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When I became pregnant I watched soo many youtube videos, read so many blog post about buying the perfect car seat, the perfect stroller, the perfect baby bottles.

But nothing you can read or watch or listen really prepares you for motherhood. So here are a few thing I learned this past year since becoming a mom that I wish someone had told me.

I THOUGHT PREGNANCY WOULD BE THE SCARIEST & MOST DIFFICULT PART

Although I did enjoy being pregnant I was never really relaxed throughout my entire pregnancy. I was afraid to let my guard down I was afraid something would go wrong. Every time we left the doctor’s office and they told us everything was fine it was like a weight was lifted off my shoulder, until the next time we went… then I was all worried all over again.

I didn’t have any complications, I was healthy I really didn’t have any reasons to worry, but I did… I read so many stories of women being perfectly healthy and then having a miscarriage. I read so many stories of stillbirths. They all terrified me, and to top it off I am in the health care field so I KNOW all the things that can go wrong. Then it was time to bring Aiden home and I realized that raising him was the scariest part.

THE CONSTANT WORRY NEVER STOPS

When we first came home with Aiden I was terrified he would suddenly stop breathing. When he took a nap I watched to make sure I saw his chest rise. When I fell asleep while nursing him I was terrified I should suffocate him with my boobs. I am not ashamed to admit that if it didn’t seem like his chest was moving while sleeping I would tickle him to see him move.

Then once we started feeding him solids I was terrified he would choke, and I would forget all my CPR training.

Now that he started crawling and walking I am terrified he is going to hurt himself.

When he gets older I am probably going to worry about him getting into cars with his friends, you see it never stops….

IF YOU CAN’T CONTROL IT LET IT GO

I spent a lot of time worrying about things I couldn’t control, but I am learning to just let it go.

DON’T BE SO HARD ON YOURSELF

This is something I am still working on. Being on social media I find myself comparing my life to other moms. Why is it that their kitchen is so clean but mines always looks like a disaster! Why is is that their beds are always made but mines always looks like a hot mess. Why is is that I keep gaining weight after giving birth while other moms are back to their pre baby weight within 6 months.

I still constantly catch myself doing this. I am definitely still working on not being so hard on myself.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

THE DISHES & THE LAUNDRY CAN WAIT

Don’t worry about the kitchen being a mess don’t worry about the dished piling up in the sink, don’t worry about the loads of laundry that needs to be done.

I spent so much time trying to keep the house clean when I could have just spent that time getting baby snuggles and now he already pushes me away.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

IT’S OKAY IF YOU ARE NOT FEEDING YOUR BABY FRESHLY MADE FOOD EVERY TIME

Before having Aiden I had all these plans of only feeding him freshly made foods. I was going to meal prep for him every week and only feed him food from pouches if we were out. Well I had him and life just got hard and supper busy, and I found myself mostly feeding him food from pouches. I definitely look at ingredients of things I buy for him to eat I have found this brand and this one to actually have simple real ingredients.

IT’S OKAY TO WANT SOME ALONE TIME

Being a mom is hard even when you have help. It’s even hardest if you are a first time mom and you are learning everything. I felt guilty whenever I just wanted some time alone because I felt so overwhelmed. But I realized that it was okay to take some me time, Aiden needs me to be happy and okay in order to be able to take care of him.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

YOU DON’T NEED SO MANY BABY CLOTHES

I didn’t even feel like I purchased that many clothes but apparently I did. Aiden practically lived is zip up footed pajamas for at least the first 6 months of his life. He has so many cute clothes but it was so much work to change him that I left in his pajamas until they were dirty.

YOU ARE NOT A BAD MOM FOR NOT EXCLUSIVELY BREASTFEEDING

It took me a while to come to terms with that one, its okay if you can’t breastfeed your baby or if you chose not to. You should definitely check out Breast Feeding is Hard- IT’s Ok Not to Love it blog post where I talk about my struggles with breastfeeding.

Remember at the end of the day you are doing the best you can, as long as you love that baby as hard as you can you are an amazing mom and you are doing an amazing job.
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