A Letter to a New Mom Providing Hope in a Difficult Time

This is a letter to a new mom filled with some encouraging words for a new mom. It might be just what you need at this time. 

As you become pregnant, you spend 9 months dreaming of your baby and what it will be like to be a mom. If you’re like me, you spend your entire life.

However, no matter how much you prepare, it will be a challenge. You will struggle and doubt yourself. All moms do it. 

So, if you’re a new mom or even just a mom struggling, this is for you. This is a combination of what I wish people told me and what I learned along the journey of motherhood.

Use this note to new moms as a message to myself as a mother and send this letter to new parents you know who would benefit from this.

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A Letter to a New Mom

You will experience a new type of exhaustion, one you never quite felt before. It’s different from when you pulled all-nighters to cram for a test or during a sleepover. This one makes you feel like a zombie going through the motions of life. Each time your baby wakes up crying you wonder if you’re made to be a mom or if you really can do this all over again.

But you can do it. You are made for this. And it will get easier. The first few months are excruciating. But it does get better.

You don’t feel like yourself. Your weight is different. You have stretch marks and baby fat that won’t go away no matter how hard you try. Your emotions and hormones are all over the place. You wonder if you’ll ever be yourself again.

But you will. While your body might never be the same, you will learn to love yourself again. You will enjoy your new you and what that means for you. Your body carried a baby for 9 months. Take pride in it. You will learn new things about yourself which will amaze you.

The weight of being responsible for another human being seems overbearing. You are anxious all the time. You are constantly worrying over the little details like what formula is best for your baby or if you should get them another new toy.

Just relax. Yes, you will have to make decisions. But trust yourself and your instinct. You know what is best for your child. Yes, you will make mistakes, but it doesn’t matter. Pick yourself up and start again.

One decision will not ruin your life or your precious little one. Follow your instincts and mama intuition, and you will be just fine. 

Fed is best. You are taking care of your baby that is best for you and them. This is one of the things I struggled with and wish I had in a letter to a first time mom.

If you struggle with breastfeeding, it’s okay. Formula feeding is great. If you want to pump, that’s wonderful. And, if you want to breastfeed only, great. It is all the same. Don’t let any first time mother feel otherwise.

If you are feeding your baby, you are an amazing mom.

Don’t let anyone make you doubt yourself. You are your baby’s mother, no one else. You do in fact have a maternal instinct, so use it. If you think something is wrong, it probably is. Don’t let the doctor or another mom tell you otherwise. Trust yourself. If that means daycare, or being a stay-at-home mom, you do you. Use some affirmations for self-love if you need to!

You need time for yourself too. Make sure to give yourself some time for self-care. You cannot raise your little one without taking that precious time for yourself. Just like you cannot fill from an empty glass or use your phone when the battery is dead, the same is with motherhood.

Find ways to get self-care beyond the bathtub, when possible. Make a new mom self care kit for yourself as well so you are always prepared. Even if all you can do is just five minutes of self-care, it is worth it.

You can start feeding them whenever you think they are ready, there is no exact start day. Remember, you know your baby best, no one else.

Zippers are so much easier than snaps. Trust me, totally worth it. I don’t have to say anything more. 

Don’t worry if you haven’t showered in a week, neither have I! 

Co-sleeping is fine, crib sleeping is fine, sleeping however or wherever is fine. Know the risks and benefits of every way possible, and go with your gut.

They will be fine even if they eat dirt or sand or paper off the ground. It’s a good boost to their immune systems! 

You can call the doctor and nurses as often as you like. It is not annoying and if it helps ease your mind, go for it! Better be safe than sorry. Doctors are there for you, and if they aren’t, find a new one.

Check on your mental health too. You cannot take care of a tiny human if you are not well yourself. Learn the symptoms and signs of postpartum depression and get some help if you need it. 

Teething does not have to be hard at all. There are so many resources for teething to help you. (This product is by far my favorite teething remedy that did wonders for us).

Social media is not the whole truth. Don’t use it to compare yourself. If you are struggling from seeing all your friends looking like they love all aspects of motherhood while you are struggling to get out of bed, get rid of Instagram or Facebook. You don’t need that negativity.

You can do this. You got this mama! Things do get better and easier with time. If you fall, pick yourself up. It is not a race. It is not a comparison. There is no medal at the end, only the joy that comes from raising a human being.

Some days are long and difficult. but some days aren’t. Allow yourself to sit in your feelings; don’t shove them down. (Some Days is my favorite song, you MUST listen to it!)

If you are in survival mode, you are not alone, and it is okay, even if it is for a few years. You will get through it. You are doing enough.

This was an open letter about being a mom. Hopefully, it provides hope along with some good advice for a new mom. 

Use this letter of encouragement to new mom whenever you need to. It’s okay, I reread it all the time when I struggle.

Make sure to give this letter to postpartum mom to help share the hope, love, and encouragement. You never know who may need to hear this!