How much unsolicited advice did you get while you were pregnant or a new mom? Yeah, thought so. Here is some advice that you didn’t solicit, but you have the option to read it or not. My “advice”- read it! These are TOP tips from amazing moms: authors, entrepreneurs, teachers and more…but they all learned about raising kids from the School of Hard Knocks. They have been there, done that and are ready to share their experiences with you. Click on the author’s name to view their 30Second Mom profile and learn a little bit more about them.
My husband always tells new moms “Don’t listen to other people’s advice. Do what works for you.” However, I plunge ahead anyway and encourage moms to find some way to capture the best moments of Baby, either in a journal or a blog or photos. It passes quickly but it’s worth having your memories saved! We forget a lot so easily. –Elizabeth Pagel-Hogan
It is overwhelming to bring new baby home and figure out how to care for this new part of your life. Don’t let thinking that you have to get and use every single baby item out there add to the mix. Think about the things that will be practical to have, but not burdensome have around. For instance, do you need a traditional stroller and a jogging stroller? Do you need more than one type of activity toy? Can you manage taking a small bag with you sometimes instead of the big diaper bag? Simplify on the “stuff” where you can, and enjoy magic moments with baby! –Angie Mozilo
The baby will adapt to you and your schedule, you don’t have to change everything about you and your schedule to accommodate baby. (I wish I knew that the first time! It would have been so much less stress on me as a first time mom then). –Holly Budde
Everyone becomes a first time mom and feels overwhelmed. Realizing, “Wow, people were right, there is little sleep, little me time, little everything.” The “first time mom” gets scared at realizing how hard it really is. Consequently, they think having another will be even harder or worse! HA! The advice no one ever gave me was, “In a way, it gets easier with baby #2.” You realize when baby #2 or #3 come, how easy it was or should have been that first time, and baby #2 or #3 just learn to tag along and deal with the chaos of home. As a mom you finally realize with baby #2 that it’s okay if you forgot to give them breakfast as you ran out the door; you realize that he rolled off the sofa and fell but you don’t go running to your pediatrician to check his head; you realize that your best Parenting book to read on raising kids/milestones, etc. is your own personal mommy experience and WOMEN INTUITION on what is right for each of your kids, because no two are alike and you throw away all those other books given to you with baby #1! –Cecilia Composto Cannon
You don’t expect perfection from others so why demand it of yourself? Trying to be the ideal mom will put undue stress on you, so give yourself permission to sit down and watch that favorite television show once in a while or order that bakery birthday cake instead of making one from scratch. Try not to fall for flashy lives of other women—you never know what their life really looks like when you pull back the curtains. Letting go of your need for perfect will renew your sense of self-confidence, and it may rub off on other moms, too! –Christie Gosch
It’s all worth it in the end. -One of my favorite quotes is “The days are long, but the years are short!” It may not seem like it at the time, but time really does fly by and hopefully you’ll look back these early times with happy memories. –Angela Chee
Don’t be afraid to ask for help– nobody is judging your skills – we have all been new to motherhood! –Amanda Heyser
A mom’s nature is to take care of everyone’s needs before her own. However, if others constantly withdraw from our emotional bank accounts and we never make any deposits, eventually we will end up emotionally bankrupt, rendering us useless to everyone. One answer is scheduled “me time”. Even if it’s just a couple of hours a month for coffee with a friend, put it on the calendar and give it the same importance as soccer practice or a business meeting. If there’s a conflict, DON’T CANCEL! Just reschedule. Keeping your emotional bank account balanced will benefit the entire family!- Jennifer Pereyra
Every baby is unique. What worked for your friend’s baby might not work for your kids. Likewise, what worked or didn’t work for your baby last week might change next week! Your baby might not crawl, walk, etc…on “schedule” according to the books. Babies have their own unique timeline, their own unique personality and their own unique challenges. Use some of that elementary school education with the scientific method: observe, hypothesize, test, evaluate and adjust. Repeat. –Cheryl Leahy
