Oh boy (or girl)! Your life will never be the same again. As scary as that sounds, it is definitely not a bad thing. When I was a first time mom, I got so many different pieces of advice. People told me to sleep when the baby sleeps. I was instructed to ask for help when I needed it. They said not to introduce a bottle too soon if you’re breastfeeding because it may cause “nipple confusion”. Some said follow a schedule; others said don’t. It was all a little overwhelming to say the least.
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In this article, I want to share with you the valuable lessons I have learned after 3 children. I wish someone would have put motherhood into perspective like this for me when I was a first time mom. Hopefully, this will make your next chapter of life seem a little less scary. Here we go!
1. Motherhood is a marathon not a sprint.
Enjoy each phase of motherhood. From the infant stage to adolescence, each phase comes with its own pure joys and steep challenges. You really do yourself a disservice wishing yourself out of one season into the next. You may find that the challenges you face in the next season are even tougher than the previous one.
2. Each season of motherhood builds on the previous one.
This brings me to my next point. Imagine the man or woman you want to raise, and work backwards from there. If you want to raise a mature adult, it starts with addressing the temper tantrums your 1.5-2 year old is throwing. To raise a man who respects women, teach your son to respect you very early on. Raising a woman who respects herself means modeling that behavior to her all her life.
3. Motherhood is a ministry and an assignment from God.
This is the perfect segue into what parenting is all about. It’s also something I discussed in detail in a previous article. It is literally our job to raise godly children who love the Lord and fulfill their destiny. God has entrusted these little ones into our hands for His glory. When you see motherhood this way, it will make those long nights feel a little less awful. Speaking of sleep, the Hatch Rest Baby Sound Machine was the best give we received for better infant sleep!
4. Don’t Force Your Child Into Everyone Else’s Box
Comparison is the enemy of joy! Of course you want to monitor your child’s progress and talk to their doctor when necessary. However, every child is unique and will develop at their own pace. Just because someone else’s child can read at age 2 or has been sleeping through the night since birth does not mean anything is wrong with your baby.
5. Even as a first time mom, you can trust your instincts.
I do not know how this happens or when exactly, but your maternal instincts will kick in. I always recognized it as a “gut feeling”. As a first time mom, with little to no motherhood experience, no one knows your child better than you. There were several times when I listened to other people against my better judgement and ended up regretting it. Mama knows best!
6. The days are long, but the years are short.
This last piece of advice was one that I actually did receive. It is also my favorite. You will have many days that completely drain you. With a tear-stained face you will drop yourself into the bed some days. Just remember this, the time really does fly by. You will make it and look back on those days as a faint, distant memory.
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You got this mama!
