Baby6 Tips For First Time Moms (Practical Advice To Help New Moms...

6 Tips For First Time Moms (Practical Advice To Help New Moms Adjust)

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If your due date is around the corner and you’re scouting the internet for the best tips for first time moms, then look no further. You have come to the right place!

Getting pregnant and becoming a mom for the first time can be exciting and overwhelming at the same time. There’s so much that you need to thing about, including getting ready for labor, learn about breastfeeding, and making sure you’ve got everything set-up for when baby comes home or for your postpartum recovery. Not to mentioned surviving the sleep deprivation and adapting to life with a newborn the first few weeks after birth!

But there’s other things, other than checklists, that people don’t usually talk about and that can affect a new mom’s wellbeing. It’s the advice for new parents that addresses these things that I wish I was given when I was still expecting, and that I’d like to share with you here.

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best advice for new moms

6 Best Tips For First Time Moms

Here’s the list of what, in my opinion, are the 6 best tips for new moms. Happy reading!

1) Eat

Why would you include this on your list?

Fair question. You might be thinking, I already feel like a beached whale and would like to lose weight, not put more on. Totally get it.

As a brand new mom, you’ve been thrust into a completely new realm of living. Your time is no longer your own, and a teeny tiny human is dictating every minute of your day.

In order to be at your best for this baby, you need to fuel your body and eat. This is especially important if you are nursing.

Your body is burning a ridiculous amount of calories making milk each day, and you need to be consuming food to keep up with the milk factory.

I remember the first few weeks nursing Addie, I would get so hungry before each feeding, that I’d have to eat too. Jesh would bring me a package of peanut butter crackers and a big glass of milk.

It was almost like I was hungrier than Addie. Hilarious!

But I seriously felt like if I didn’t eat, I would pass out.

Even if you’re not nursing, making a point to eat throughout the day (and eat well) is essential to your postpartum recovery. Give your body the nutrients it needs to bounce back. These meals don’t have to be fancy!

Take advantage of the times when your baby is either napping or being held by your spouse and eat some yummy food. Your body will thank you for it!

Note: If you are breastfeeding, also remember to drink a lot, as being well hydrated helps your body produce enough milk. And if you feel like your body is not producing enough milk, you can have a look here at drinks that increase milk supply.

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2) Shower and Exercise

Another great tip for pregnant or brand new moms is to make a point to shower and exercise. That may seem like a big commitment to many of you, but hear me out.

I’m not talking about super long showers every day or doing an hour of cardio. That’s most likely not going to happen those first 6 weeks postpartum. You have to be gentle on your body!

For me, taking a shower makes me feel awake and alive. As a new mom, we don’t always feel awake because our sleep patterns are all over the place (particularly when baby hits a sleep regression) and our body just went through something crazy.

My advice for new moms is to find some time during the day to take a shower and to do a little bit of exercise. Whether you take a 10 minute shower at night before you go to bed or you put your baby in the stroller and walk around the neighborhood, there are many options for taking care of yourself.

Find some time in your day for self-care. It will help you feel better, contribute to your overall wellness, and allow you to be more present and alert for your new little baby!

If you are still pregnant, have a look at these safe exercises for all trimesters, including swimming, walking, yoga or other strengthening exercises. These will also help having an easier labor!

best tips for new moms

3) Accept Help

A wonderful tip for new parents is to accept help. This can be hard for some women who have a tendency towards fierce independence.

Here’s a huge piece of wisdom: there is NOTHING wrong with accepting help as a new mom.

Accepting help does not equate to weakness, inadequacy, or laziness.

You’re in uncharted waters, possibly feeling like you are not really cut out for this, and just trying to get through your days. Take all the help you can get sister. It won’t last for long!

Here are some tangible ways that friends or family can help:

  • Set up a meal train
  • Do your laundry
  • Provide a maid service
  • Hold your baby so you can nap, eat, or shower
  • Bring over a pack of diapers and a yummy coffee from Starbucks
  • Walk with you in the neighborhood
  • Come over and have adult conversation with you

There are tons of ways that people can help you during this new phase of life. My advice? Take the help!

No one is going to give you an award for doing everything by yourself. Doing it all will just make you more exhausted and frustrated.

Swallow your pride, accept the help, and allow these amazing people in your life to bless you!

4) Soak In The Moments

There are days with your newborn that will feel like they last forever, and there will be others that go by super quick. Such is life, right?

My advice for all of you brand new moms is to soak in the moments.

But not all the moments will be fun. Can’t I just soak in the fun stuff?

Hear me out.

There are plenty of crazy moments you will have as a new mom. Tons of adjustments physically, emotionally, hormonally, and mentally. This is one of the craziest transitions you will experience in life!

I think it’s important to soak in the moments with your new baby because before you know it, your little one will be crawling, walking, talking, and running all over the place.

When I was a new mom, I didn’t want to have this line of thinking:

  • If I could just get her to sleep through the night, everything would be better.
  • Once she can sit up by herself, it will be easier to take her places.

