Our incredible free community over in the Postpartum Circle Group has recently contributed to a beautiful thread sharing tips for expecting first-time moms.
Although nothing can truly prepare you for the journey into motherhood, hearing from women who have been there can offer special insight and comfort as you head into the unknown.
If you could only give one piece of advice to an expecting first-time mom, what would it be and why?
Here are some of our FAVORITE responses!
- Prioritize your health first, for the health of the family flows from you. This means your postpartum rest, nutritional health and mental health.
- Trust yourself.
- Make sure you have an IBCLC on call. You never know if your baby will have oral ties that may cause breastfeeding issues.
- The first 6 weeks are that of rest, eating specific foods to aid in your healing and nutritional intake. And don’t be scared to ask for support!
- You are your child's best and biggest advocate, you know them the best. Trust your instincts and don't be afraid to speak up, get a second opinion, or wait to make a large decision!
- Try to set yourself up with the best support system possible. People who want what YOU want, people who won't push their desires onto you. Remember that 'No.' is a complete sentence.
- Learn about natural childbirth, read the Bradley method book, and take a class if you can. Educate yourself on non medicated birth. It is an amazing experience!
- You have to prepare for postpartum just as you do for birth. Set yourself up for success, don't wait for others to do it for you.
- Hold your baby a lot.
- Don’t forget about your marriage. Dads go through a lot emotionally, they just don’t talk about it.
- Keep it simple and lower your expectations. All your baby needs is to be cared for and loved, and you are the best person for that job. Also, make sure to do even just ONE thing each day to care for your self and your health (be it mental/physical/emotional/spiritual).
- The doctor is not always right. Research on your own too, and ask questions.
- Learn what it means to truly take care of yourself.
- Plan for your postpartum and get a postpartum doula.
- Exercise with more intention! (Frequency, style, etc)
- Don't try to go straight for your biggest goal. Set smaller goals and work your way there.
- Honor the grief as much as the joy that comes with postpartum.
- On the hard days or even hard moments remember you are still learning. Be kind to yourself!
The Journey from Maiden to Mother
The first time mom tips shared above are a beautiful summary of the many themes that come up through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Give yourself, your body, and your baby the unconditional love, trust, and grace they deserve. You will find yourself coming out the other side transformed and ready to pass on your own wisdom to all the women who will follow behind you.
