As a mom of 4 boys, I think the first baby is the hardest baby. Adjusting to having a baby is a really hard process, but I've learned so much going from one baby, to the fourth baby. I've put together some of my favorite tips for first-time moms that will save a lot of stress and anxiety. The only issue I can't help much with is sleep. Pretty much every new mama, especially if you are breastfeeding, struggles with getting any kind of decent sleep. I know my sister was lucky, and her boys would sleep all through the night, but that definitely isn't the norm! If you have a baby that likes to feed through the night, don't worry, it is so normal! 

Welcome to Motherhood: Emotions and Expectations

Embarking on the journey of becoming a new mom, I've realized it's a whirlwind of emotions - a blend of pure joy and unparalleled anxiety. As a first-time mom, you're stepping into a realm where every cry, giggle, and milestone is a learning experience. There's an inexplicable thrill in witnessing every 'first' of your little one, yet the fear of the unknown can be daunting. The transition into motherhood demands not just physical readiness, but a strong mental and emotional preparation. It's about embracing the change, accepting that not every day will be perfect, and knowing that it's okay to feel overwhelmed. The beauty of this journey lies in its complexity - for every challenge faced, there's an unmatched reward in the form of your baby's smile. The key is to find balance, seek support when needed, and trust in your innate ability to nurture and love. 

Key Takeaways:

• Embrace the emotional rollercoaster: Accepting the blend of excitement and challenges is crucial. 
• Prepare mentally and emotionally: Understanding that motherhood is more than just physical readiness. 
• Trust in your ability to nurture: You're equipped with an innate capacity to care for your baby. 

Navigating the First Days: From Hospital to Home

As a new mom, you might find the journey from the hospital to your home daunting. Here's some guidance to help you transition smoothly. The first thing is ensuring the car seat is properly installed. Many hospitals offer a check by a certified car seat technician; take advantage of this.

Carseat tips for Newborns: 

There are a lot of car seat options for newborns. It can be really overwhelming to try and choose which one is best! Utlimately, choose one that you like the reviews on, and don't get too caught up in the most expensive car seat. I've found that they are great car seats, and usually the more expensive ones look nicer, but aren't necessarily safer. You can also get a 2nd hand car seat as long as it isn't expired and never been in an accident. This is a great way to save money, but still get the car seat you really want. 

Hospital Stays and Wakeups (don't be afraid to request to go home!):

The nurses are going to wake you up a lot at the hospital! You will have many checks throughout the night, depending on what kind of delivery you had. Baby usually needs a few checks, and you will too, so don't plan on sleeping much after birth. With my later babies, I left the hospital after one day because I wanted to be home with my other children, and I really wanted to sleep better. I requested an early discharge if okay by my doctor. Getting home, getting more sleep, and getting back in my own environment really helped me and baby adjust faster. 

Understanding Your Baby's Cries

Understanding your baby's cries can feel like learning an entirely new language, and frankly, it is. As a new mom, I soon realized cries are the first form of communication between us and our little ones. It's both a beautiful and bewildering journey, learning to decipher those wails and whimpers. Sometimes, there’s no clear reason behind the tears, no matter how much we wish there was a straightforward answer. This doesn’t mean we’re doing anything wrong, or that our baby is unhappy. It's simply part of their development, a way for them to express themselves before words come into play. Embracing patience and taking the time to understand my baby’s unique needs truly made a difference, reminding me that every cry, even the unexplained ones, is a step toward understanding my new baby a little better. 

Be prepared to stand and walk a lot:

I have no idea why, but every one of my babies perferred for me to stand and walk and hold them. The minute I tried to sit down and hold them, they would fuss. I found that if I just got used to walking around and holding baby, life was less frustrating. I used wraps when they were really little, so I could have my hands free. Wraps are nice for little babies, then you can use the front packs as they grow. Even with the wraps on, I still had to walk around and stand to keep them asleep. If this works for your baby, don't fight it, just be prepared to keep moving. 

When in doubt, breastfeed:

I learned early on to let go of a feeding schedule, and allow baby to breastfeed for comfort. It saved me a lot of unnecessary crying and fussing if I just breastfed a lot. It also kept my milk supply high because I had baby skin to skin so much. This is really helpful in the first few weeks when you are establishing your milk supply too. If you are too strict with a schedule, your milk supply can actually drop, and you will find that you are going against your body and baby's needs. It is a natural process for baby to nurse to fall asleep and for comfort becasue it signals to your body to keep producing a lot of milk, and it calms baby. I found that this method, despite having to walk up in the night, worked really well for all of my babies. I was able to keep my milk supply up and lose the baby weight at the same time because breastfeeding skin-to-skin was a huge priority. If you have to go back to work, just make this a priority until it gets closer to work time. Then you can transition baby to a bottle to help them get used to it, and use the pump to continue stimulating your body. 

Focus on your nutrition: 

Over the years, as I've helped so many mamas lose weight while breastfeeding, without losing their milk supply, one of the main issues I find is that many mothers just get exhausted and hungry, so they eat anything and everything to keep their milk supply up and their energy up. But, when you start relying on sugar and processed carbs to keep your energy up, you also end up wanting more calories because your body isn't getting the nutrients it needs to keep up with breastfeeding. Protein shakes were a life saver for me, and I wish I would have tried them more with my first baby. I used them a lot for the rest, and was able to use Milk Dust after my 4th, and Milk Dust made a HUGE difference!

Use lactation protein shakes to keep milk supply up:

Protein shakes are full of essential nutrients, you can drink them one-handed, and you can prepare them easily with one hand. I typically made my protein shakes with frozen strawberries, spinach and Milk Dust. It was delicious, super filling and it totally cut out my sugar cravings! Milk Dust is specifically formulated to stop sugar cravings and increase milk supply at the same time, and it worked really well for me. I had too much milk, while eating less and feeling really full. 

Stop breastfeeding hunger with protein: 

Protein is also extremely helpful to stop breastfeeding hunger. Anytime I skipped my protein shake, I was STARVING all day once 2pm hit. I twas like my body was craving the protein and nutrients, and I couldn't get enough food to satisfy those needs. That is because Milk Dust has a lot of b vitamins, folate, chromium, zinc, protein and other nutrients that are really important during postpartum and lactation. On the days I missed my protein and nutrient needs I was a completely different person. I wanted to eat all the sugar and carbs, and I just couldn't function the same. On the days I had my shake, I could go hours with lots of energy, and I didn't want to snack on everything possible. I promise whatever protein powder you use, and I have a post going over a lot of them, you will feel so much better making a daily protein shake!