They say that motherhood changes you completely. I’m here to tell you that I’ve lived the tale, and it is true! It’s not a change of personality or core values, but rather a change of my perspective in life. If you’re planning to have kids someday or in the near future, you may want to find out about things to know as a first time mom.
As some people may have already known, I had quite a sickly pregnancy—I was sick from weeks 9-21, and through the rest of the third trimester I was just uncomfortable. Needless to say, I was happy about my pregnancy but I didn’t quite enjoy the whole experience. That was why I was looking forward to finally giving birth to my baby, and now, two months in, I’m ready to share my experience. Based on my experience, here are things to know as a first time
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Also read: 5 Things I Learned As a Military Wife
Things To Know As a First Time Mom
Your Recovery is Important
Until the very last trimester, I never realized that all I thought about was the baby. I thought about the things to buy for his nursery, his diaper bag, and even the matching clothes and shoes that I was planning to make him wear!
Little did I know that you can plan these things along the way—my recovery after childbirth is much more important, because if I’m not well then I can’t take care of the baby.
So, one of the things to know as a first time mom is understanding that you may need help along the way. I am thankful for my in-laws who took care of me and baby Angelo when I had a long postpartum recovery.
What really helped me to find relief in my vaginal delivery (which I think should be in your hospital bag as well): witch hazel wipes, pain and itch spray, and large sanitary napkins to help with the blood leaks. These things are a LIFE SAVER for me! I recommend that you always have them in your inventory for at least the first six weeks.
You Will Have Sleepless Nights
I can never stress this enough—be prepared to have a lot of sleepless nights, especially the first time you will take care of your baby!
Sleep deprivation is one of the things you should know as a first time mom. It can be difficult to get a shut-eye if you’re taking care of your baby round-the-clock. The reason for this is they always wake up at the middle of the night to feed since their tummies are small at the beginning.
One of the things that helped my baby go to sleep is the use of white noise. He liked the sound of water and rain so I constantly played the sound through the night to help him not become startled with other noises. I found this white noise machine that plays a constant sound to keep your baby asleep.
Don’t worry, the sleepless nights will get better! At around 2-3 months, my baby started to sleep around 4-5 hours at a time through the night and only becomes
[Special] Things To Know As a First Time Mom
As sleep and energy are important as a first-time parent, you would want to find ways to help your baby sleep longer or sleep through the night. This child psychologist reveals ways on how to do just that, so that you’re armed as a first-time parent, or just any kind of parent who wants (and deserves) some shut-eye! Click here to know more.
You Will Have Moments of Sadness
Everyone in the hospital would always check up about postpartum depression. I didn’t mind it because I knew I had no history of depression—I would get sad sometimes but that’s it.
Around the first three weeks of caring for my baby, I realized that I had a overactive letdown when breastfeeding—he was crying not because he didn’t have milk, he was crying because he can’t take too much of it. My goal was to feed him through the bottle (with my breastmilk) and through my breast seamlessly. I was crying when he refused my breast because I felt inadequate and rejected. This, coupled with sleep deprivation made me sad and irritable—and this was the moment where I asked peace and grace from God.
When I started not to stress about things and focus on a solution, that’s when things got better. I eventually got the hang of it. My milk supply became steady and he bottle feeds with my breastmilk for major mealtimes. He nurses at night and during naps to go to sleep. Being alone, doing chores, and working at home, it was the ideal feeding routine for me.
What really helped to keep my milk supply up was having a very reliable electric double pump. I’m thankful that my husband surprised me with a Medela Pump-In-Style Double Electric Pump! It is my favorite thing ever because I get a lot of milk under a short period of time. It’s almost my best friend! Haha! It’s worth an investment if you plan to be an exclusive pumper or combination feeder.
Your Baby’s First Moments Will Melt Your Heart
Being a first time mom is truly overwhelming, yet in a positive sense for me. I always get astounded by the thought that I have a life that now depends on me. Isn’t that scary, yet fulfilling at the same time?
I’m now responsible for someone else! Even if that seems overwhelming at the beginning, I wouldn’t trade it for anything else. One of the things to know as a first time mom is that your baby’s first smile, first milestones, and first anything will melt your heart. You will be filled with so much unconditional love you can’t put into words. So, while you’re at it, grab your camera and record those precious moments to look back to.
Your Priorities Will Shift
I used to care a lot about fashion and beauty, and although I still do now, they all pale in comparison to the things I buy for my baby. Every time my husband and I pass by stores, I always think about the things I could buy for him! I used to buy things for myself or for my husband. But now, I’d rather save the money or buy the things my baby needs instead.
This is the moment where I realized my priorities shifted. It’s not that I cared for myself less, but rather there’s someone I care for even more.
Don’t forget the check out the Baby Sleep Miracle Strategy that I mentioned earlier!
These are just some of the things to know as a
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