Everyone has advice for you when you have a baby.Breast feed, bottle feed, co-sleep, cry it out, stay-at-home, work part time - the list goes on and on. Some advice is good, some not so great for a new mom.
But I'm here to tell you to ignore it all and just take this one piece of all important advice when you become a mom. It's very important so read closely.
Start a moms group.
Yes, you heard me - a moms group. A group of ladies with babies or kids around the same age as yours. A group that gets together on the regular like once a week or at the very least monthly. With the kids around or not, does not matter. But the moms have to be able to chat.
Why is this so important? We all have many people to talk to. Our husbands/boyfriends/significant are often ready to listen to us talk about our pregnancy, but can the male species really understand what labor feels like? Do they really understand how you can love being a mother so much but suffer from overwhelming post-par tum? Your mom is your best friend, but can you really share the nitty gritty details of your sex life? (or lack of?)
Other moms understand the challenges, joys, ups & downs of motherhood. You can ask your moms group - has this ever happened to you? - and it probably has to one of them. You ask advice on how they are getting their baby to sleep, what pediatrician to choose, their experience at preschool. You can laugh, you can cry, you can probably even whip out your boob and breastfeed without judgement. You won't feel so alone and will have these wonderful friends. Your tribe. Your village.
When my son was a year old one of my best friends had the genius idea to start a once a month get together for our mom friends. Many years later 8 moms still get together to play cards or go out to dinner. We support one another. We talk about our challenges & joys. We're much stronger & healthier moms because of our amazing moms group.
Even if you don't have a built in group of moms to reach out to, there are so many support groups already established. Breastfeeding support groups, playgroups, church groups for moms. They are out there. Find them.
It's the best advice you'll ever get as a new mom.
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