The Worst Advice I Was Given as a New Mom

My husband and I were overjoyed when we discovered we were expecting our first baby. Pregnancy, on the other hand, can be overwhelming for first-time moms. I did all of my research, read all of the books, and took up all of the advice I could from other mothers. I got a lot of good advise from those people, but I also got a lot of terrible and ineffective advice.

Here are the top seven bits of advise I won’t give to a soon-to-be mother!!!

Sleep while the baby goes to sleep.

Yes, if you want to live in a hurricane of toys, clean and filthy clothes, and unknown sticky surfaces, this is sound advise. Sleeping when the baby naps truly means sleeping when you have a bit of peace and quiet to yourself. This was the most typical piece of advise my other moms gave me (a million times). Although it may work for some moms, I found it to be quite inconvenient. I still had a house to keep up with, food to prepare, and laundry to do, all of which I couldn’t accomplish while the baby was awake. Also, it’s occasionally just wonderful to sit down and watch an entire episode of Fixer Upper.

Remember to have intimate moments with your husband.

When I first became a mother, this was the absolute last thing on my mind. Medically, you should wait six weeks before engaging in intimate activities again, so this one perplexed me. Often, even at 6 weeks, moms do not feel ready emotionally or physically, and they wait weeks or even months later. Thankfully, my spouse was too preoccupied with diapers, baby baths, and other pressing matters to be concerned about this (at least for the time being!)

Allow someone to look after your children

I understand this, and I know a lot of moms who would hire a babysitter so they could sleep and shower. But, as for myself, I’d rather have someone assist me with cleaning and cooking so that I can relax and bond with my new kid. When the infant is older, family and close friends will have countless opportunities to babysit and share that special time. I wanted to spend as much time as possible with my infant and was worried about leaving her in someone else’s care. It’s your baby, and you know what’s best for him or her, so don’t feel obligated to allow it if you don’t want to.

Only eat healthful foods

With a newborn, let alone breastfeeding urges, this is nearly difficult! I made it through the first several weeks on a diet of cheesecake and lettuce. Mamas, it’s all about striking the right balance. Try to eat healthy, but don’t be too hard on yourself if you have a need. I all, moms satisfy those pregnancy desires when the baby is still in the womb, so why should it be any different when the baby is no longer in the womb?

Make time for dating nights with your partner

It was impossible for me to go on dates until my daughter was at least 3 months old. Furthermore, the prospect of dressing in anything other than yoga pants was revolting. My husband and I agreed on this, and we kept our marriage alive with takeout and movie nights (which were just as enjoyable)!

Your child will never want to leave your bed if you co-sleep

I’m sure she’ll want independence at some point, and because she sleeps in my bed all night, that’s where she’ll stay.

Try to breastfeed as much as possible

I know, breastmilk is wonderful (we get it), but a mother may choose not to breastfeed for a variety of reasons, and that’s fine. The most important thing is to feed the baby, and while I did pump and bottle feed, my production ceased after four months, which I was fine with.

So, fresh mama-to-be, don’t be discouraged! There are many of resources available to you, and fellow moms are a wealth of knowledge, but not everything you’re told will work for you, and that’s totally fine. What makes motherhood so different and amazing is making informed decisions to the best of your ability and forging your own path!

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