ant the real know-how? Check out these quick quotes from gals who have been down the road of pregnancy and new motherhood. Some more than once... or twice…
PREGNANCY
“I wish I had taken more pictures. I spent so much of my pregnancy feeling fat, bloated, ugly, etc. that I didn't want any pictures around, but now that Taylor is here, I wish I had more pictures to document that miraculous time.” - Cheryl, mother to Taylor
“I wish I started yoga earlier to help deep breathing and relaxation to help reduce the pain of morning sickness and nausea.” - Sohee, mother to Liam
“I wish I'd known to avoid reading the baby books, because most of them only make you anxious and leave you wondering how ANY baby makes it out of the chute in one piece.” - Lori, mother to Zach
“If I could do it all over again… I wouldn't be in such a hurry to LOOK pregnant! I was so excited to be pregnant, and wanted the world to know it. Consequently, I ate way too much from day one, gained far too much weight and became rather rotund all over, not just in the belly department!” - Janet, mother to Fritz
“I would tell future moms to take all advice with a grain of salt, i.e. don’t think you are going to hurt your baby just because you had some crumbled blue cheese on your salad once or you had one glass of wine... it is about moderation like anything in life... you don’t want to eat unpasteurized food every meal or drink every night but the one time you slip probably won’t hurt you.” - Nina, mother to Nadia
“I wouldn't stress about stretch marks; there's not much you can do about it [since] it's based on heredity.” - Tatum, mother to Amaya
“I think there is something to be said about keeping active and busy. I was in much better spirits and more energetic while teaching all fall vs. the summer when I had less to do. When I am not busy doing other things I spend more time thinking about aches and pains, if the baby is moving and growing properly, or what is to come.” - Amy, mother to Matthew
“I kept bananas on my night table and I ate them in the middle of the night so I wouldn't puke in the morning. String cheese helped with nausea, and I’ll tell you what – egg sandwiches from Dunkin’ Donuts (an east coast thing) ALWAYS cured bad mornings!!” - Jill, mother to Emery
“I would have read more fiction books – since there is no time now. [And] I would have taken some long weekends traveling with my husband or friends.” - Kathy, mother to Ellie
“Pick out birth announcements before baby is born… this way when baby is born (and you do not have that time to leisurely pick them out), it is all set to go. You just have to call and input the name, weight, etc. [Also] get envelopes for birth announcements in advance so that you can stamp and address them [and] print out an extra set of labels or address the thank you envelopes... so when you get gifts, cards are ready to go - you just have to write the thanks!” - Lynn, mom to Jack, Dean, and Isabel
“One piece of advice I always give my expectant mom (and dad) friends is to over-indulge and pamper yourself and [your] relationship. This is the last time for a very long time that it'll just be about you and the opportunity to sleep in, nap, read, see movies, take classes, etc. Just go for it and don't feel guilty. [Second] piece of advice is to have a lot of sex because once [the] baby arrives, no one's getting any.” - Jennifer, mother to a 17 month old
“I would have read more baby books and fewer pregnancy books. I was so concerned with pregnancy and delivery that I didn't think much about what I would do with the little guy when I got him home. But pregnancy was a piece of cake compared to new mom-hood. I also would have taken a baby care class. [And] I would have done more Kegels. Trust me on this one.” - Emily, mother to Luke
“If you work, take off at least a week before your due date, and take as much time (as your employer and your finances will allow) after the birth. I worked till the end and went back to work immediately. BIG MISTAKE!! You never get that time back.” - Tatum, mother to Amaya
MATERNITY CLOTHES
“Your boobs may be different sizes during the pregnancy and afterward. Get ready to spend some money on good bras (not from Target). It'll be worth it.” - Deborah, mother to Max
“I wish I would have invested in fewer, [yet] nicer maternity clothes. Instead, I bought more lower quality clothing that didn't make me look or feel very good. For example, I wish I had just bought one pair of really nice jeans, rather than two or three pairs of yucky maternity pants! I don't think I would have minded repeating outfits numerous times if I really loved each outfit.” - Molly, mother to Colin
DELIVERY
“Babies know how to get themselves born. Everyone wants to live... except [possibly] you, in childbirth. Have the epidural.” - Barbara, mother to Faith
“If I knew then... I would have planned for a c-section. Throughout my pregnancy I planned for a vaginal birth with the drugs. I love and trust my doctor, but he really didn’t offer up a choice. I was led to believe something had to be wrong in order to get c-section, or maybe insurance wouldn’t cover it.” - Kymm, mother to Shane
PRODUCTS
“I had no idea that babies will scratch the hell out of their own faces. I swore by gowns and snap tees with fold-over sleeves, and those little mittens. You just can’t snip [or file] their fingernails enough!” - Lara, mother to Max
“Maybe you don't need an $800 (or even $300) stroller. We are so quick to put the newborns in the strollers; especially when they're fancy! The sling was the best thing I ever did for both my kids. I had them close to me all the time and literally put them in the stroller maybe three times! It was great for bonding and so nice to have them so near to snuggle with.
The miracle blanket was the best for getting the perfect swaddle every time. I used it on my son until he was busting out of it height-wise because he always slept so well in it.” - Kristen, mother to Riley and Jess
THE NURSERY
“I'm pregnant with my second child [and] this time around I don't feel it's necessary to get the baby's room together. I learned that all I needed was a pack n' play (it has the small changing table attached with the tiny crib and an organizer), diapers, cream, thermometer, wipes/paper towels, hand sanitizer & aspirator and it all fits right next to my bed. My son didn't move to his own room until he was 4 months old. I could have waited to get the crib/bedding and all the things that I thought were so necessary.” - Kimmy, mother to Nathaniel
NEW MOTHERHOOD
“I’m glad I didn’t know how sleep deprived I would be; some things are better without anticipation. Kind of like shots.” - Lara, mother to Max
“I wish I knew how easy it was to have only one child, especially in the first 6 months when they don't do anything and you could still get all your stuff done! And I wish I knew that it was okay to let your child cry for 5-10 minutes from the day they are born. It definitely makes them less dependent on you and they will calm themselves more easily. This especially works for letting them cry themselves to sleep from day 1!” - Jen, mother to Ryan and Hayden
“All in all, I think it is useful to know what you are entering into, ask many questions, and get an overall sense of how others have handled their situations. But in the end, mothers need to trust their own instincts and [do] what is best for them, their child(ren), and their families. I think our generation has grown up not trusting themselves because everyone around seems to know better. There is much to be said about the maternal instinct and how innate it really is in each of us.” - Amy, mother to Emma and Nicholas
ant the real know-how? Check out these quick quotes from gals who have been down the road of pregnancy and new motherhood. Some more than once... or twice…
