a letter to my {new mommy} self — sarah elizabeth lowe

Dear Sarah,

First of all, you will not hear that (your own name) for a long time...you will now be referred to as "Abigail's Mommy, Bethany's Mommy, Mama, or Mommy".

But thats okay, because hearing a tiny voice call you Mama for the first time will be the best word you've ever heard.

You WILL get through the sleepless nights. There will be LOTS of them.

Abigail may not "sleep through the night" (whatever that means) until she is 10 months old,

but God will give you energy, I promise.

The colic WILL get better. You won't spend the rest of your life bouncing Abigail on a bouncy ball, or sitting by the running bath with Bethany for 2 hours every night to calm her down. It will actually end right around 3 months.

You can make it, and you will learn what it means to cry out to God while your babies wont stop crying.

Use gas drops from the get-go..they will calm tummies and make the colicky nights a little bit easier.

Get a Boba carrier, it will save you energy and give you the ability to wear baby close to you and still have the use of your hands. And it brings about good snuggles too.

Don't fight Abigail's independent spirit, she just isn't going to be a snuggle bug like you want her to be. Instead, ask God how to nurture that spirit in her...and when you do, she WILL want to be close to you.

And on that note, realize early that Bethany IS a snuggle bug...enjoy every second.

Breastfeeding WILL get easier. Call your lactation consultant friend ALL the time if you need to. It will be worth it to you to not give up.

You may even nurse Abigail for 18 months, and cry when she stops.

Remember that this adjustment to motherhood is ALSO an adjustment for your husband. His life is changing too.

Be patient with him as he learns and adapts to your new life.

Don't forget about him, even though you are now madly in love with a little girl too.

That Mommy and Me group at the hospital you are nervous to try? Go. They will become your greatest support group during the first year of motherhood. Pursue them, you will need them.

Take LOTS of pictures. Back them up. Invest in a great camera - it will be worth every penny.

Don't go overboard on Abigail's birthday party. It'll be fun without all the extra stuff...just celebrate HER.

Breastfeeding will become one of your most favorite things you've ever done.

You will learn how much it means to the baby AND to you.

Be patient with yourself as you try to lose the baby weight. It's not easy, but you WILL wear something other than pajamas someday.

If bed sharing is what works best for you and your family, do it.

Don't feel like you need to leave 4 pages of notes the first time you leave for a night out.

Your mom has obviously watched a baby before.

But if you do...hang onto them as a keepsake to look back and laugh about.

Keep burp cloths everywhere. And pacis too.

Don't ever be afraid to call the doctor about anything. Baby's health is important, even if it turns out you just needed to wash the dried

breast milk out of her ear.