This post is sponsored by Gerber. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I found out I was pregnant with my first child nearly 8 years ago to this day. In that moment, I had a crystal clear version of the type of parent I would be.
My husband and I knew how we would parent. I was sure of how I would ‘make’ my children behave and I certainly knew what kind of disciplinary style I would use. I was dead set on breastfeeding and then making my own baby food with my top-of-the-market blender.
But then real-life happened. Parenting wasn’t as easy as it appeared to be. By some sort of miracle, I quickly understood that we are all just doing our best.
Making your life easier as a busy mom is crucial.
Accepting that certain concessions need to be made, as a mother, for the sake of you and your children, is crucial.
Real-Life Tips to Help You With Your Baby
I’m sharing some of my go-to tips and tricks for both new and seasoned moms.
Fed is Best
You’ve heard it over and over again — “Breast is best.” Heck, I heard it nonstop from doctors, nurses, and strangers, throughout each of my three pregnancies.
But the truth is, so much more than breastfeeding goes into breastfeeding. And it may just be that breastfeeding is testing your sanity. So don’t stress about something so trivial. Whether your child is breastfed, bottle-fed, or formula-fed, says nothing about you as a parent.
Babies Need Very Little
Based on ads and marketing, you would think you’re going to need to double the size of your house when welcoming in a new baby. That narrative is completely false.
Babies need so little. Know what they need? They need food (see above), love, diapers, and a safe space. Everything else is unnecessary.
Sure, other items can be helpful, but they really just take up space. I can count on two hands the amount of ‘bonus items’ that I used over and over again (even my first didn’t make it into his own crib or room for nearly a year).
Don’t stress if you don’t ‘have it all.’ Your baby will get everything they truly need.
Give yourself a break
This is something a new mom hears time and time again. And it’s easier said than done. But there are things that you can control and give yourself a little break.
First and foremost, you’re doing a good job. Sleep is minimal and the crying just won’t stop, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t doing a good job. Just survive this stage and know you’re a great parent.
Second, recognize now that everyone has been in this exact same position. Every one of us has felt like they are struggling to get by. Remember that every day for the rest of your parenting ‘career.’
Third, remove all expectations of what you expected to be like as a parent. Things are different now.
Perfect Moms Are Fake
Louder for the people in the back — Perfect moms are not real!
Sure, it would be awesome to have all of this time to make Pinterest-worthy pretty bento box lunches for our school-aged children and to puree our own baby food, but that’s just not realistic.
The reality is that our lives are much more chaotic. Stop focusing on the things you can do ‘from scratch,’ be it cookies for the preschool party, Valentine’s Day cards, and even baby food. These entrees are SO from Gerber are so convenient.
Look for trusted products like Gerber® Freshful Start™ to reduce the stress of mealtime
Mealtime equals chaos in my life. The school-aged kids are picky and the baby demands food now. Instead of making my own baby food, I looked to Gerber® Freshful Start™.
Gerber® Freshful Start™ offers high-quality, fresh tasting, cooked with love foods that are free of preservatives and GMOs! These always-organic baby and toddler foods are so fresh tasting they need to remain refrigerated.
This product line ranges from Homestyle Purees for the Sitter Stage to Veggie Entrees for toddlers. Both are prepared in minutes and make it easy for me when I’m dealing with the chaos of feeding a family of 5.
You can pick up the Gerber® Freshful Start™ line at your local Meijer store in the refrigerated section of the baby food aisle!
Because being the perfect mom is totally overrated. Be the mom that has happy, healthy, and well-fed children. Most of all remember this: We’re all just doing our best.
