What do you wish you had known?

 I asked some moms what they wish they had known before they had a baby. Here are some of the things I heard:

  • It’s ok to not have all the answers.

  • Listen to your body and his/hers.

  • Rest when you need to and don’t be afraid to ask for a minute to yourself.

  • You are in the middle of a huge life change and you may not feel like yourself for a little while.

  • The new normal takes a while to settle in.

  • Do not over do it. It’s perfectly acceptable to say “no” or “YES please” when someone asks to hold your new bundle.

I asked them what was the hardest thing- and one thing was chimed in over and over- Sleep Deprivation and here are the others:

  • That just when you think you have it all figured it…it all changes!

  • Sleep deprivation is hard!

  • It is hard balancing what you want to be capable of in your head and what is realistic. Figuring out why the baby is crying… she just ate, she has a clean diaper, I’m holding her… oh! She wanted to be skin to skin with her Dad!

  • Not being able to pick up and go! I was always a run around type of girl & now it takes TONS of planning to leave the house.

  • Without a doubt, it was feeling like a prisoner in my home because of my fear of nursing in public. 9 years and 4 kids later, it’s not at all an issue now. But it’s been quite a mental/emotional journey!

  • Losing my sense of self.

  • My kids are 13,10 & 3 months. This is definitely a huge change for not only me but my other 2 kids as well. So for me I have to say so far it’s been a mental/emotional journey in our home as well….in a good way of course!

  • Not enough time alone and with the hubby

  • For me it was the lack of connection with other moms… I had a pretty high need kid and was desperate to create some kind of rhythm in the midst of learning curve chaos (stress of new mommyhood=felt like I’d crammed 4 years of college into 4 months)

  • Sleep deprivation!!


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