[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he best piece of advice I was given as a 1st-time mommy was this:  “It’s the fourth trimester. There is no such thing as ‘spoiling’ your newborn baby. Hold them, snuggle them, and kiss them as much as you want. It’s okay. You have the rest of their life to implement a schedule.” This nugget of wisdom was written on a little piece of paper at my baby shower in Alabama, and I cherish that advice.

I have two friends here in Hawaii and one friend in Alabama, who have just birthed their first babies [waves to Ivy, Rebecca, & Joyce] and I get so excited just thinking about them seeing and holding their babies for the first time. They are each such sweet and loving mommies already. I imagine them holding their babies and looking into those little eyes and realizing for the first time, “Oh my goodness, this baby just came out of my FREAKIN’ body! Now it’s looking up at me? I’m a mama? Whaaaaaaaaat!” There is simply nothing sweeter than seeing mommies with their babies after the mommy light has been switched on. Pure bliss. Praise God. (sigh)

I was inspired to do something special for them. So, I asked a big ole group of mommies on the island to give me their best 1st-time mother advice to share with these three cuties. Boy, did these island mamas come through! Here’s to you, Ivy, Rebecca, and Joyce (in Alabama, sorry I couldn’t make your baby shower!)  Mind you, this is solid advice for all 1st-time mommies, even if you’re not in Hawaii.

 

1. Trust your gut and mommy instincts, regardless of what popular books might say.

2. Babies don’t know how to read, and don’t always do ‘what you expect’

3. Join a mommy group, or three!

4. “The cleaning and scrubbing will wait ’til tomorrow, for children grow up as I’ve learned to my sorrow. So quiet down cobwebs, dust go to sleep. I’m rocking my baby and babies don’t keep.” -Ruth Hulburt Hamilton

5. Nursing a baby can be hard work. Use the La Leche League!

6.  Sign up for or arrange your own storking program to have meals delivered to you once baby arrives.

7.  Sleep whenever the baby does, even if you have no clean clothes left. And, if someone offers you help, TAKE IT!

8.  Don’t feel compelled to acquire all the things.  Take a simple approach. Less expensive, less clutter, less to liquidate later.

9.  Don’t let anyone shame you or make you feel bad for a choice you make regarding your baby.

10.  It goes so. flipping. fast.  Enjoy every second of it. Even the horrible ones, because before you even blink, your child will be five!

 

One more thing, you don’t have to have it all figured out when you get home. As you will soon find out, you will get better as the days pass. Soon, you will the expert on your baby.  Enjoy your babies and your new adventures into motherhood friends! Big HUGS!!!!!!!

Now, just counting down the days until I get to greet my sweet, precious, cuddly wuddly baby girl. We just can’t wait to meet this little bitty sweet potato pie!