5 Things Every New Mom Needs to Hear: Honest tips from a seasoned mom of 3

When you become a mother, there are things no one tells you. I’m here today to break that cycle and tell you my top 5 things I wish I knew before I had kids. You’ll hear from other mamas too, as I surveyed the crowd! Take our tips as you will, but you’ll see a pattern for a reason! ?

1. Your journey through motherhood is going to be different than anyone else’s.

The milestones your baby makes are all wonderful and it doesn’t matter if your child was sleeping through the night at 4 months or 14 months. It doesn’t matter if your child was potty trained at 18 months or 3 years old. Do not let yourself fall into the comparison trap. Your journey in motherhood is going to be unique to YOU.

When I first became a mom, I looked at all of the other moms around me and I tried to be just like them. I used the same products, offered the same first foods and I let other moms influence my choices as a mother.

It wasn’t long before I realized that my choices were not the best for my baby, or for me. Your journey through motherhood is going to be different than your friends’, or your sister’s, or your neighbor’s. Always remember that. Make your informed choices based on what’s best for your family. ❤

2. Take all advice with a grain of salt.

You will get so much unsolicited advice, especially as a new mom. Most people mean well and just want to help. Listen to the advice, smile, and nod, and move on with your day.

But also, keep an open mind. When I was pregnant with my second baby, a woman I had never met before was standing in line behind me at the grocery store. She noticed that my oldest was still quite young and knew that my kids would be very close in age, 16 months apart.

She told me to prepare to slow down. Slow everything down. Does it take you 15 minutes to get ready and out of the house? Double that; give yourself 30 minutes. Prepare ahead of time and you’ll be good to go!

3. Ask for help.

Whether it’s for your child or for you- asking for help is a necessity.

You can’t pour from an empty cup. So make sure you’re taking time for yourself. You don’t need to be the one to do EVERYTHING for your children. Take turns with your partner and give each other a chance to recharge.

If you think your child is missing milestones, or just needs more support than you can give, reach out to a professional. There is absolutely nothing wrong with asking for help. You are going to be the best advocate for your child. No one knows your child’s needs the way you do. So fight for what your child needs and don’t let anyone brush you off.

4. You are not going to love every minute of motherhood.

You’re not going to love all of the long nights, the diaper blow-outs, the toddler tantrums, etc. You don’t NEED to love every single minute of motherhood. AND THAT’S OK! Remember that what you see on social media is just someone’s highlight reel and there’s nothing wrong with that. 9 times out of 10, people want to share their happy moments with their friends on social media. They don’t want to publish their hardships for the world to see, and that’s fine. Just remember this always. Even the most perfect looking life on Instagram has weak moments. Every mom has moments of missing the freedom of doing what they want when they want to. They just don’t always advertise it.

5. Your social circle is going to change.

You may lose friends that you thought you couldn’t live without. And you might make friends that you never knew you needed. It’s heartbreaking to lose friends, but remember that some friends are in your life for a season and some friends are in your life forever. You’ll know the difference pretty quickly into motherhood. Also, make sure to give new friendships a chance. Open your heart and let new friends in.

Now, let’s hear from some other moms:

Vanessa, mom of 2: “Your house won’t be clean for at least 10 years… “

Alaina, mom of 3: “Trust that you’ve got this. Everyone has an opinion. But that’s all it is. You know what is best for you and your family.”

Elissa, mom of 2: “You’re not doing it wrong…it’s just a challenging gig!”

Jenny, mom of 2: “Ask for help and accept help. It’s just a phase. Motherhood can suck and that’s ok”

Katie, mom of 1: “You do not need to do it ALL, and people won’t know how to help you unless you ask. ASK!”

Thank you to these mamas who gave me their feedback!

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Interested in learning more about my professional services?

I’m Missy Yandow, owner of Slumber and Bloom. I’m a certified pediatric sleep consultant and potty training coach. I have degrees in early childhood education, child life psychology and child development.

I am passionate about helping families transform their child’s sleep habits and teaching parents how to help potty train their child quickly and efficiently.

If you’re ready to start sleep training or potty training, let’s set up a time to chat!

Some things to think about when deciding when you want to start sleep training your baby:

• Ensure it’s the proper timing- make sure your baby isn’t sick, you aren’t traveling, or you don’t have any big life changes coming (new baby, moving, switching jobs/childcare, etc.).
• Be prepared to put in the work. Consistency will pay off in the long run. Sleep training isn’t an overnight success; it takes many nights and dedication to help your baby learn to sleep.
• Create a plan or hire me as your sleep consultant for one-on-one help.

If you’re considering potty training, ensure your child is fully ready:

• Does your child stay dry for 1-2 hours?
• Is your child interested in the potty?
• Does your child seek privacy to poop?

If your child is ready for sleep training or potty training, I would be honored to be your consultant!

XOXO,
 Missy Yandow