Dear First-Time Mom, I see you. I am SO here for you. I was you not that long ago. And trust me, you are NOT alone. You are NOT a hot mess. And you are doing a GREAT job.
Trust me.
I had coffee with a first-time mom this week. She was flustered as her five-month-old just couldn’t contain himself. She was apologetic. She was tired. Her little guy had been up since 3:30am.
As she tried everything she could think of to keep him occupied I couldn’t help but get lost in my own thoughts. How I remember being in her exact shoes feeling like a complete and utter failure. How I’d lost myself to this blob of a baby that dictated my life!
I remembered how getting out of the house felt the biggest challenge I had ever faced!
All the memories came flooding back. As she sat across from me and asked me if it got better I had to pause and reflect.
You see, first-time mom, it does get easier – I promise. But it also gets crazier.
And I’m sorry to report that the judgment you feel doesn’t ever go away. The choices you make from here on out will be scrutinized by EVERYONE. And not just people who have children. Oh no! Even those who are childless will feel the need to tell YOU how to parent your child.
It’s annoying.
And inappropriate. But that’s how it is.
First-time mom, you most likely will never do what you used to do with your single friends. You will not be going out to dinner at 8pm on a Tuesday night because you didn’t have anything else to do. Getting back to feeling like yourself is going to take TIME.
And. lots. of. it.
However, despite the long sleepless nights, the constant state of hot mess that you find yourself in, you are now part of the mom club.
The mom squad if you will.
And the mom squad is not anything to take lightly. We moms are here for you. And you can easily tell a mom who is in the mom squad.
We are the moms who give you the knowing look at Target when your baby is having an epic meltdown and all you want to do is find your wallet so you can pay.
We are the moms who offer our sweatshirts so you can nurse in private.
We are the moms have your back.
So, first-time mom, I KNOW this time is hard for you. I KNOW you are feeling all sorts of feelings and struggling to find yourself and take care of your baby and just freaking get it together! But just know it’s okay.
And the mom squad is here for you.
One more thing, first-time mom – someday in the not so distant future, you will be there for another first-time mom. I know it’s impossible to see in the fog of baby that clouds your vision, but it will happen.
So take heart.
Keep putting your yoga pants on one leg at a time.
You’ve got this.
Trust me.
