{"id":22,"date":"2013-11-22T23:47:34","date_gmt":"2013-11-23T07:47:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/?p=22"},"modified":"2015-08-18T00:50:06","modified_gmt":"2015-08-18T07:50:06","slug":"advice-for-the-first-time-mom-to-be","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/advice-for-the-first-time-mom-to-be\/","title":{"rendered":"“advice” for the first-time mom-to-be"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"advice<\/p>\n

I am going to my friend Kelly’s<\/a>\u00a0baby shower tomorrow. \u00a0I can’t believe she is already 32 weeks pregnant. \u00a0Time has passed so quickly. \u00a0I remember taking my weekly photos, just as she has. \u00a0Now that I have my baby, I am really glad I did. \u00a0When I had my baby shower, one of my really good friends threw me a “blessingway” as well. The major aspect of the blessingway is to have your closest girlfriends attend and one by one, approach you with a candle and say a few words for you and your baby, whatever they wish. \u00a0It’s kind of like a “goodbye” to your friends as you know them in that stage of your life. \u00a0Because after the baby, everything changes. \u00a0The escalating hormones were already making me feel sentimental, so that, combined with everything else, sent a river of tears down my face.<\/p>\n

A year ago, when I was still pregnant, I could not imagine ever being able to give advice to anyone about raising a baby, because I really had no clue. \u00a0Today, after seven months of motherhood, this is what I can share:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. \n

    Whenever you hear the word “advice”, replace the word with “experience”, because that is what people are really sharing with you.<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n
  2. \n

    Your baby is as individual as you are.<\/h3>\n

    Someone else’s experience may work with their baby, but it may not work with yours. \u00a0Don’t get frustrated. \u00a0Just accept that you may have to do things differently.<\/li>\n

  3. \n

    Listen to your gut first: GUT before GOOGLE<\/h3>\n

    You can read as much as you want, but no amount of planning will ever prepare you for what you are about to experience.<\/li>\n

  4. \n

    It’s OK to complain.<\/h3>\n

    Sometimes people try to share their experiences when you don’t feel like hearing them. Just ask them if they can kindly let you vent.<\/li>\n

  5. \n

    Find “Mom Friends”<\/h3>\n

    A therapist can only help you so much. Finding other moms whose babies are born within a few days and weeks as was a lifesaver. These are the people who will welcome your venting.<\/li>\n

