Photo Credit: Stephanie Sunderland
No matter if you're a first time mom, a third time mom, or a seasoned one — any new life comes with change. With every child, it’s like starting from the beginning. It’s a whole new experience with a whole new set of challenges. And every child feels like the biggest rollercoaster of your life (emotionally and physically). What do those challenges look like? For me, here’s a few:
Lack of sleep: Everyone tells you to nap when the baby naps and that’s just something I could never do — and it became much more difficult to even try once I had two toddlers. My best advice? " This to shall pass". Everything comes in stages with children. Recently, I ordered 30 pounds of carrots instead of a pack of carrots during a 3 am night feeding. More advice? Laugh through it all. That little mistake filled the air with plenty of laughs and filled bellies with plenty of carrot soup.
Anxiety: Does he feel warm? Is he breathing ok? The questions and the concerns never end. As a parent, you sort of accept that this feeling of worry might not ever go away. I still get calls from my own mom in the wee hours of the night while she’s trying to track down my 29 year old sister. There is a lifetime of worries ahead. And that comes with loving someone.
Photo Credit: Stephanie Sunderland
Postpartum: Every birth story and every person's body is different, and having been through three labors, I can say every recovery has been all different. The best advice I have is be kind and patient with yourself. The body you had before and the body you have now are different — you can't compare the two. They’re both beautiful in their own ways.
Find a friend: There will be days you just need a friend — find a group to confide in. It will make maternity/paternity leave that much better. Support and parenthood go hand in hand.
There is no right way: Repeat after me, there is no right way of taking care of a baby. You can read all the blogs and books, and watch all the reels and even pay for someone to guide you. Trust me there is no right way of doing things. Find your flow. Bringing a baby into your life is like learning to dance with a new dance partner. It will come together, just needs time, practice and getting to know each other! Celebrate all the little wins, like for me this week — he finally took a pacifier!
Bringing a person in the world is the greatest gift but hardest adventure of all. I (and Gooselings, as a brand) want to be here for you, and we hope to make the journey extra, extra cozy!