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NEW MOM MONDAYS CHASING LITTLES
This post is part of the New Mom Monday series! A series about moms and their advice to new moms! Books and videos can only teach us so much, but there’s something special about hearing from real life moms. Honest, true, and always beautifully inspiring!!
♥ What’s your Name?

Kelly

♥ Tell us a little about yourself!
I am a photographer, designer, illustrator and food blogger living and working in Chicago.
♥ How many kids do you have? What are their names and ages?
Parker, age 2
♥ How do you find your “me time”?
One of my favorite rituals is on Friday afternoons when leaving work, I stop by this fancy wine and cheese shop on my way to the train. I pick the wine first; whatever looks appealing and then have them suggest a fancy cheese to go with. Once bed time rolls around, about 7:00 pm, I go hide from everyone with wine and cheese platter. I use that time to work on my website, watch tv or work on a craft project.
♥ What is the best baby related book you’ve ever read?
I didn’t ready any baby books, but I was constantly reading blogs while pregnant. Everything from mommy blogs with personal experiences to more scientific articles about development to birthing coach and doula blogs. It was very calming to arm myself with all the information and perspectives I could, it made me feel very prepared. As far as best blog? I love http://dashandbella.blogspot.com. It’s part food blog, part mom-blog, written by Phyllis Grant. She offers really beautiful and emotional glimpses into her experience of motherhood and I have teared up more than once reading her blog. She is currently writing a book and I am very much looking forward to that.
♥ What’s the most useful baby product you have? Why do you love it?

I love baby wearing! It makes things SO much easier, from walking around the house to shopping in the store, grocery shopping specifically. I had an infant one that lasted until my son was a year, and then I bought a stronger, bigger one that served until he was almost two. They do take some getting used to, as far as learning, tie them comfortably. The first couple time I left the house with one, I would watch a youtube video (they make tutorials on all the styles) in the parking lot to jog my memory.

♥ If you could say something to yourself when you first brought home your first baby, what would you say?
Take it easy! my birth was a c-section, and I felt good when I got home so I was up and moving and going with no issues on the first day. I started to relax on the pain killers that I was prescribed too. Day two, I felt like I had been hit by a bus! I hadn’t been overlapping my pain killers, so that pain set back in and my whole body was just exhausted. I ended up taking most of the next couple days to rest, either in bed or the couch and just hold my baby. 
♥ How much planning did you do before your baby was born, and how do you think that it helped or didn’t help?
I read everything I could, all the blogs and was constantly googling my questions. My doctor assigned a nurse to me who I saw regularly to answer questions and walk me through each stage. I took the birthing classes, which in hindsight were costly (my insurance did not cover them) and ate up a whole weekend, without teaching me anything I didn’t already know. However, it was nice to bring my partner, because then he got the information and perspective on how to assist me, what to do and look for and how to prepare. So, not a total loss. I did feel very well prepared.
♥ What do you believe are the top three pieces of advice a new mom or someone trying to conceive should know?
1. “You’re going to crash, and that is ok, just be ready for it.” My mom told me this a few days before my delivery. What she meant was between the emotions and hormones, you’re going to crash emotionally. You’ll come down off this new baby high at a certain point and it’s like the wind just get’s sucked out of your sails. It could be your new found sense of responsibility, body issues, breastfeeding, — I mean there are a million variables. Just be prepared and know it’s normal and it’s totally ok. Give yourself some time and breathing room, and TALK TO SOMEONE. For me, it came on day two after we came home. I was on the couch with my sleeping son on my chest, breathing him in. All of a sudden, a thought came to me. “He is never going to be this small again. He’s growing every day. He is changing every day. Absorb all of this, lock this into your memory, you won’t get this back.” It was crushing to me! I handed the baby off to me mom (my parents were staying with us) and stood in the hot shower and cried. I think I took three cry-showers that day! That night, I laid in bed and told my partner everything, and cried it out some more. That was my “crash”. The next day, I felt much better and more stable emotionally. I told my mom about this and she again assured me that it was normal, your hormones are all over the place! But, if that kind of sadness continues, then it’s time to seek help from your doctor because that can easily become a much more serious problem.
2. “They grow up so fast” EVERYONE will tell you this, all the time. And it is completely true. This is where my first point ties in because I head this from everyone throughout my pregnancy. And you won’t know how true this is until you watch it happen. So the advice here it, enjoy each stage, even the tough ones because they won’t last very long. And take lots of pictures.
3. Have a plan, but be prepared to let it go. You can plan all you want, but things happen, life happens. Everyone has very strict, specific visions of themselves and their children, but be prepared to go with the flow and let life change you a little.
♥ What is your best memory so far of being a mom?

