Woulda, coulda, shoulda....

What I wish I would have known during those first few months of motherhood....



Some staples:

1. Yes, it will be ok.
2. Yes, it is normal for a baby to do that.
3. Breath
4. This too will pass!
5. They won't remember, don't worry. :)

More to the point:

1. Sleep while they sleep.
2. Its ok to let someone else hold the baby.
3. The baby does not need to be held to sleep (even though they are so cute and snuggly)
4. Get out of the house and do something, even if it is just to walk around Target and not buy anything.
5. Babies get sick.....and then they get better.
6. Babies change and grow quickly. As soon as you think you've got it figured out, they change.
7. They will put themselves on a schedule, don't fret.
8. If they seem hungry before the minute of the third hour you're supposed to feed them, JUST FEED them!
9. If they don't wake the very minute of the third hour you're supposed to feed them, its ok...let em sleep a little bit longer.
10. Each feeding isn't always going to be the same...just let them tell you when they are full.
11. Its ok to let them play in a safe area by themselves for a bit so you can cook, clean or talk on the phone to a friend.
12.Every mother is different (including me) you don't have to do what they are doing with their child.
13. Every baby is different, don't play the comparison game.


Healthy Tips I've Enjoyed, in MY Experience:

1. Learn your babies cues. It doesn't happen over night....but one day you'll just know.
2. Talk to your baby, a lot.
3. Watch your baby, take in every glance.
4. Shower and be productive while they nap.
5. Sing to them, even if you cannot hold a note.
6. Establish a routine.
7. Pray for them and read them scripture.
8. Share the gospel with them (practice now while they cognitively aren't up to speed).
9. Memorize scripture while you nurse.
10. Love your husbands.

I wish I could say that I followed my own advice. Hence the title: Woulda, coulda, shoulda. I failed at these things miserably, which is why I decided that i needed to record them. Write them down so when baby number two comes I enjoy those first months instead of freaking out every five minutes. I also hope it is an encouragement to new moms. Many women shared lots of the above mentioned truths with me, but for some reason I had to learn the hard way. I pray that isn't the same fate for some of you.

The most important thing to be gleaned from this post is this. Love your husbands. I fail at this daily. I fail to put my husband before my child. This is one of the hardest things to do, especially since your child requires so much hands on attention. The blessing in this plight is that you learn to love your spouse in a new way as you see them every day in the eyes and little idiosyncrasies of your baby.