Congratulations Mama! You are a new mom to a precious little child (or two, or three...), and you have entered into one of the greatest, most fulfilling, journeys anyone could ask for.
You're probably tired.
You probably haven't showered in a day or two.
You might even be reading this at 2 A.M. while you feed your little one.
I've been there. It can be a bit of a rough patch for a while, but I'm here to tell you that you're not alone, and I'm rooting for you! My little one is no longer quite as little anymore, being the big two-year old that he is. So that brings me to my first piece of advice for you, Mama...
1. Don't rush through the days
I didn't want to use the phrase "don't blink," because it's so cliché that it has almost lost its meaning. I feel like this is a better descriptor for our lives in this day and age. We live in such a fast-pace world that we tend to bring that mentality into our daily home life.
"Slow" is a word used to describe the dull and boring. "Being present" isn't as easy with a phone or a remote in hand. We eagerly look forward to the next stage, the next milestone, the next new thing. I encourage you to slow down, because you will never get these days back. You might not miss the same things other moms miss about each newborn stage, but I guarantee you will miss something (it might even be changing diapers!). So take it all in, slow down, and be present as much as you can.
That brings me to my next piece of advice for you...
2. Embrace the hidden joys of the hard times
It will get easier. And it will get more fun. Many times new mothers say that they just want to move on to the next stage already because the one they are in is just too hard. I said it, too.
My husband and I spent months sleep training our son, and it seemed like he would NEVER not cry himself to sleep, NEVER sleep in his own bed, and would NEVER sleep through the night. Well, we ended up with a whole glorious year of nearly perfect sleep, when we went ahead and made the dumb decision to transition our two year old into an age-appropriate toddler bed. He now cries when it's time for bed, he begs to sleep "in mommy's big boy bed" instead, and wakes up at a morning hour that should be forbidden.
Sometimes I can hardly wait to "sleep in" to 8 A.M. again, but that also means no more morning "Mommy, get up, come play construction" whispers, which groggily make me giggle. And by then he probably won't want bedtime stories or to sing Jesus Loves Me over and over again anymore. So I'll store these hidden joys in my heart as I patiently navigate this new stage.
And last, but far from least...
3. Do not let what others say scare you
All veteran moms say it: "juuuuust wait." You might have even already been told this utterly awful phrase. And I mean it, it's just plain awful! Why would any of us say this to a new mom? Why would we want to scare you? Secret is, we don't.
I remember when I was still pregnant with my son, and I was talking about decorating the nursery, when a mom I didn't know very well said, "Just wait until he sticks his hand down his diaper and smears his poop all over the wall."
I was MORTIFIED. Babies do that?! Well, yes, some babies do. And no, some babies don't. By the grace of God, my son has never once stuck his hand down his diaper, or even tried to take his diaper off. But, he did try to feed my husband a booger the other morning, so there's that...
Anyway, my point to make is, when other moms tell you "just wait," they say it out of their own frustration or their own insecurities. Just because we have more experience as a mom does not, by any means, make us perfect. So don't get caught up on the things we say to look out for, or even the things you read online. This ride is going to have it's highs and lows... but that's what makes a rollercoaster exciting!
I hope you find encouragement in all of this. And I hope you know that there is a whole community of women out there who are rooting for you, too. You got this, Mama!
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