Hearing my son say “momma” for the first time and every time. It still melts my heart.

♥ Give us the short form version of your birth story.
My plan was to have a natural birth. That did not pan out. I was HUGE when I was pregnant, and I am a small person. I was a whole week past my due date and my doctor sent me for an ultrasound. It was determined that my child was estimated at 9-13 pounds and that could be dangerous to deliver. I had gestational diabetes, so I was high risk. My doctor suggested I do a c-section. I was not thrilled, but after discussing it (his concern was that I would labor and labor and it would stress the baby and turn into an emergency c-section situation) I agreed and scheduled it. Not at all what I had planned, I was terrified.
While I was extremely nervous, my doctor, the nurses and the anesthesiologist that worked with me were all wonderful. They talked me through the entire process. A cold operating room was made worse with the epidural and made my whole body turn icy and shiver; the nurse wrapped me in heated blankets to make me comfortable. I had horrible waves of nausea during the procedure, mostly from anxiety, that the anesthesiologist talked me through. Once my baby was out, they showed him to me and I immediately burst into tears. They wrapped him and handed him off to his father, who was there with me to hold while they finished my procedure.
I had a lot of concerns not having a natural birth but it turned into a good experience and was the right decision. I was 2 weeks overdue with no signs of dilation, dropping or labor. When the doctor delivered my son, he found that his umbilical cord was wrapped around his leg and he was unable to move into position. He was, however, not 9-13 pounds, he was a more reasonable 8 3/4 pounds. So again, no matter how much you prepare (Think about that final ultrasound! They got his weight wrong and couldn’t see his umbilical cord!) you’re going to get some curveballs.
♥ Lastly, for fun, define motherhood!

The most wonderful, hardest thing you will ever experience!!

To hear more from Kelly be sure to visit her blog City Supper Club and follow her on Facebook.

If you would like to participate in New Mom Mondays please feel free to message me by using my contact form! I would love to not only feature you on my blog but learn from your answers, as I’m sure many readers would too! 
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NEW MOM MONDAYS CHASING LITTLES
This post is part of the New Mom Monday series! A series about moms and their advice to new moms! Books and videos can only teach us so much, but there’s something special about hearing from real life moms. Honest, true, and always beautifully inspiring!!
♥ What’s your Name?

