I am about to embark on the one of the greatest journeys a woman can face…motherhood.

Any day now, our first child will be born into this world, and I know from that moment on, my life will never be the same. I’ve been a lot of things in life…friend, sister, daughter, wife…but never a mama. I have yet to walk through the joys and challenges and changes that come from bringing a new life into the world, and today I am super excited to bring you (and me!) some tips and advice from some of my favorite mom bloggers for those of us who are entering in this new stage of life.

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Sarah Esh // Come What May
Mama to Carson

“If I could leave brand new moms with one piece of advice, it would be this: motherhood, and especially new motherhood, can feel lonely and isolated. No matter how hard or tiring or impossible it seems, prioritize relationships with those dearest to you and reach out to those who might be feeling lonely too. Build a group of friends who will encourage and support you, and who you can encourage and support in turn. Each and every stage of motherhood with have moments to celebrate and moments of heartache where you need a shoulder to cry – surround yourself with your closest girlfriends who can be with you through it all.

A second piece of advice: parenting is too serious to take too seriously. Enjoy each and every moment. Kiss your children often. Read books and play games together, even though the sink is full of dirty dishes and the laundry hasn’t been folded. And every once in a great while, let the kids stay up past their bedtime.

Thirdly, as a mom, grocery shopping alone is comparable to sunning yourself on a white sandy beach in the West Indies. When it happens, bask in the moment, because it really is the little things that make this life so wonderful!”

Clarita Barkman // Skies of Parchment
Mama to Zoe, Olivia, + Hudson

“As I look back on the first few days and weeks after my babies were born, it feels like a beautiful dream! That fresh, darling newborn baby, so perfect he would make me cry just looking down at him – he seemed so straight from Heaven. I wish I could have a newborn all the time…I love them so much!

My advice is this: just soak it in and relax. Don’t stress about how someone else parents, or about how to “do it right.” Just love your little newborn, because you’ll blink and they will be a month old or a year old, and the time passes so quickly. Hold your baby, cuddle him, don’t worry about spoiling him the first little bit. This precious little baby has been with you all its existence, and it is so soothing for him to be near you now. God gave this baby to you, not to anyone, and so nurture him with the instincts and gifting God has given to you. Don’t compare your mothering to someone else’s. Just love. Just delight. Just soak it in. It’s okay to ask advice from other women and mothers, but still be YOU.

On a practical note: sleep when you are tired! It is a stage where sleep sometimes feels non-existent, and if you need to sleep during the day, do. If your housework doesn’t feel caught up, it’s okay. Rest when you can, and it’s okay if you tell someone you’d love to see them but to please visit tomorrow when you are less exhausted. It’s okay to cry, even if you don’t know why. Your hormones have gone through the biggest change in the world, and they are trying to get back to normal. And sometimes you may feel over-the-moon contented and delighted, and other times will want to cry for no apparent reason. It’s okay. Be gentle with yourself.

And I always liked to have a few treats prepared for myself for after baby…little gifts to myself. Things like…delicious protein drinks (like Naked or Bolthouse Farms) to give added nutrition those first few weeks…or a few things like new slippers, new pajamas, and cozy and pretty lounge clothes for the weeks I’d be mostly at home but knew company would be coming.”

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Shelley Smucker // Frame of Mind
Mama to Jocelyn + Charlotte 

“A bit of advice that is not original to me: You have to learn this skill set. I just love that thought, and it has stuck with me and given me hope that this third time around, I will hopefully know more than I did with the previous two!

I know that we all want to be the best mothers we can possibly be, from the ver moment that we give birth. However, it’s rather silly if you think about it, because we won’t approach anything else in life that way. We don’t pick up a violin for the first time and expect to be flawless rendition of Moonlit Sonata. We don’t hop on a snowboard for the first time and expect to master the half pipe and mogul. So why do we assume it will be that way with babies?

Even though pregnancy and childbirth are some of the “natural” things in all creation, these things still have to be learned. And learning takes time, experience, and yes, even mistakes now and then. So please, dearest new mom, give yourself grace! Run to Jesus, and call on others for help and support…allow yourself time to learn. It is so encouraging to see progress in yourself and realize that, yes, these life experiences are shaping and molding and refining me.

