Mom Wisdom: 3 Things I Wish I'd Known (& Done!) As a New Mom by Holly Brown MFT

Listen up, new and soon-to-be moms! Here are three things I wish someone had told me when I entered motherhood!

• YOU MUST LEAVE THE HOUSE! As soon as you're physically able, get on out there. Otherwise, it becomes more and more daunting to think of doing it (all that gear, all those nesting impulses, etc.). But leave early, and often.

• Every feeling you're having – and there are lots of them, simultaneously, sequentially, in waves – is normal. Estrogen and progesterone levels increase tenfold during pregnancy, and then drop sharply after delivery. So, you've got good reason to feel wonky.

• There's no right way to be a mother. People love to give advice and there are a bazillion books. But what works for one mother and baby combo doesn't necessarily work for the next. If talking to people is diminishing your confidence rather than increasing it, talk to different people. Ditto for the books.

Good luck!

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