Vanessa

♥ Tell us a little about yourself!
I am a woman trying to find a way to share my knowledge and advice from what I’ve learned in the short time I’ve been a mother. I apply a lot of what I’ve learned from my education to my family and relationships.
I’ve been married for 8.5 years to a wonderful man serving our country with the US Marine Corps (been together for 12 years). Our relationship has been through boot camp, trainings, a deployment to Afghanistan, recruiting duty, and 3 duty stations (most currently, Cleveland, Ohio).
I have 2 little ones, a boy named Lucas, age 4 and a little girl named Zoe, age 9 months.
Prior to having our littles, I graduated with my bachelor’s in Child Psychology and Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy. Unfortunately, I need to have a license in order to practice Marriage and Family Therapy and moving from state to state makes that difficult to gain the amount of internship hours I need in order to take the licensing test!
Before moving to Ohio, I worked in special education. I’ve had experience in the special education setting from preschool to 10th graders. In the preschool setting, I worked with kiddos who had severe autism. The K-10th graders all had social, emotional and behavioral disorders. I also did an internship working with women in a residential treatment program, offering counseling for the women with their mental health issues.
Because of the moving around so much and wanting to stay at home with my kids, I turned to making money online. I began my journey in May, 2015 and January, 2017, I began my blog focusing on all things family related-crafts, education, parenting, money making, saving, budgeting.
♥ How many kids do you have? What are their names and ages?
2 kids, Lucas-age 4, Zoe-age 9 months
♥ How do you find your “me time”?
Mostly in the shower! (sad but true!) A nice, warm, long, relaxing shower is the best! But in all honesty, I used to go for runs until I injured my knee and it hasn’t been the same since. And now with 2 kids, it comes when the oldest is at preschool and the youngest is napping! Every once and a while, my husband will take both kids to run an errand so I get some time alone. It’s difficult to have “me” time with such a young baby (especially since she’s in the phase of all she wants is Mommy). On weekends, my husband does take both kids down to the basement to play toys or play a game, while I’m working or cooking.
♥ What is the best baby related book you’ve ever read?
I read “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” when I was pregnant with my first. All baby books are more of a guide rather than a this is what will happen type of book! As a brand new parent, “The Wonder Weeks” was a great guide to help explain my son’s behaviors and what he was learning at each stage. It also explains when the dreaded sleep regressions begin and why they are happening!
♥ What’s the most useful baby product you have? Why do you love it?

BABY BUM BRUSH!!! Love, love, love it! That is one product I recommend to all new moms! You think putting on diaper cream is no big deal with your fingers, but it makes things so much easier to wipe it on with the brush (especially on the go!) when your child is twisting and turning trying to get away, while you are trying to fasten the diaper! Having your hands diaper cream free allows you to move slightly faster so you can get the diaper fastened before your child twists away!

♥ If you could say something to yourself when you first brought home your first baby, what would you say?
You won’t ruin your baby! You learn, adjust, and get in a routine! Soon, having a baby is just a part of your life and you barely even remember how it was before having kids!
Don’t worry so much about if you are doing things right because your child will let you know if they are happy or not!
Also, cat naps are the norm, not the exception! At first your baby will sleep a ton, but eventually, those 1-3 hour naps turn into 30-45 minute naps and it’ll be awhile before you get back to the 1-3 hour naps (like…once your kid is down to 1-2 naps a day…even then maybe even not!) And there will be days you miss the longer naps!
♥ How much planning did you do before your baby was born, and how do you think that it helped or didn’t help?
 For the first born, we were living at my parents’ house while our place was being built. We didn’t set up a nursery but we had things set up with a pack and play and a ton of clothes! Too many clothes! As soon as we knew the gender of the first, we started buying things. It helped to have the cost of the baby stuff spread out, but then again, we over bought! We didn’t need half of the things we got!
For our second, we didn’t even start getting things ready until I was around 30 weeks. I didn’t have any clothes or anything set up in the nursery. Even with the lack of planning, things came together just fine, without issues, and she had what she needed when she came home.
♥ What do you believe are the top three pieces of advice a new mom or someone trying to conceive should know?
Oh gosh, top three pieces of advice…
For new mom’s/mom’s to be:
1. You can’t ruin your child by loving them and meeting their needs! Their needs are basic, you absolutely will figure out what they need!
2. Breastfeeding is hard! Do what is best for yourself and that is what will be best for baby! Hospitals have resources available if you need/want help breastfeeding. They try not to pressure new moms with breastfeeding and try to make it guilt free, but you’ll feel the guilt by choosing not to breastfeed but it’s okay!
With my son, one nurse supported me breastfeeding, gave me a nipple shield to use and I felt okay with it, but the next nurse I had, was telling me my milk won’t come in without my son’s lips on my nipple so I need to pump after nursing to get my milk in. She freaked me out that my son wasn’t getting any milk so I just stuck with pumping instead. As a new mom, I had no idea how long I needed to pump after nursing and no one explained it to me. Pumping turned out to be what was best for me, which made it best for my son.
3. If you need a break, don’t be afraid to ask for one! It’s so important to take care of yourself during this time! With my first, I didn’t really ask for help because I felt like this is my child and my responsibility. I didn’t want to put that responsibility on anyone else. There were times, I didn’t eat during the day because my first wanted to be held all day. He would wake up the moment I’d put him down for a nap. I wouldn’t put him down and I wouldn’t want to move, so I never got a break!
For people trying to conceive:
1. There’s never a perfect time to have a baby. When you do plan to start trying, know it varies for everybody. For my son, it took us 9 months to conceive but for our daughter, it just happened without us trying.
2. If you get discouraged because it’s taking longer than you expected to conceive, find a group of people to support you in your journey.
3. Use the cheap ovulation sticks and pregnancy sticks you find on Amazon! You get a ton of them and they are just as good!
♥ What is your best memory so far of being a mom?