Often it will feel that as soon as you have learned something well and gotten into a bit of a routine…it changes. And since babies grow at the speed of lightening, the learning curve is steep! So try and be flexible, go with the flow, and be willing to start all over often. So whether this applies to nursing, scheduling, sleep training, whatever…remember that you are learning right along with your baby. You’re both brand new at this. It will take time and that’s ok.

It’s a beautiful thing to grow together.

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What about you: what are some tips + advice that you have for new moms?

I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Sometimes I have to stop and almost marvel at my life.

Because it seems like just yesterday that I was a young girl with dreams of a good life with a good man and having my own home and having my own babies…and somehow I’ve arrived at that exact season of life with a good man, my own home, and soon, my own babies. Yesterday I was just a girl full of dreams…and today I am a woman full of dreams, only some of those dreams are now a reality. It’s actually so magical when I stop and think about it. Never mind that I’m getting older and much closer to thirty than I’ve ever been…I’m living the life that I’ve always wanted and sometimes the only words that are able to make their way from my heart are “thank you, God.“

So the next big event in my life is having our baby.

Obviously, my body has been preparing for this event all along, but in the past few months, I’ve felt my mind beginning to tune more into the actual birthing process rather than just being caught up in the present moment of pregnancy.

Here are some of the ways I’ve been preparing for our birth:

Prayer is the first and most important thing I’ve been doing for birth. The more I think and learn about pregnancy and birth and babies, the more I realize just how amazing and truly miraculous the whole process is. Yeah, there are aches and pains and uncomfortable aspects of pregnancy, and obviously even more so with birthing…but the very nature of God is of one that delights in new birth and new life…whether that’s spiritually or physically. I believe that the best way for me to prepare myself for the task of birthing a child is to be engaged with God and to learn of His perspective in this miraculous event taking place in my body. I pray daily for peace and quiet over my heart and body and home while I’m bringing this baby into the world, and that more than anything else, we would feel His very presence walking us through every moment.

Positive knowledge is another big aspect of my preparations. It’s amazing how negative our culture has painted the picture of birth…and one of the biggest things I’ve worked on in my own heart and mind is getting ride of that negative perspective and replacing it with positive perspective. Think of the times you see a birth in a show or movie, and of the endless drama and screaming and pain that is portrayed on the screen…negativity, right? I don’t expect my birth to be without intensity and it’s fair measure of pain and discomfort, but I do expect it to be a beautiful, calm, and peaceful experience. I believe wholeheartedly that our expectations for something (not just a birth) play a huge, huge, huge factor into the actual outcome of that event. If I expect negativity, I get negativity. I’ve done a lot of reading in the past months about labor and delivery, and have also done all that I can to avoid negative portrayals of birth. I’ve watched a few online videos of births, but only of ones that promote that kind of birth that I want.

Recommended reading:: Active Birth, The Joy of Natural Childbirth, The Natural Pregnancy Book

Exercise during pregnancy is another way of preparing. Obviously, you need strength and stamina for birthing, and staying active throughout a pregnancy is the best way to prepare physically for the hours of labor. I try to get in a half-hour walk most days, and also some gentle strength training. It doesn’t feel “right” to me to do strenuous or high-intensity exercise while pregnant, although I’m sure to some women, this can feel ok. My mid-wife checks in on my exercise at each of my prenatal appointments, so it’s a good motivation and accountability.

Rest and relaxation is just as important as exercise. I don’t want to arrive at the birth of my baby with a worn-down and exhausted body and mind, so on the days where I feel tired and in need of extra sleep, I do what I can to take it. I’ve also worked at learning some relaxation techniques to help with relaxation during labor.

A birth playlist is something I have yet to put together, but I want to compile a list of some of my favorite songs, as well as just some soft, instrumental music to use during labor. Music is always really important to me, and I know that utilizing it during labor will be helpful for me.

Relaxation prompts and verses is also something I’m working on compiling for labor. I want to have inspiring and comforting words easily available to review, as well as some positive affirmations and reminders for relaxation. This might seem a bit redundant, and perhaps it will be…but I’d rather be over-prepared than under-prepared!

Red raspberry tea is known for it’s usefulness in preparing the uterine and pelvic muscles for the work of delivery, and I’ve been drinking a quart a day for the last several months. I pour it into a jar every morning, and since it also counts as part of my recommended water intake, it helps me get down those three-four quarts of liquid per day as well.

What about you: what do you recommend for preparing for birth?

I’d love to hear your thoughts!