As a new mom, motherhood is intimidating. You’ve never done it before, and you don’t know what to expect. You feel like you are already losing your confidence with every mistake you make or before you have even begun the process! One of the most rewarding aspects of life is being a parent. You get to relive your childhood all over again through your own children. It’s such a wonderful thing. Yet, at the same time, there is a great load of responsibility to being a new parent–especially a mom. Rest assured knowing that when you are in various situations you can maintain confidence even if you make mistakes!
Take Advice With A Grain Of Salt
Once you become a new mom, everyone will be so excited for you. Maybe, you have friends or family members who had kids before you and are more experienced in the whole motherhood thing. They may try to give you advice to help you out because they have had kids before. However, this might make you feel even more overwhelmed because you may not have asked for their advice in the first place. Feel confident in the fact that you can discern what advice will work for your family, and what advice won’t. Close family members like your mother or father may also try to give you advice. However, the issue is that you may have a different parenting style than them and don’t necessarily agree with what they’re saying.
You Know Your Child Best
When it comes to your child, have confidence in the fact that you know them best. You understand their cries when they’re an infant and their tantrums when they become a toddler. There is no one else out there who can discern your child’s moods and needs more quickly than you. You are the one who spends the most time with your kid, thus you have the most sensibility towards them. Like the saying goes “walk a mile in someone else’s shoes before you judge them.” This applies in this scenario, as you are the one taking care of your child and understand best.
Trust Your Gut
As moms, and women in general, we have a higher intuition than men or fathers do. That feeling you get when something is going wrong or you are in the wrong place at the wrong time– that’s your intuition speaking. Trusting that feeling will also come in handy with your children. You can follow that gut feeling to ensure their safety and protection at all times. Believing in your instincts will also make you a more confident mom!
Read And Do Your Research
If there is an aspect of parenting that you can’t quite wrap your head around or you want expert advice on the matter, read a book! Books can be excellent resources for parenting. With technology being so accessible, the internet is also a great place to find reliable information on parenting or advice from other parents. Sometimes, the best way to gain confidence is to read.
Build A Community
It is always easier to surround yourself with like-minded individuals who also have children or who can support you on your parenting journey. In particular, building a community of fellow moms can be so helpful as a new parent. For one thing, friendships boost mental health which helps in a time of transition. Additionally, getting together with others in the same boat can provide a space to discuss your challenges or worries. If you are wondering where you can find like-minded moms, try talking to people at your child’s school or join a meetup group. If you are looking out for moms, try to connect with them or strike a conversation to get to know them.
Be Kind To Yourself
Nobody is perfect, that’s right even moms! Forget to fill up your car or plug in your home car charging station, making your kid late for soccer practice? It’s okay. Frozen meal for dinner tonight because you had no time to cook? All good. Point is, if you can forgive yourself for small things like this, you will gain your confidence and not be so harsh on yourself.