Watching our son meet his baby sister for the first time! He couldn’t stop smiling and watching her in the carseat! (He soon got over that and realized he’d no longer get all the attention, but then his love for her came back and he enjoys playing with her)

♥ Give us the short form version of your birth story.
My first pregnancy: I began having contractions on a Thursday night, but they went away. I fell asleep and woke up at 4:45am on Friday morning with contractions. My contractions never got closer together all day Friday, they just continued every 10 minutes. I wasn’t able to sleep Friday night and into Saturday. Finally, Saturday morning at 5am, I called the hospital and they said I could come in (I was afraid I’d be sent away because I wasn’t far enough along to get admitted. They had told me I wouldn’t be because the next day I was just going to be induced anyway.)
I was put on pitocin (the drug given to move along labor if you aren’t dilating on your own) and I got an epidural around 10am. I labored all day while sleeping, and needed another extra bolus (basically an extra dose) in my epidural around 6pm because it was wearing off. My doctor came around 9pm as I was finally at the point where I could push. I pushed for almost 2.5 hours and finally he was born at 11:20pm at 41 weeks.
My second pregnancy: I had 0 contractions and barely dilated when the doctor checked at my weekly checks. I was so disappointed that I wasn’t dilated because she was low in my pelvis. I was thinking she’d come faster than my first because she was my second and so low down. I had my induction scheduled for a Monday morning, but my water broke that Saturday before the scheduled induction around 12:30pm. (I was putting groceries away after my son’s soccer game and grocery shopping) Once my water broke, the contractions began. I would have preferred to labor at home a little, but they told me if my water breaks to come in due to a risk of infection.
I went in around 2:30. They had to make sure my water did break and then they admitted me. By the time I got in my room, it was around 3:30 or 4pm. The doctor asked me some questions about if I wanted an epidural or not and I said yes. At this hospital, they had a whole anesthesiology team, full of students and a supervising anesthesiologist. Well, the student was giving me the epidural and for some reason, they had to restart the whole thing. She poked me again in my spine and they ask what side do you feel it in and I told them only my left side. They said that’s normal, just lay on your right side and gravity will bring the drugs over. Well that didn’t happen! Long story short, the epidural did not take, I could feel the pain, and an anesthesiologist without the team came in and poked me for the third time.
Things are going well, so I thought, they weren’t really telling me much. Just making me change positions a lot! The doctor on call came in around 1am or so and had me start antibiotics. (I didn’t know it at the time because I felt like I wasn’t informed but my heart rate and the babies heart rate were elevated, which is a sign for an infection) They got some antibiotics in me in hopes the baby would get some too to protect her. She was face up while I was pushing and finally turned at the last second when she came out, born at 2:20am.
They let me hold her, but then took her saying she needed another round of antibiotics because my placenta tested positive for an infection. They told me she’d be upstairs in the nursery and will be brought to my room. I was finally brought up to my room at 5:00am and was told they were still trying to get an IV in her to give her antibiotics. I got, maybe, 2 hours of sleep, and at 9am, the lactation consultant came in to have me start pumping because my daughter was being brought down to NICU. They didn’t tell me a thing and I was so mad! At that point, I had only held her for maybe 5 minutes and I couldn’t believe she had to go down to the NICU. I still get teary-eyed just retelling the story!
I was not planning a NICU stay, no parent ever is, but you get through it, and put it in the past.
♥ Lastly, for fun, define motherhood!

