Five Mistakes That Moms Make

This blog was inspired by a conversation with a new mom as well as the mistakes I made four years ago. I think the underline issue with these mistakes are based on guilt. I want you all to know it's OKAY to lose the guilt and learn to love yourself as a mother, a wife and a person! 

1. Not Following Your Gut:

All moms can distern their baby's needs, but often times new mom second guess themselves. Don't second guess the voice inside side your head. You are the only one that knows what your child needs! You and your baby were attached for nine months, you know each other better than you think, so don't second guess yourself!  

2. Not Putting Your Baby on a Schedule:

Let me say this first, I am not telling you how to raise your child. I am smipling giving you a tool to make your life and your child's life easier. Your child should be placed on a schedule by six weeks olds. This will help your baby know what expect and help get him/her into a better sleeping and eating pattern. (If you are nursing, then speak to your doctor about how offten your child needs to eat)

3. Not Allowing Your Child to Learn How to Self-Sooth 

All children need to learn how to sooth themselves, it's OKAY to let you child cry for a few minutes (I know it breaks your heart, but we have to strong to teach our children a VERY important coping skill.)  Self soothing is the first part of self-regulation and if we don't teach our kids how to regulate their emotions we are doing them a disservice. 

If you hear your child cry give them the words to describe how they feel. You can say "I know you're sad because you want play, but it's bedtime."

4. Not Focusing  on Lanaguage at an Early Age:  

Babies can learn sign language at three months, they won't be able to mimic signs until they have more control over their body parts (around six months), however, they are learning! Sign the word milk when your baby is drinking and sign the word eat when you are feeding them. Babies who are exposed to sign language are able to communicate their needs earlier, this gives them more control, they also tantrum less! (If you want to learn how to teach sign lanague contact me, I LOVE teaching baby sings :-)

5. Not Giving Yourself a Break

Moms by nature are critical of themselves DON'T be! Being a parent is the hardest job in the world, don't get down on yourself if you have a bad day. Give yourself a break! It's ok to have a messy house,  piles of laundry and toys all over! Don't try to be the prefect wife and  mother. (This one took me FOUR years to learn, don't make the same mistake I did)

I hope this helps you. I wish someone would have told me this after giving birth to my first child. Good luck and let's start giving ourselves a break and lose the gulit.