Dear First-Time Pregnant Self....

I just finished visiting a beautiful friend of mine in the hospital who just had a very handsome little boy!  In talking with her, it brought back sooooooo many memories of where I was just 4 short months ago!  It made me reflect and realize how much I have changed and grown since that wondrous day that my first-born graced us with her presence.  The following is a letter in wish I am talking to my pregnant self with the things I wish I could have told myself back then.

 Dear pregnant self,

You are about to enter a beautiful and glorious world called motherhood.  In the next few months, you are going to go on a tremendous emotional roller coaster.  You are about to feel the happiest you have ever felt in your life, and feel emotions you never dreamt possible.  It will not be a rare occurrence for you to cry out of happiness on a regular basis.  You are going to absolutely LOVE being a mom.  The joy you will get out of this experience is indescribable.  Get ready to love like you have never loved before in a whole new way.  You now have a new purpose in life!  This journey is going to be amazing.

 Self, everything that I said above is 100% true.  But you will also be going through a new time... one of transition.  It's not bad, it's just different.  For example, you will soon be learning what the word "patience," really means.  When you feel more tired than you have ever felt in your life and want nothing more than to crawl into bed and sleep forever, your baby is going to want to eat.  She is going to be your alarm clock, and by the way, she gets to eat before you, no matter how hungry you are.

 Self, you used to operate on a different clock.  In motherhood, well... time is... time is....different.  I'm not sure how else to describe it.  The nights are longer... but the days are faster.  Morning is always too soon... yet the days have more meaning.  Regarding your schedule... get comfortable with being flexible, because that is your new middle name.

Oh, and get used to writing things down.  Your brain is about to change in strange ways!  If you lose your cell phone, try looking in the refrigerator.

Just so you know... postpartum hormones + sleep deprivation is no joke.  You are going to have times where you cry and you don't know why.  And in this new world where "up" means "down" and you don't know what comes next, it's okay.  Your world is just different now, and the more you open up about it and talk to other moms who have been there, the more you will know it is normal and okay.  While we're talking about opening up... trust your husband of yours.  He's a good listener, and loves you more than anything.  He wants nothing more than to help in any way he can.  Just let him know what to do.

Other things that are normal and okay...  trying on your pre-pregnancy clothes and shedding a tear or two, wondering how to take care of a baby by yourself when hubs goes back to work after having a week and a half off, not always thinking clearly, wondering if you will ever truly sleep again, and worrying a lot about if you are doing things "the right way."

Here's the thing, there is no "right way."  Your baby is her own beautiful, unique child of God, and there has NEVER been another baby exactly like her in this entire universe.  No matter how many books you read on babies and parenting, your daughter does not come with an instruction manual, no matter how badly you sometimes want someone to just tell you what the best thing to do is.

You are also a unique individual.  And what you need is going to be different than your other mom friends.  And that's okay too.

Speaking of mom friends... they are the best.  The sooner you open up and talk about what you are feeling and experiencing, the sooner you will know that others have been where you are, and you are not alone in this.  Join mom groups, have play dates, and go to women's bible studies.  It will completely change your world.

Sweet self, make sure to take care of YOU.  Take bubble baths, have a glass of wine, spend time in prayer and meditation.  While you're at it, don't skip that pedicure or nap, watch a chick-flick, and please don't even think twice about feeling guilty about it.  There is nothing better in those early months than taking care of yourself.  The laundry and cleaning can wait.  RE-freaking-LAX.  I know you are weird about cleaning your floors, but you are not going to get some kind of gold star for it.  You are working hard enough at sustaining a new little life for crying out loud.  CHILL.  Your body and your milk supply will thank you.

Speaking of milk supply, drink LOTS of water!!!  What do you think that magic liquid is made out of?

Your relationship with your husband is going to change.  You used to be able to hang out and talk with each other pretty much whenever you wanted.  Not the case anymore.  Schedule time to connect with each other both on social and intimate levels when she goes down for naps or to bed for the night.  Communication is SO important right now between the two of you.  Help each other.  You are a TEAM!

God has called you to be a new mommy, and that means self-sacrifice in a way you have never experienced before. The sooner you accept it, the sooner you will be able to enjoy your new life on a different level.

Dear, self... this is going to be the most amazing, exhausting, tremendously fulfilling time in your life!  Trust me... you will start to feel more like yourself again.  Remember to give yourself both time and GRACE.  ENJOY your new life.  You are going to LOVE this!!!!

Love,
Brianne

P.S. Thanks for reading, friends!  Tell me... what do YOU wish you could go back and tell yourself before you had your first child? :)