Motherhood: Transforming from being an individual person, to having a part of you in another form. It’s not just birthing a child, it’s emotional, physical, cognitive, and social transformation. Once you enter motherhood, you will do anything for this little one who depends on you, because they are a part of you. You would sacrifice everything for these little ones, because nothing compares to how much you love them. The pride they have when they accomplish something, you have that same amount. The sadness they have when something/somebody hurts them, you have that same amount. The success they feel, you feel too. The frustration they feel, you feel too! You have immense responsibility for this child and it’s hard to put yourself above the needs of your child/ren. Your life will never be the same once you enter motherhood.

To hear more from Vanessa be sure to visit her blog Simple Lists Simple Life and follow her on Pinterest.

If you would like to participate in New Mom Mondays please feel free to message me by using my contact form! I would love to not only feature you on my blog but learn from your answers, as I’m sure many readers would too! 
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NEW MOM MONDAYS CHASING LITTLES
This post is part of the New Mom Monday series! A series about moms and their advice to new moms! Books and videos can only teach us so much, but there’s something special about hearing from real life moms. Honest, true, and always beautifully inspiring!!
♥ What’s your Name?

Fatima Torres

♥ Tell us a little about yourself!
I’m a mom of two boys and two pups, married to my soulmate. I’m also a freelance social media strategist and Family/Lifestyle blogger who is passionate about life and being social.
♥ How many kids do you have? What are their names and ages?
I have two boys and two pups. Sebs (3), Chris (1) and the pups are 5 and 11.
♥ How do you find your “me time”?
I find a little “me time” any chance I get. Oftentimes it means waking up earlier than usual to write a post or finish up promo. Sometimes I sneak in a few pages from a book I’m reading.
♥ What is the best baby related book you’ve ever read?
Anything from National Geographic, which reminds me, we have to replace the dinosaurs book our youngest destroyed.
♥ What’s the most useful baby product you have? Why do you love it?

I had a really good baby carrier we purchased when we had our firstborn. We kept it until our second child outgrew it and gave the carrier to a family member. It was a lifesaver whenever we went on family walks or even when I had to travel to events with the two of them.

♥ If you could say something to yourself when you first brought home your first baby, what would you say?
“Remember, you’re going to be exhausted. Just don’t take it out on everyone.”
♥ How much planning did you do before your baby was born, and how do you think that it helped or didn’t help?

I did a lot of planning prior to having our firstborn, and even then I couldn’t predict I was going to be a mom at 23. Prior to meeting my husband, I had graduated college a year ago and found my dream job. I was hoping to move up on the ladder until I became pregnant. It happened, and I embraced it. All I wanted was to be with my child. We moved to another state and I was home with our little one until I started doing freelance work and blogging from home. It’s been a blessing. Thankfully, I learned a lot from my 3.9 years at the digital publishing firm. Sometimes I feel as though with blogging and side projects I’m running my own digital firm.

♥ What do you believe are the top three pieces of advice a new mom or someone trying to conceive should know?

You are not just a mom, so don’t hold on to that title like it’s the end of the world. There’s more to you. There’s more to who you believe you are. Go find her! 😉

♥ What is your best memory so far of being a mom?

The moments when they’re finally down for a nap/bed after a very long day. Those repeat themselves often, but the emotions are always the same. I always look back at our moments together. Those are what count. Not the mess, not the tantrums. And believe me, there are PLENTY of both.

♥ Give us the short form version of your birth story.

Our first child was born through C-section It was terrifying, and I was numb to the experience. I remember being told I had to breastfeed my child after everything was done. Silly me, I had told them prior to going into labor that I’d like to do so.

When our second, I went through a VBAC. It was a breeze compared to what we went through with our firstborn.

♥ Lastly, for fun, define motherhood!

Motherhood to me is finding strength in things you never thought were possible. It’s breathing life into someone else and even giving a new meaning to your own. It’s tough, but it’s also life-changing.

To hear more from Fatima be sure to visit her blog Motherhood Through My Eyes and follow her on Instagram.

