friends, is normal. Accept it, try to be ok with it and lean on your partner, your parents, your friends when you get overwhelmed. It’s going to be ok, your hormones will level out and the anxiety, blues, hormones (to some degree) will become normal again. 

I could list product after product of things you might or might not use when your little one arrives, but I will say none of it matters that first couple months, it’s simply survival time. No sleep, but crazy adrenaline of disbelief and sleepy smiles at this human being you are creating an incredible bond with. Heck it’s still survival mode and my daughter will be six months next week. I do have product advice past the newborn stage but why spill my secrets all at once??? 

Michelle Marie