Tips to Enjoy Your Baby's First Year

Life as a new mother can be very overwhelming and hard. The sleep deprivation alone can make you miserable, let alone trying to do it all! It can be really hard to take time to enjoy this time in your life, though all mothers will tell you that life is short. Most mothers will tell you to try to live in the moment and enjoy your new little family.

Here are some tips to enjoy your baby's first year.

It becomes overwhelming as soon as you find yourself pregnant and in the baby aisle. However, your baby doesn't need everything that you see. It is amazing how much there is to buy for babies, yet some will never use any of it.

Borrow what you can when it comes to big items like bassinets, baby swings, bouncers, and much more. They rarely use them, so why spend the money on things your baby may not even like? If you are the first of your friends and family to have a baby, try to buy used at yard sales and then share with your friends.

Also, babies don't really need cute clothing (plus everyone likes to buy it for you) so stock up on the essentials: onesies, shirts, and socks. There is nothing wrong with getting most of your baby's clothes secondhand also, since they wear each size for such a short amount of time.

If nothing else, remember that you are the mom of your beautiful baby. Whenever you or someone else is judging you, you know what is best for your baby. If not, you are going to keep working until you find out what is. You only want the best for your baby and, at the end of the day, that is enough.

Don't compare your baby to others. This can be one of the hardest things to do. You want your baby to be the best at everything. However, that is simply not possible. Instead, the more that you compare your baby to others, the more miserable that you will be. If your baby does not crawl, sit up, walk, and talk first, you will feel like a failure. It is important to remember that every baby develops at his or her own pace and there is nothing wrong with your baby.

Make sure that you ask for help. You are not alone. Most parents are not doing it alone and they have a partner that they need to learn to rely on. There are also many friends and family who are only a call away when you get overwhelmed. They will be willing to watch the baby so that you can take a quick shower or nap. Ask them to bring meals when they visit. If you need some help with dishes, laundry, or trash, just ask. Most would be willing to help or at least watch the baby so you can get a few things done.

Work on the sleep schedule because it is worth it. You all know that you are going to be sleep deprived but the sooner your baby is sleeping well, the quicker you will start to feel better. Start by trying to get nap and bedtimes on a schedule.

It can be hard to take time and enjoy being a mom. Unfortunately, it starts the second you start looking at baby things. It is so overwhelming with the things that they need. However, you won't end up using all of these things so borrow what you can. The same goes with clothes. They grow so fast that you should buy secondhand whatever you can.

When you do have your baby, it can be helpful to listen to others, but always remember to do what works best for your baby. Even if you have to try several things before you find something that works, it will be worth it when you find out what is best for you and your baby.