If you would like to participate in New Mom Mondays please feel free to message me by using my contact form! I would love to not only feature you on my blog but learn from your answers, as I’m sure many readers would too! 
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This post is part of the New Mom Monday series! A series about moms and their advice to new moms! Books and videos can only teach us so much, but there’s something special about hearing from real life moms. Honest, true, and always beautifully inspiring!!
♥ What’s your Name?

Kristin

♥ Tell us a little about yourself!
I’m a SAHM/WAHM of two and I feel like it all happened overnight! My husband and I bought a house in 2009, were married in 2010, had our little guy in 2011, and our little lady in 2012. The years since have flown buy and the kiddos are reaching school age.
♥ How many kids do you have? What are their names and ages?
Our Little Guy is 5 and just started kindergarten and our Little Lady is 4. My husband’s daughter is with us part-time and will be a teenager in a few days.
♥ How do you find your “me time”?
This is something I’ve struggled with so much! Ever since our second child I have stayed home, but I have also put a lot of pressure on myself to try to help provide for the family. I got into blogging as an outlet when I was home with the two babies, but I then started putting some pressure on myself to try to earn some money. My blogging me-time suffered when I started working from home, and I don’t think I had any real “me time” for the next few years. Recently, I have stopped working that job and tried to focus on enjoying these moments with the kids. My me time lately comes in the form of trying to get stuff done once the kids are in bed. I guess I haven’t really gotten this figured out just yet… haha!
♥ What is the best baby related book you’ve ever read?
When I as pregnant A Girlfriend’s Guide to Pregnancy was the best book I found because it was so relatable
♥ What’s the most useful baby product you have? Why do you love it?

My sling baby carrier.  I’m lost without it.  I love it because I can go to the store, park, zoo, state fair – pretty much everywhere and my baby will sleep, sleep, sleep while I take care of things and have both of my hands free.

♥ If you could say something to yourself when you first brought home your first baby, what would you say?
I would say “relax, Momma, you’re doing fine. You don’t have to do it all, just nurture these awesome babies.” It something I still have to tell myself because, in an effort to be there for my kids, I put a lot of pressure on myself to have everything else all together when I really should be enjoying these fleeting moments. It goes so incredibly fast, just be present and enjoy it.
♥ How much planning did you do before your baby was born, and how do you think that it helped or didn’t help?

I didn’t do a ton of planning – of course, we had the nursery and gathered supplies, but the best things came naturally as we learned about our little ones and our needs. I would say not to plan too much, this will be totally different than expected. Don’t buy too much from the start, because you won’t end up using a lot of it. As you find out what you could use in your daily routine and what will work best for your family and your little one, then make those purchases.

♥ What do you believe are the top three pieces of advice a new mom or someone trying to conceive should know?

These all really tie in together: Try not to put too much pressure on yourself. We’re all trying to do the best we can and there is no right or wrong way. Also, be flexible and do what works best for you and your little one. Last, don’t compare yourself or your baby to others. Each parent, family, mom, baby, etc. has their own strengths and weaknesses and everyone is different.

♥ What is your best memory so far of being a mom?

My best memories come from simple moments with my kiddos. Watching them enjoy things for the first time, watching them grow, each new milestone… My best memories are the moments were we all climb into bed together to read a book and cuddle.

♥ Give us the short form version of your birth story.
With my oldest, we started with a midwife and I didn’t have much of a plan. I had no idea what to expect so I didn’t want to make any specific requests or decide to have a natural or medicated birth. My blood pressure started to rise toward the end of the pregnancy, so I ended up not even seeing our midwife for the birth and going with a regular doctor. When we got to the hospital in the middle of the night, it was a pretty long labor and I eventually went with an epidural. We also started to have a bit of stress just before delivery. I hardly recall it all because it seems so perfect in my memory, but we had a lot of monitoring and our little guy had to be taken right away shortly after I delivered. He turned out just fine and has been the healthiest kiddo ever since. With our second things were so much quicker! She came in no time and I remember hardly anything about that day. 🙂 No matter how it happens, those memories always turn into good ones.
♥ Lastly, for fun, define motherhood!

