Dear First-Time Mom, New Mom, Mom-to-Be,
I wanted to let you in on a little secret: I’m a first-time-mom, too. My son is two, and as of right now, he’s an only. I understand what it’s like to be a new mom and to be a first-time mom, and how hard it can seem when every other mom seems to have it all together.
First, I want to tell you, mama, you’re doing a great job. Being a mom, especially a new mom, isn’t easy. You’re probably feeling a little out of your element, and that’s okay. We all have been there.
If your little one is a baby, brand-new, fresh-out-of-the-package, you may feel like you’ll never sleep again. I promise you will. The first time your baby sleeps all night, you’ll probably wake up confused and run, half-dressed, to where they’re sleeping. That is okay. I did that, too, once. I still check on my toddler sometimes just to watch him sleep, with his eyelids fluttering.
You may also wonder why there are so many options for everything. And why are there so many wipes? Trust me, I ask myself that often. One day you may look back and wonder why you bought boogie wipes, body wipes, and diaper wipes, when really, diaper wipes work for pretty much everything (even household cleaning). I owned all of the wipes, and then I started buying wipes in bulk at Costco, and never really looked back. But it’s okay to buy all of the wipes. They eventually get used for something – and I keep a pack of boogie wipes in my purse (they really are kind of awesome).
Oh, and the first time you go out, you may want to know what to keep in your diaper bag. It’s totally okay to overpack. Even now, with a two-year-old, I keep an extra shirt for myself in the bag. You never know when someone is going to have a blow-out, or when you’ll decide to feed your shirt while having lunch with a friend. If you want tips on some things to include in your diaper bag next time you go out, here’s a helpful guide to check out!
Sometimes, it may seem like everyone is full of advice. That gets overwhelming, especially when it all seems to conflict. I got a lot of advice from more seasoned moms when I was new at motherhood, and there was a lot I set aside because it didn’t work for me, my family, or my baby. Not all things work for all babies, or all moms. Take the advice you think will work and leave the rest behind. Advice is just that: advice. A suggestion for something someone once found helpful.
Finally, new mom, I wanted to let you in on a little secret; something I just figured out myself: we’re all first-time moms. All of us. Moms with adult children and moms with babies. Moms with one child and moms with multiples. We will never stop being first-time moms, even as we grow older. This year, I am a first-time toddler mom. Next year, I’ll be a first-time preschooler mom. One day, I’ll be a first-time mom of a Kindergartener.
As your child gets older, you’ll gain more confidence in your abilities to parent. You may even add more children to your family. Eventually, you’ll find your favorite mom hacks, like the silicone cupcake liner tip in this post. When the day comes, you’ll know when to call the pediatrician, and when not to, and you’ll know which ice pack and bandage work best to stop the tears when, one day, your little one falls and hurts their knee for the first time. You’ve got this – and I have faith in you.
But mama, new mama, this little one you have right now? No matter how old they get, they’ll always be your baby, and you’ll always be their mama. Even though right now you may feel like a fish out of water, you’ve got this. You’re the best mom for your child – something they’ve known right from the beginning.
With Love,
A fellow new mama
