By Coralle Skye 
Being a mom is by far the best thing that’s ever happened to me. It’s magical. The love I have for my child is like nothing I’ve ever experienced. With that being said, motherhood is really tough. You’ll spend most days second-guessing yourself. You’ll scroll through forums trying to find the answers to your burning questions at 2 a.m. You’ll lose so much sleep you’ll start to feel delirious. You’ll cry when your baby cries for the 17th time. You’ll consider yourself lucky on the days you manage to brush your teeth and get dressed. Yep, motherhood is a rollercoaster. Here are five things every new mom needs to hear, including myself . . .
You’re doing a great job. As a new mom, you’re not really sure what to expect. You can read all the books and the thousands of articles online about how to take care of a newborn, but you will never be fully prepared. The truth is taking care of a baby is one of the most challenging things you’ll ever face. Is it the most rewarding thing in the world? Yes. Will you love it? Yes. And will you be completely overwhelmed with it at times? Definitely.
But you know what? Despite all the hurdles and lack of sleep, you’re still going. You’re still doing everything you can to look after your little one. And that means you’re doing an amazing job! Sometimes, that’s all you need to hear to help you through the most difficult days and nights.
It will get easier. There’s nothing more irritating and invalidating than parents telling new moms, “just you wait until the toddler stage” or “just wait until they get older and start giving you trouble.” That’s not what we need to hear.
We don’t need to hear that this is the easy bit and everything after this will be much more difficult. Firstly, that’s not true for all moms. And secondly, we’re trying to adjust to becoming a new mom and these kinds of comments do more harm than good. What we really need to hear is that it will get easier. That’s the kind of encouragement we need to get through each day.
Your feelings are valid. Motherhood isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. Everyone knows that. And yet sometimes it feels like we have to put on a brave face and pretend to the people around us that we’re not struggling.
However, it shouldn’t be like that. We shouldn’t feel guilty for feeling overwhelmed at times or for wanting a few hours to ourselves. Every feeling is valid, and you shouldn’t feel guilty about any of it.
Let me know if you need any help. In the first few weeks, it’s easy to let things slip. Brushing your hair, taking a bath, and drinking enough water are all things that take a backseat. But you deserve to be looked after, too.
Offers of help are really appreciated, especially in those early weeks when everything is a juggling act. We all know how lovely it feels to have a warm, relaxing bath without having a baby to worry about.
Remember to take care of yourself. As a new mom, we tend to prioritize our little baby over ourselves. It’s normal. But if it gets to the point when you’re not eating enough or drinking enough water, then it’s a big problem.
Yes, it’s important that the baby is healthy and well cared for, but it’s equally important that you take care of yourself! Your baby needs you to be healthy, both mentally and physically. Just hearing someone reminding you to take care of yourself is exactly the kind of wake-up call you need. You matter, too.
by Jessica Swanda 