Motherhood to me is a beautiful, rewarding, and loving responsibility. You’ve received the best gift of your life and now it’s up to you to do the best you can to shape these little people into a better version of yourself. It’s the best job you can ever do. I can’t imagine my world without them.

 

To hear more from Kristin be sure to visit her blog Exploring Domesticity and follow her on Facebook.

If you would like to participate in New Mom Mondays please feel free to message me by using my contact form! I would love to not only feature you on my blog but learn from your answers, as I’m sure many readers would too! 
Follow:
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This post is part of the New Mom Monday series! A series about moms and their advice to new moms! Books and videos can only teach us so much, but there’s something special about hearing from real life moms. Honest, true, and always beautifully inspiring!!
♥ What’s your Name?

Michelle

♥ Tell us a little about yourself!
I’m 29 years old and I live in Vancouver, BC. I had my son when I was 16. I’m currently a SAHM because I’ve been on a medical leave since September 2015. I love reading and binge watching shows on Netflix.
♥ How many kids do you have? What are their names and ages?
I have one little monkey. His name is Riley and he just turned 12 years old.
♥ How do you find your “me time”?
Since my son is now older, my free time happens while he’s in school and when he’s at his dad’s house.
♥ What is the best baby related book you’ve ever read?
In all honesty, I didn’t read any baby books.
♥ What’s the most useful baby product you have? Why do you love it?

I loved the playpen. I loved that I could put Riley in there and know that he was safe. Plus, as he grew older and started crawling and standing, it allowed me to do things like cook and clean without worry that he’s going to get up to something not good for him.

♥ If you could say something to yourself when you first brought home your first baby, what would you say?
1. It’s going to be a difficult road ahead but it’ll be so worth it!
2. Don’t be scared, you have so much help around you.
3. You are going to be an AMAZING MOM.
♥ How much planning did you do before your baby was born, and how do you think that it helped or didn’t help?

I planned and planned. As in… I made sure that I got everything before hand and I had to organize how I was going to finish my schooling. I left the high school I’ve been attending since grade 8 and decided to compete it online so that I can be at home. You can’t plan for everything because in reality, everything is on the baby’s schedule. Everything else was trial and error.

♥ What do you believe are the top three pieces of advice a new mom or someone trying to conceive should know?
1. Always live in the moment. It’s going to fly by so fast… you won’t know what hit you.
2. Take lots of pictures! I love looking at all of Riley’s baby albums.
3. Start some sort of baby book where you can record all the baby milestones, you’ll appreciate the memories when they’re older.
♥ What is your best memory so far of being a mom?

In all honesty, that’s a difficult question to answer because there are so many memories to choose from! I took a mental video of when Riley was learning how to crawl and his first baby giggles and those are baby milestones that definitely stuck in my mind. I love watching my little monkey find himself. I love watching him learn and try new things. I love watching him not give up. There really are a lot of memories in the past 12 years.

♥ Give us the short form version of your birth story.
I just knew that Riley chose his birthday – he decided to come 3 weeks early. The birth itself was super fast – only 3 hours and 12 minutes from the moment my water broke. He was born in a hospital and delivered by a doctor who was not my OB because my OB was delivering another baby.  I had my mom, a friend from school and my brother’s girlfriend at the time with me. I didn’t plan on taking any pain medication and in all honesty, there was no time for it. The birth itself was fast and with no complications. The nurses and the doctor was so surprised that I didn’t need stitches! Riley was slightly jaundiced and I had high blood pressure so we stayed two nights. I was so happy that I couldn’t sleep at all that night.
♥ Lastly, for fun, define motherhood!

It’s a crazy rollercoaster with its ups and downs. It’s exciting… stressful but so rewarding!

To hear more from Michelle be sure to visit her blog CoffeeHeartMind and follow her on Instagram.

If you would like to participate in New Mom Mondays please feel free to message me by using my contact form! I would love to not only feature you on my blog but learn from your answers, as I’m sure many readers would too! 
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