Mistakes New Moms Make
After our son was born, I made a classic new mom “mistake” when we had our first pediatrician visit at a mere 5 days old. He wee’d as I was getting him dressed, soaking his outfit. Feeling totally prepared, I whipped out a diaper and wipes, only to discover I hadn’t a single change of clothes for his naked little body. Sheepishly I borrowed an ENORMOUS onesie from the doctor’s office…otherwise he would’ve been wearing a toga fashioned from his burp cloth! This was the first I remember of many “mistakes” to come as a new parent. Rest assured you’re not alone when it comes to these new mom missteps.
Not resting/recovering properly
Josie Werkowitch, fitness instructor and mom of two, shares, “The number one thing I see—and actually did after my first pregnancy—is jumping into hardcore, high intensity exercises before rehabilitating the body. Most women are not ready to do a plank, go running or do other demanding exercises. Just like someone goes through a rehab program after an injury, a postpartum body requires rebuilding. Slow down, go for a walk and enjoy this time while the baby is still little. It goes too fast.”
Similarly, Sarah Darby, certified nurse midwife and mom of three, says, “In a world of social media, moms today are under more pressure to ‘have it all together.’ Births are announced instantly with photos of moms wearing cute clothes, makeup and having their hair done. To keep up with this image, moms sacrifice their resting time and often exert themselves in ways that may delay healing.”
Not fitting it all in
No, I’m not referring to getting back into your pre-pregnancy clothes! I am, however, talking about being able to “do it all.” With the picture perfect blog and Pinterest-worthy world we live in, moms often feel they have to be Superwoman in order to fit it all in, especially when it comes to maintaining a house. Little people can have very demanding needs, so give yourself some grace! Alyssa, mom of 1-year-old twins and a 4-year-old, says, “I thought I'd be able to keep my house neat most of the time. I have to let it go or it will drive me crazy. A friend once told me, 'You shouldn't have a clean, perfect house when you have children. I'd worry there was something wrong with you if you did.' I remind myself of that when it starts to get to me. I’d rather spend time with my kids than constantly maintaining my house.”
Not finding the humor
First time mom Rae Ann says, “We were headed to dinner with friends and intended to feed expressed milk from a bottle before we went into the restaurant. Before leaving home, I grabbed the bottle and what I thought was a nipple and lid already assembled. When we went to feed her, there was no nipple on the bottle—just a lid! Needless to say, we made our way to the nearest Wal-Mart and were late to dinner. Whoops!”
Kristin, a Gardner mom of three, says, “I always had the baby bag packed with EVERYTHING imaginable, even things we never used at home but for some reason might find a sudden use for on the road. Finally, after not the first or second time, but the third time I got peed on, I decided to unload some of the crazy, useless things and pack an extra shirt for myself!”
Ashley Walburn, mom of four boys and owner of hOMe holistic sums things up: “We all make mistakes, every single day. Mothering is an experiment. We try something and if it feels right, we keep doing it...otherwise, we change it. When we take care of ourselves, we feel like ourselves and can respond to our babies and be guided by our instincts. When mothers read everything and parent from an information overload, they often regret their decisions, as they are someone else's wisdom instead of their own. Every mistake is an opportunity to learn and evolve as a mother. When we make a "mistake" and grow from it, it allows our children to do the same.”
Julie Collett writes from Overland Park where she continues to learn from the many mistakes she makes with her three children, ages 4, 2 and 1…even though she’s not a “new mom” anymore!