As a mama of 3, this is what I wish I had known and done with each of my 3 babies. I wish I had spent less time thinking about my baby registry, and more time thinking about the things that truly mattered!
And this is my gift to you - learning from my mistakes, and my experience!
TRUST YOUR GUT
YOU know your baby and their needs better than anyone. YOU know your own needs better than anyone. Take guidance, listen, learn, but do not let anyone try to push you towards something that just doesn’t sit right with you.
And by this I mean doctors, mother-in-laws, health visitors - anyone who is in the life of you and your baby. You might feel like someone has more experience than you so they know better. And it's great to learn from them, but only if it fits with how YOUR parenting style.
If you need help with advocating for yourself, ask your partner or BFF to help you out. They can come to appointments with you, or speak up on your behalf when necessary.
Just trust yourself lady, promise?
PROCESS
Stop lady. This is not the time for you to be running (figuratively or literally!). Consider the journey that you and your baby have gone through - whether you gave birth to your baby, you have welcomed your baby through adoption, surrogacy or fostering. SO much has happened.
I know that everyone's experiences, lives, relationships are different, and it might not be possible for you to stop (maybe you need to go back to work, maybe you have other kids & no help, maybe your baby is in the NICU), but remember - your body is recovering; you have experienced a major life event. Slow down. Process the emotions, the feelings, the memories, the moments.
Give yourself that gift of intentional time. Be intentional about the processing. Little and often, that's all it takes. And if you need a little extra help healing (if you had a traumatic birth, or if things didn't go as expected), do not be afraid to reach out and ask for help from your doctor or therapist. There is NO shame in asking for help.
MEDITATE
I know you’re probably thinking - WTF Louise, you want to choose NOW for me to meditate?!
Hear me out for a second.
There are SO many scientifically proven reasons for you to meditate as a new mama. I'm not going to go into them here, but believe me - you need them! We all do.
And meditation doesn't have to be hard, I promise you. We are going to blend it into your life, without you really having to do anything different. Sound good?
The next time you're feeding your baby, or snuggling them at night - I want you to turn on this 3 minute guided meditation, and just sit with it. It is designed specifically for new moms in their fourth trimester, so it is perfect for the season you are in right now!
Above all mama, know that you are an amazing mother. This is the start of an incredible journey - one that will without doubt have its ups and downs, but one that you will navigate beautifully (and some days not so beautifully, but know that we ALL have those days).
And if you need more support through this beautiful but challenging season, please reach out. I have worked with new moms for many years, in a holistic capacity, and I am here to support YOU as a new mama.
You have so many people who are looking out for your baby, I am here to look out for YOU! Reach out today lady.
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