New Mommy Advice

Hello dear readers! I have another wonderful guest post for you today.  Madeline is going to share with us some new mommy advice.  Much of what she says piggybacks off of Whitney's post.  I'm loving the wisdom these women are sharing and I hope you are too!

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Hi friends!  My name is Madeline and I blog over at Food, Fitness, and Family.  I love to write about yummy eats, sweaty workouts, and life as a family of three.  I am so excited for Poekitten and would like to officially welcome her to the “mom club”.  As someone once said, to be a mom is to have your heart outside your body and is entirely true.  What is even truer is just how fast time goes.  I would like to say I’m a new mom too but I am not sure if at 9-months in I still qualify but I would like to think I do ;)

As I said, my daughter Emmalyne is 9-months now and I am not exactly sure where time went.  The first couple of weeks when you are running on perpetual sleep deprivation and are just trying to survive make you think that time is at a stand still, however that is not the case.  You blink and your sweet, defenseless newborn baby is on the brink of toddlerhood and you wonder what happened.  So, I would like to impart on you, some words of wisdom that I wish I had known 9-months ago.


1. Smell your baby as often as you can. That newborn smell only lasts for a short
period of time.


2.  Embrace the middle of the night feedings.  It’s easy as a new mom to resent having to wake up in middle of the night and longing for a good nights rest.  Embrace those moments of complete quiet and relish in it.

3.  Let your baby nap on your chest.  Yes, a routine is important and getting them into their crib imperative for good habits, but those chest naps are also fleeting.  Emmie wants nothing to do with them now and I miss them like crazy.

Napping on Daddy –  2 weeks old

4.  The dishes can wait.  While I am not condoning living in squalor I do think that taking some pressure off the first couple of weeks is important.  One you need your rest and two refer to the above.  Time is precious.  Better yet?  If you can afford it get a cleaning service for the first month.

5.  Take photos and videos of everything.  I got the photo part down but not going to lie I slacked on the videos.  And I completely regret it already.  No matter how small something is remember it is a first.  There are only so many firsts in life and many of them are in this first year.

Emmalyne’s 1^st Christmas – 3 months old

6.  Don’t be afraid to ask for help.  Whether that means seeking out guidance in breastfeeding from a lactation consultant or asking someone to watch your baby so you can shower don’t be afraid to reach out.  Your family and friends WANT to be there for you.  Let them be.

7.  Remember your spouse.  As moms we like to be in charge.  Remember that your spouse needs bonding time too.  Cut out a special part of the day just for your spouse.  For us, it’s bedtime.  Emmie gets one bottle a day from her daddy and he puts her to sleep.  It gives me a break and him some quiet time with our daughter.

8.  Get out of the house.  Seriously.  Too many new moms find themselves rarely leaving home.  I can’t tell you the good that some sunshine and fresh air does for your mood.  I make a point of getting out of the house every day and have since Emmie was born.  Whether that is to go to the gym, run some errands, or just go on a walk I make sure we have something small to do.  She loves it and mommy needs it.

Picking pumpkins …  3 weeks old

9. Be confident.  Your instincts are probably right.  You are going to get advice (yes, this is ironic since my post IS advice) from every direction.  Choose what works best for YOUR baby.  Be confident in your choices.  You don’t need to defend yourself to anyone.  You will know your baby best.

10.  Know it keeps getting better and better.  I find myself saying all the time THIS is the best age.  Motherhood gets more and more amazing every single day.

Emmalyne and Mommy – 8 months old

Thanks again Poekitten for letting me be here today.  I wish you lots of love, luck, and happiness as you begin this new adventure in life.  I can’t wait to see what lies in store for you and your sweet family.