7 Truths About Being A Young Mom

Brutally honest ways about how being a mom has changed me for the better! And the worse, haha, #mom #youngmom #newmom #motherhood #parenting #parents #babies #truths #truth #breastfeeding #postpartum #healing #birth #labour

Before I start my rant I do want to begin by saying that my decision to have a baby and start a family with my wonderful boyfriend was the best choice I ever made. Having Ayana in my life is truly a blessing, but that doesn't mean it's easy.

1. You will be tired! And this may seem like an obvious one but it is very true. There will be more times than others. Especially when your little one is a newborn, going through 4 month regression, got vaccines, teething, growth spurts, more growth spurts and more teething. Sometimes it seems like there is always a new reason why my little one is extra fussy and sensitive. Something that definitely helps me is sleeping when she sleeps and just taking some time for myself even if its 20 minutes in the bath while my boyfriend spends time with the baby.

2. Breastfeeding Gets Better. This one is something that I personally relate to a lot and I wish people who were speaking to me about breastfeeding knew what they were talking about. It is by far the best decision I can make for my daughter Ayana in terms of nutrition and strengthening her immune system. As you have probably heard a million times already. Everyone who told me I should breastfeed never gave me truly good advice about it. At the hospital you will be super determined to do it and you expect it to hurt so the pain is completely normal. What no one told me was that it would take around 2-2 1/2 months for your body to finally get accustomed to it. And by body I mean that your nipples will get tougher and start to heal themselves. Yes I bled, cracked, winced and cried in pain, but it was all worth it. My daughter also has a lip tie and a tongue tie which doesn't make anything easier. Then there is the supply problem and your body getting used to it at the beginning. Get nursing pads! I forgot this truly important item and I had to use towels because I had an oversupply. My breasts were swollen and painful. Worst experience ever.

2. Breastfeeding Gets Better. This one is something that I personally relate to a lot and I wish people who were speaking to me about breastfeeding knew what they were talking about. It is by far the best decision I can make for my daughter Ayana in terms of nutrition and strengthening her immune system. As you have probably heard a million times already. Everyone who told me I should breastfeed never gave me truly good advice about it. At the hospital you will be super determined to do it and you expect it to hurt so the pain is completely normal. What no one told me was that it would take around 2-2 1/2 months for your body to finally get accustomed to it. And by body I mean that your nipples will get tougher and start to heal themselves. Yes I bled, cracked, winced and cried in pain, but it was all worth it. My daughter also has a lip tie and a tongue tie which doesn't make anything easier. Then there is the supply problem and your body getting used to it at the beginning. Get nursing pads! I forgot this truly important item and I had to use towels because I had an oversupply. My breasts were swollen and painful. Worst experience ever.

3. A baby can be isolating. It is ironic how at the beginning when you first give birth it will bring everyone together. Once the dust settles a lot of the time, people start to disappear. Especially friends. Personally I didn't even have much friends while I was pregnant really but you just aren't in the same place as many people when you become a young mother. A lot of people my age are out drinking, partying, traveling, going to school and all of that stuff. People just start coming around less and less and since you have to tend to all of your babies needs it can get pretty intense. You cannot tell your child that depends on you that you need a break if you are breastfeeding, especially at the beginning. My daughter will not drink from bottles. So the reality is I have to be available every 3-4 hours to feed her. This is something I have grown to get used to and it does not bother me anymore. I also have plenty of ways I still treat myself, unwind or take some time for me!

4. Not feeling comfortable with your new body! This is a HUGE problem for me and I already lost all of my baby weight and more. I am only 5 months post partum. The problem for me is since I was so small I have soooo many stretch marks on my stomach and I absolutely hate it. I also have some loose skin which causes me to seem a little chubby and I am truly not used to it. I am a perfectionist and I can be truly harsh on myself. This is something I need to work on. I just made a life inside of me and nurtured and carried it for 9 months, you think I'd be a little easier on myself. Nope! I have extremely high standards for myself. I'll have to face that my body in some ways will never be the same but I can work hard and eat well and ge back "into shape" as well! With hard work comes success.

5. Parents know best! Follow your instinct, don't let anyone know matter who it go against your decisions or make you uncomfortable with the decisions you and your partner have made for the baby. There is always gonna be someone trying to parent your baby or change the way you are doing things. This one is important! The percentage of SIDS has gone drastically down in the newer years, that is because we know what potentially caused it before or made it a higher chance. That includes overdressing, bumper pads, toys and stuffed animals in a crib. Babies cannot regulate their body temperature yet and so many people insist on adding more layers of clothing onto babies. The fact is their skin needs to breathe and they need to be at a cool, perfect temperature. You know best!

6. You will have some of the biggest scares of your life! This includes small scares of being a new parent such as when your baby chokes on milk and they are having trouble catching their breathe, or when you hear them scream to the top of their lungs for the first time, or even when you cut their nails and they move and you pinch their tiny fingers. There are so many times were I was terrified for a moment since my daughter is so small and helpless. Now it is definitely getting easier. But their can be big scares as well such as when your baby starts vomiting after a vaccine or when she gets the flu for the first time. For me one of my biggest scares, one that I still feel guilty about is when my daughter hit her head. I will write about this in the future but it was the worst scare of my life. Worse than labour. Thank god she was okay! Truth is that there will be tons of things were your mom brain will start freaking out but there is no avoiding it!

7. You will love like no other and protect them with all of your life. Having a baby, like I said many times before brought love and joy into mine and my boyfriends life like no other. We are no longer just a couple but we are a family. We built our family together. With love. When she smiles for the first time, laughs, speaks and walks your heart will melt and you will never want to leave her. I dread going back to work and missing her first anything. I want to push myself to do better each day and be the best mother I can be. Babys make you do crazy things. In the name of love!

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