I spent my childhood playing with baby dolls, dreaming of the day I would finally be a mom. In my dreams, I rocked her and she contentedly cooed and smiled at me. When she cried (which she would never do!), I knew right away how to soothe her.

The day came when I finally welcomed our first child into my arms after a long, painful delivery. She was perfect (except for the temporary conehead, evidence of the vacuum used to suction her out). She surprised us with her red hair and amber eyes but she was beautiful, every inch of her.

We brought our bundle of perfection home and she was content to rest in my arms all day long. Dinners and laundry were ignored while she held me captive with her mesmerizing eyes. I bundled and rebundled her, counting her ten pink fingers and toes each time. Life was grand.

Until it wasn’t.

Despite years of babysitting, I still encountered many surprises as a new, young mom.  Who knew how to bathe the tiniest baby without breaking her? Why was she hungry so much when the doctor said she should eat every 3-4 hours? Why weren’t her diapers keeping her clothes dry and why did her poop go up her back instead of in the diaper?

Thankfully I had my mom to encourage me and teach me everything I needed to know those first few weeks. Here are some tips of my own and some my mom shared with me:

• Make some noise. Especially if it’s just you and a quiet baby in the house, keep some background noise on all the time so your newborn gets used to sleeping with other noises. Try soft music in the background, normal chores (clinking of washing dishes, laundry, etc), or even the television being left on. If your baby learns to sleep through noise early on, they’ll be able to sleep through anything later.
• Ask for help. If you’re unsure about anything regarding your baby or being a new mom, ask an experienced mom, a trusted friend for guidance, advice, or a helping hand. We are all here to help one another!
• Wear your baby. I wish I would’ve learned how to use a woven wrap with our first baby. We had a forward facing infant carrier and I definitely wore her but I didn’t learn how to use a woven wrap until the twins were born and I absolutely loved it! There’s just something about the sleepy dust in it that warms my heart and makes my baby fall fast asleep in it.
• Snuggle your baby. Some babies aren’t snugglers, but if yours is, take advantage of it! I never realized until I was a mother how quickly time passed by and I’ve stolen every snuggle I can before they’re too big for them.
• Time is fleeting. Choose your time wisely. With a new baby and being a fresh-stay-at-home mom, I watched many soap operas and read tons of books. I didn’t know what else stay at home moms did (the soap operas didn’t last long once I realized all they did was divorce and remarry all the time)! I wish I would’ve made more time then for my relationship with the Lord and been intentional about deep studies.
• Be flexible with your schedule. Many friendships suffered in my early motherhood because schedule was king and nothing else mattered. Had I been able to see the future and six kids later, I would’ve made an attempt to attend more outings with friends with baby in tow.
• Rest. Make time for you to rest. Caring for newborns is exhausting work so make sure you take care of yourself too so you can be the best mom and wife for your family.
• Stay hydrated. It’s easy to put our own needs on the back-burner while we are caring for littles but we can quickly become dehydrated so always keep a bottle of water within reach, especially for you nursing mamas.
• Remember your husband’s needs. Remember that man who helped you create this tiny little being and is now loudly snoring while you’re wide awake at 3am with a screaming baby? Don’t hate him. Mentally list all the sacrifices he has made for your family while he is sleeping and thank him for it tomorrow morning. Be sure to create alone time for the two of you to recharge your relationship.
• Pray for your baby. Take time to pray for your baby while you’re rocking her to sleep. Thank the Lord for her and pray His protection over her. Pray for Him to use your precious child to impact the Kingdom for God’s glory.

If you’re a new mom, remember time is fleeting and you only have a short time with your baby. Focus on what’s most important. Don’t get caught up in the mommy wars and which is best–breast or bottle. There are much more important thoughts to occupy your mind and time. Whatever you choose for your new baby will be the best decision you can make for you and your new family. Choose well. Reach out to other moms for a helping hand because we are here for you and we love you.

New mom, Congratulations on your new baby. She’s perfect!