5 New Mom Tips (That I Wish I Knew When I Had My Firstborn)

After 2 kids, people assume that I already have this pregnancy/motherhood thing in the can. In a way, I kinda do. I have more than enough experience with the boo-boos and the poo-poos than you’d care to listen to :).

And now that I’m weeks away from giving birth to Baby Number 3, I figured that I’ll share some first-hand new mom tips I’ve learned along the way. These are the things I wished I knew when before I had Cesca as well.

TIP NUMBER 1. Don’t go overboard with shopping for your first child. 

As I’ve mentioned in my previous post (Tips when Shopping for your Baby’s Things (Plus My Newborn Absolute Checklist), it’s very easy to overbuy specially if it’s your first kid.

However, shop within reason. You won’t need a lot of newborn wear (even diapers!) since babies outgrow them fast. Your baby may also be allergic to a certain product/brand so it will be a waste if you bought a whole bunch of it only not to use it eventually.

TIP NUMBER 2. Labor is not what it seems in the movies. 

One mom’s labour/birthing experience is different from another. There will also be a lot of waiting and idle moments in between. Music, books, light snack and even ice chips will come in handy.

Your labor will also probably not go as planned, no matter how much you prepare for it. Your water may not break (mine didn’t with my 2 kids) or you might get an emergency C section.

Lastly, the average length of labor (for first time moms) lasts up to 18 hours and will surely test your endurance and stamina. However, it will be nothing compared to the sleepless nights that will follow so you’ll need to be 100% healthy.

TIP NUMBER 3. You will receive a lot of (unsolicited) advice, but listen to your instinct.

Of course they mean well, but if you are not comfortable following their advice on how to take care of your baby (mostly old wive’s tales and including my own haha), go ahead and listen to your gut feel. Just remember that babies cry for a reason — whether they’re hungry, tired, need to be changed, need to be burped, or are gassy.

TIP NUMBER 4. Bear in mind that every baby is different.

You’ll most likely cry on your first night together (I did, no shame there) but you’ll eventually learn what’s best for your baby through your mom-tuition, experience and trial and error 🙂

TIP NUMBER 5. if you can, document everything.

Take a lot of pictures and videos. Time flies so fast, you’ll no sooner realize that your baby is already turning one. Make a scrapbook or a blog. If there’s one thing I regret, it’s not being consistent in updating the blogs I meant to chronicle Cesca and Seven’s milestones. 

Motherhood is indeed a never-ending experience and believe me this is just a start. Don’t be too hard on yourself and know that YOU ARE THE BEST MOM your kid can have 🙂

Have anything to add to the list? Feel free to share in the comment below!