  6. \n

    Don’t obsess over milestone dates<\/h3>\n

    Your baby will reach their milestones when they reach them. Just love them for who they are and what they can achieve at the moment. Because that is something you will want to keep in mind well and beyond infancy.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    I know that if I ever do decide to try for baby #2, it will be a new set of challenges during different stages. \u00a0Each day poses a new challenge. \u00a0But I guess that’s what mommyhood is all about!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    I am going to my friend Kelly’s\u00a0baby shower tomorrow. \u00a0I can’t believe she is already 32 weeks pregnant. \u00a0Time has passed so quickly. \u00a0I remember taking my weekly photos, just as she has. \u00a0Now that I have my baby, I am really glad I did. \u00a0When I had my baby shower, one of my really […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":23,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[906],"tags":[20,25,24,22,23,21],"class_list":["post-22","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-announcements","tag-advice","tag-babyshower","tag-blessingway","tag-experiences","tag-reflections-2","tag-thoughts","eq-blocks"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p46LgQ-m","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":283,"url":"https:\/\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/10-most-useful-baby-shower-gifts\/","url_meta":{"origin":22,"position":0},"title":"Top 10 Most Useful Baby Shower Gifts","author":"westsidemommy","date":"February 4, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"A good friend of mine is going to have her first baby soon, and will start looking for items for the baby registry. What sounds like a fun task is actually quite daunting. She's a practical person, like I am, so my advice is to register for things that are\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/category\/news-announcements\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/featuredgraphic_top10_babyshower.png?fit=759%2C360&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/featuredgraphic_top10_babyshower.png?fit=759%2C360&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/featuredgraphic_top10_babyshower.png?fit=759%2C360&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/featuredgraphic_top10_babyshower.png?fit=759%2C360&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14554,"url":"https:\/\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/favorite-brands-2022\/","url_meta":{"origin":22,"position":1},"title":"Baby Brands that I love","author":"westsidemommy","date":"January 30, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"The other day I posted essential baby registry items. Today, I'm sharing brands that I love for some and some fun items to put on your baby registry. (This post contains affiliate links). adan + anais: bibs\/burpcloths and blankets aden + anais Essentials Car Seat Canopy Cover. Buy on Amazon.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "All Posts"","block_context":{"text":"All Posts","link":"https:\/\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/category\/all-posts\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"favorite baby shower brands","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/babyshower.png?fit=800%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/babyshower.png?fit=800%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/babyshower.png?fit=800%2C600&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/babyshower.png?fit=800%2C600&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":366,"url":"https:\/\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/things-a-new-mom-will-appreciate\/","url_meta":{"origin":22,"position":2},"title":"6 Things a New Mom Will Appreciate","author":"westsidemommy","date":"February 12, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"One of the most difficult transitions of becoming a new mom is the sharp decrease of social activity. \u00a0As someone who loved hanging out with friends on a regular basis, I learned the baby shower was the last hurrah and possibly the last time I would see some of them\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/category\/news-announcements\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/6things_appreciate.png?fit=759%2C360&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/6things_appreciate.png?fit=759%2C360&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/6things_appreciate.png?fit=759%2C360&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/6things_appreciate.png?fit=759%2C360&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13624,"url":"https:\/\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/evereden-baby-product\/","url_meta":{"origin":22,"position":3},"title":"Evereden’s Baby Products are the perfect baby shower or baby sprinkle gift","author":"westsidemommy","date":"November 26, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Moms who have \"been there before\" know which items they received at their first child's baby shower were practical and which were not. One thing a child will always need is a bath! Newborn skin can be so sensitive, the last thing you want to give is something that will\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "All Posts"","block_context":{"text":"All Posts","link":"https:\/\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/category\/all-posts\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/98a82cd19d86ac1a76f4d8f019baeb04.w3000.h600._CR003000600_SX3000_-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C240&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/98a82cd19d86ac1a76f4d8f019baeb04.w3000.h600._CR003000600_SX3000_-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C240&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/98a82cd19d86ac1a76f4d8f019baeb04.w3000.h600._CR003000600_SX3000_-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C240&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/98a82cd19d86ac1a76f4d8f019baeb04.w3000.h600._CR003000600_SX3000_-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C240&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/98a82cd19d86ac1a76f4d8f019baeb04.w3000.h600._CR003000600_SX3000_-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C240&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":11741,"url":"https:\/\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/new-baby-necessities\/","url_meta":{"origin":22,"position":4},"title":"New Baby Necessities","author":"westsidemommy","date":"June 25, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"My kids are over five years apart. By the time I got pregnant with my second, I didn't have much baby stuff left. Thankfully, I have a wonderful network of mom-friends who supplied me with maternity clothes, baby clothes, and baby items. Even though it was offered, I declined a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "All Posts"","block_context":{"text":"All Posts","link":"https:\/\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/category\/all-posts\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/feat_necessary-1.jpg?fit=759%2C360&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/feat_necessary-1.jpg?fit=759%2C360&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/feat_necessary-1.jpg?fit=759%2C360&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/feat_necessary-1.jpg?fit=759%2C360&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14542,"url":"https:\/\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/baby-shower-registry-list-2022\/","url_meta":{"origin":22,"position":5},"title":"Baby Shower Registry List 2022","author":"westsidemommy","date":"January 29, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Since life has changed dramatically for all of us since 2020, I thought it might be time for a revised Baby Shower Registry List. I have several guy friends who are having their first child this year, so it will be fun and interesting to hear their new dad stories.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "All Posts"","block_context":{"text":"All Posts","link":"https:\/\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/category\/all-posts\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/feat-baby-gift.jpg?fit=800%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/feat-baby-gift.jpg?fit=800%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/feat-baby-gift.jpg?fit=800%2C600&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/feat-baby-gift.jpg?fit=800%2C600&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/advice_article_banner.gif?fit=760%2C360&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2796,"href":"https:\/\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22\/revisions\/2796"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.westsidemommy.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}