Mike's Mom (Mamma G) hosted a wonderful shower on Saturday-- and seeing all of her friends together with us was just great! She has a lot of really great and supportive women in her world-- and getting to spend time with all of them together at one place was terriic. Some I've known for years, others I've heard so much about and appreciate the fact that I can now put a face with a name. They also gave a lot of terrific and meaningful advice....which I made sure I wrote down.
As we opened each gift, Mamma G asked everyone to share a good piece of advice and a funny story about being a mom. This turned into some of the best advice a mom-to-be could get. So, here's what I learned-- some of it is very practical, some tips are just hilarious (and so true), some thoughts are insightful and deep, and some are all of the above. All of the insight is great. These ladies should write a book!
ADVICE:
1) The most important thing you can do for a baby is to let them know that they are so very loved. That they have a lot of people around them to guide them through this new world they've entered
2) Be patient with yourself and all yourself time to figure parenthood out.
3) Read Read Read! It doesn't matted what we're reading, but just spending time with books-- reading them out loud so the baby gets used to how words are formed and reassured by the continual sound of your voice.
4) Sleep when the baby sleeps. As tempting as it my be, don't worry about housework (Amen), but rather allow yourself to be human. Sleeping in 2-3 hour increments requires superhuman abilities, so don't be hesitant to ask those around you for help.5) Write as much as posssible so you remember this special time. It doesn't last long and includes some of the most innocent interactions a person can ever have with another and as a family.
6) Cover the baby's frontal region when you are changing a diaper-- to avoid the unpleasant "surprise attack"
7) Be yourself. Its always good to educate yourself and learn different parenting tips, but see them as suggestions, not "must do's." The only real "must do's" are to be yourself, trust your instincts and do what feels right for you and the baby
8) Know that the sleepless nights won't last forever and go with the flow as much as you can
9) Don't over-gadget your baby. Swings and seats are nice, but one of the best things a parent can do for a baby is to allow them to play on a blanket on the floor. Whether on their back or on their bellies, spending time in these positions really helps with their motor skills, muscle and intellectual development
10) Enjoy every moment--- even the ones that may not feel enjoyable at the time...because babies don't stay little forever. They actually grow very quick.
Now this is some great advice :) Thanks to everyone who made Saturday such a special day. The gifts are so nice-- I especially love the ones that are "baby favorites" of your children. The books, and outfits and blankets and toys and helpful gadgets (read: new parent survival essentials)...they're all just wonderful! And the bookcase-- well, its just as darling as its contents/
2 comments:
I second the advice about writing down as much as you can. Get one of those monthly calendars that you can write on, then you just transfer it to the baby book when you have time. And now that Hannah is one and reached a lot of her firsts for the baby book, I still try and keep a journal of big moments so I can remember them and share them with her! Glad you had another nice shower. Enjoy your last fews weeks as a family of 2! Jenn
Thanks Jem-- I couldn't agree more. In fact, one of the really cool gifts we received was a calendar like the one you mentioned. It has stickers to mark the milestones, just like the one you have. What a clever idea. Thanks! Looking forward to spending Halloween with you, Andy & Hannah :)
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