Guest Post- Beauty for Ashes-You're a new Mom..Now What?

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I am excited to have Becky from Tales of Beauty for Ashes as a guest post today on becoming a New Mom

Becky is a new mama {welcome Gracie}; Her baby girl was born July 4th. She is alittle firecracker!  She used to be a teacher, but now will be staying home withlittle Gracie. She is also passionate about writing, relationships and religion plus she has an amazing husband at home supporting her! You will also love her post: 10 things NOT to say to a pregnant woman

So, you're a new mom…Now What?

I wish I could sit down and have a coffee date with all you new mamas out there. There are so many new and confusing things about being a new mom. Here are some things I wish someone would have told me:

1. You are going to be hormonal.That is perfectly normal and completely okay. Remember what life was like when you were a preteen and a teenager? You would be FURIOUS at your best friend for something stupid. Then an hour later, you and your BF would be laughing together and talking about boys again. Post partum hormones are like a box of chocolates, to quote Forest Gump - you never know what you're going to get.


2. It is okay to NOT know what to do. I think most moms feel this way. You have a brand new bundle that you are entirely responsible for. You need to hold their head to make sure it doesn’t fall off (okay not really, but that's how it seems at times), you need to produce enough milk to help them regain their birth weight. AND…you need to know their needs at ALL times. That last one, is not gonna happen. And it's OKAY. 

3. Let your emotions out – a nurse in the hospital did tell me this one. It was a huge lifesaver.  As women, we often feel like we need to be strong and hold our emotions in. Honestly, that is what can lead to postpartum depression. When you feel like crying – cry. It is okay, and good. I realize that for some reason my emotions/hormones peaked around dinner. My hubby and I had plenty of dinners with tears. After dinner, everything would be great! Let them out girls! 




Look at the bright side, you won't be the only one letting all your emotions out! 

4. It's okay to say no. Maybe I need to say that again. Maybe I need to READ that again. This is one of the hardest ones for me. People wanted to come over. People wanted to let their little children hold my two day old newborn. Sick children at the doctor's office wanted to come and stick their face in my little one's. I finally reached a point where I realized, I was putting what people thought of me before my own baby's safety. I realized that when my little Gracie was sitting on the lap of a two year old, and she started rolling off, that I didn't have to agree every time someone asked me. (This is one I have to keep telling myself though, the desire to people please is a strong one.)


5. Listen to your body. For a week after the birth of my baby, I felt incredible pain. I walked around and tried to do what I could, even though my body felt like all my innards were falling out of me. I told the doctor in the hospital. She said it was a hemorrhoid. I told the nurse, she said it was normal. Finally, after being home for a few days, my hubby checked me. Not everything was right. After going in and getting stitched back up again and put on meds for infection, things finally started to heal. A week late. I knew something was wrong with my body, but I trusted the doctors and nurses that it was nothing. If your body is telling you something is wrong – LISTEN TO IT!   



6. Turn the T.V. off – matter of fact, turn anything off that would distract you. These first few weeks are so precious. Your little one is going to start staring into your face, studying you. Let her see your eyes, your smile. Let her hear your voice. If you are distracted by the T.V. or other things, she and you will miss out on some incredible bonding.