Transition: Episode 1…Becoming a New Mom continues

#4: Don’t eliminate Date Nights

As a new mom, I look forward to date nights. My husband and I have committed to setting a day in the week for JUST the two of us. Occasionally, we will incorporate our daughter, but that doesn’t happen a lot and it defeats the purpose. We enjoy date nights and we both look forward to that day. Sometimes when we have a bad week or something, we get giddy like little kids waiting to get candy, and we remind each other about our date night, which we look forward to. My husband is a staff pastor at our church and he is always busy, so carving out a day from his busy schedule means the world to me. It takes sacrifice and commitment, and I love him so much for making out time for us. With that being said, here comes my next tip.

#5. Sacrifice and commitment

Being a new mom comes with sacrifice. Whether it is sacrificing your time and energy, you just have to sacrifice. You have brought a beautiful baby to this world and it’s time to stay committed to that child. Each child comes with their own package and that’s what makes babies different. That this particular idea worked for you doesn’t mean it will work for me, but I’m willing to put my best in making sure my daughter gets the best from me. If you have established a routine, stay committed to it, because it pays off in the end. I committed to giving our daughter a bath at night time, reading to her, and praying with her each night, and I’m sticking with it. I believe in the Word of God that says, “Train up a child in a way he should grow and when he grows he shall not depart from it.” I hope you will stay committed to your routine as you are doing a good job already.

#6. Family Time

This is very important, as I enjoy spending quality time with my family. Growing up, my parents emphasized coming together and spending time talking about your day and all the good/bad stuff that happened, which we valued a lot. I am definitely incorporating this value in my own growing family, and I hope you are, too. I also read to my daughter every night and give her bath time as needed. She enjoys moments like this, especially bath time with mommy, because when I’m taking her clothes off ready to put her in the bath tub, she is laughing so hard that it melts my heart. Any mother out there would attest to what I’m talking about. Daddy sings to her and reads to her as well, depending on what time he gets back from work, which she anticipates with joy.

These are a few tips that will guide you through as you embark on this journey. Yes, there are so many tips out there as well as many pieces of advice you’ll get, but these have become extremely helpful to me as I go through it myself. I speak strength over your life and pray that God will give you the wisdom to take care of your child. Stay encouraged and never lose focus.

#adakuinspires

Transition: Episode 1…Becoming a New Mom

Episode #1: Becoming a new mom

As I’m sitting here, thinking about how my life has completely changed since I became a new mom, it blows my mind. If any mom out there says that being a new mom is easy, they definitely are lying to you. However, it’s a blessing for me to be responsible for someone’s life and for them to completely depend on me for their healthy growth. I have learned so much in two months already, and there’s still a lot to be learned as time goes on. Here are few tips that will help you as you go through this journey with your little one, my friend.

#1. Always ask for help

My first week home was so overwhelming that I felt lost. Family and friends flooded our house like a flowing river. We come from a big family so it was definitely expected to just have an open-door policy. This particular day when our friends came over with their husbands, the women took me to the kitchen and started giving me advice. They literally showed me how to pump, when I could start pumping, and why I needed to start ASAP because I was just lost at the moment. Another showed me a way to sterilize my bottles — which, by the way I knew all these, but for some reason, I felt dumb because it all came to me at once and right at that moment I started crying. It became a reality to me that I’m now a mom! During my first couple of weeks home, I was so fortunate to have people come over to relieve me just so I could have a couple hours to myself. Shower time became so important and valuable that I looked forward to JUST taking a shower. When people text you or call you and ask, “Can I come over to watch the baby for few hours?” please say yes when you can and take advantage of that, because it’s really worth it and you will never regret it. I took advantage of it and I don’t regret it. Even as she’s now two months, I’m still saying yes to people who want to babysit her while I have my “me time.”

#2: Crying is good for you

I’m a crier; anybody who knows me knows that it doesn’t take me long to cry. Yes, I’m very emotional, and that’s ok with me. There will be some days when you’re by yourself and all you can do is cry. Just the thought of you holding a baby that is not your niece’s, cousin’s, or someone else’s but your own baby is pretty amazing to me, and can cause me to cry. Also the thought of childbirth and what you went through comes back to you. There are days when you feel like you’ve done everything you can to make them go to sleep and you are so exhausted, but they don’t know that. Instead, they choose to stay awake at night. Basically, there are a lot of things that will happen during the first few weeks that will make you cry, but I’m here to encourage you to not hold it in. Let it out, for your own sanity. Talk to your trusted friends or mentors and tell them what you’re going through. Once you’ve opened up to share it with someone, keep your head high and move on. The road gets brighter as you stay focused on becoming the best mom you can be to your little one.

#3: Pumping

This tip is what I call “milking a cow,” because that’s how I feel sometimes. First of all, pumping hurts like crazy, but you’ve got to do it especially if you need the help, right? If you can pump, I advise you to pump because this gives you some type of break in order to have your spouse or loved one help you while you get some rest. Pumping after breastfeeding helps to stimulate your milk production and increase your milk supply. Another good reason for you to pump is to relieve the pain and pressure of engorged breasts. Trust me, nobody needs to tell you that, because they become really hard and the only option you have is to pump. I also love when I pump because it gives my husband bonding time with our daughter, since they don’t really do that while he’s at work. Also during pumping, try to eliminate caffeine or soda, because they will dry up your milk. Trust me, I learned the hard way and I don’t want you to go through that. Drinking lots of fluids like water and juices brings it back, but it takes a while for it to come back, so take note. Pumping is important for me as well because it gives us the liberty to still have date nights — which takes me to my next tip.

There are more tips to come. Just sit back and relax, hopefully with a cup of tea or coffee, as I continue with these tips in the next blog. Until then, stay inspired. #adakuinspires