I wanted to soak in the moments and appreciate each phase for what it entailed: the good and the hard.

Some of my friends had their babies sleeping through the night by 4 months. Addie did not sleep through the night until she was 14 months old!

You know what? It wasn’t that bad. She woke up to nurse. Who can blame a baby for that?

Around 15 or 16 months old, she weaned herself and the nursing was done. I’m so thankful that I didn’t stress about her waking up, or think that I was doing something wrong as a new mom.

I just enjoyed the time.

I hope that as a new mom, you will soak in the moments and appreciate this time in your life that only happens once. You may have more kids along the way, but you’ll only be a brand new first time mom ONCE.

Being a brand new mom and taking care of a newborn is such a unique experience. Don’t waste it!

Related: Baby Waking Up Multiple Times a Night – here’s what you need to know

best tips for new moms

5) Don’t Compare

Another advice for new moms is to not compare yourself to others.

Many of us have heard the familiar phrase comparison is the thief of joy, and I think in a lot of ways that’s true.

When I talk about avoiding comparison, I’m thinking of specific areas:

  • Your baby’s sleep patterns
  • Postpartum recovery time
  • Baby’s development
  • Nursing vs Formula Feeding
  • Your baby’s schedule
  • Social life

There’s nothing wrong with chatting with your other mom friends about your baby’s development, sleep habits, etc. That’s what moms do when they get together!

But don’t leave those conversations second guessing everything you’re doing as a mom and start freaking out that your baby is behind because she still wakes up to nurse at 9 months.

There are healthy ways of discussing these topics and unhealthy ways.

You know your own heart and struggles. Make sure you don’t push it too far and go down the road of comparison.

Oftentimes too much comparison can lead to feelings of inadequacy, or even result in jealousy of other moms. Don’t go there.

You have enough emotions floating around in your mind and heart. Keep it positive Mama!

6) Give Yourself Grace

I saved the best tip for last!

If you want to enjoy this time as a brand new mom, you need to be sure to give yourself grace.

How do I show myself grace as a new mom?

Here are some practical ways you can do that!

  • Lower your personal expectations
  • It’s okay to not have a super clean house
  • Give your body a chance to bounce back
  • Don’t compare yourself to other moms who can already wear swimsuits after baby
  • Order takeout once a week rather than having to cook and clean
  • No pressure to attend social gatherings
  • Sleep when you’re tired

Those are just a few suggestions for giving yourself grace as a brand new mom.

The first few months with your newborn are filled with so many different emotions and transitions, and it’s important for you to be present for your baby and your spouse.

Having added pressure to keep a clean house, attend a girls night out, or always be caught up on laundry, will not help you with your overall recovery. You will just add to your stress and not be at your best for your baby and your husband.

Give yourself grace in this season. Your mind, heart, and spirit will be so much more free to soak it all in if you do!

best tips for new moms

Best Tips for First Time Moms: Final Thoughts

Whilst becoming a new mom comes with mixed emotions, lots of new things to figure out, and very little sleep, I really hope you gained some helpful ideas here on how to prepare for your new journey into motherhood. Exciting adventures await!

For my note takers out there, here are those 6 tips one more time:

  1. Eat
  2. Shower and Exercise
  3. Accept Help
  4. Soak In The Moments
  5. Don’t Compare
  6. Give Yourself Grace

Best wishes as you embark on the journey of a lifetime. Prayers and blessings for a safe and healthy delivery. You can do this!

Lots of love to each of you, Lisa


For more information, tips and hacks that can help during the first few months with a baby, also check out these posts:

If you are breastfeeding:

If you are bottle feeding:

Are you a brand new mom and have some questions bout the tips listed above? Or do you have more tips to share for other new parents out there? Then please let me know in the comments below – I’d love to hear from you?


About the Author

Lisa is a former kindergarten teacher turned homeschool mom. Along with blogging, she is also passionate about Jesus, encouraging women, drinking iced coffee, and making guacamole. You can read more about her humorous take on parenting and life at https://thankgoodnessitsrecess.com.

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Written by

Monica Greco
Monica Grecohttps://conqueringmotherhood.com
Monica is the founder of Conquering Motherhood and a proud mom of two beautiful kids. As she says, giving birth to my second daughter was one of the most wonderful and empowering events of my life. That’s what’s inspired me to start this journey and share my story with you. Also, being a mother of a baby and a toddler, I know mom’s life is not always easy. Finding comfort in knowing you are not alone has always helped me. So, I’d like to pay it forward and share with other moms what I have learnt along the way providing tips, suggestions and recommendations on how to tackle motherhood.

2 COMMENTS

  1. I agree with what you said that there is nothing wrong with first-time moms asking and accepting help. Even superheroes need help from time to time from their sidekicks. I’m giving birth to my first child this October, so I like reading this article of yours. Perhaps I should read more Mom blogs to get more tips from seasoned mothers. Thanks.

    • Hi Levi, thanks for the feedback! And, absolutely, always ask for help whenever you need it, particularly at the very beginning when exhaustion really kicks in!

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