Newborn Mom Survival Guide:

1. Do what works. Breastfeed. Bottle-feed. Or both. You have to do what works best for you and your baby and not worry about what everyone thinks.
2. Don’t be afraid to ask for the extra recovery supplies at the hospital. The ice packs. The giant pads. The Lanolin samples. The Dermoplast. The worst they can say is no and it will help you immensely to have it on hand as you heal.
3. Know you’re going to do a lot of laundry. Newborn diapers are a little cray up in here right now. Keep the detergent on hand and plan to keep the washer-a-going. Also - buy lots and lots of diapers. And maybe a stock in diapers.🧺
4. Drink the coffee first. Yup. Coffee is at the top of the to-do list as you wake up (or get up for the 80th time in one night) with a newborn and prepare for the rest of the kiddos to wake up at the crack of down. Drink that coffee, stat.☕️
5. Use grocery pickup. There are so many little things you can do to help alleviate the stress of taking (or not taking) a newborn out and about. Grocery pickup is a lifesaver. Coffee shop drive-throughs are also a lifesaver. Live-streaming church on the tv for the first 6 weeks is a major win.
6. Try not to be so hard on yourself. I’ve always struggled with the postpartum period. The healing, achy body. The lack of sleep. The tiger stripes. The extra skin. The in-between of what clothes to wear. This time, I’m trying to offer grace and be thankful for all my body has done to grow this little human and how it’s transitioning to take care of this beautiful new life.
7. Accept the help. My mom ran a few errands for me right after we returned home from the hospital and it was such a life-saver to have help taking care of some things. Accept help. Ask for help. I am so thankful for those who recently brought us freezer meals, sent food/coffee gift cards, and for the awesome grandma’s who took care of our kiddos while we were at the hospital. Help is a beautiful gift. 🖤

I pray your journey is one that you will treasure forever.

🚒🖤❤️ Fire Wife Chronicles: lizzychristian.com