Trying to be a good momma

I think any first time mom will agree with me when I say there is too much information out there that tells you how to raise a child. You always hear people say “children never came with a handbook,” which is incredibly true, but then you have “specialists” and “professionals” out there who attempt to lump all children into a category and tell you their way is the correct way to do things:

Don’t bathe your child too much, but don’t do it too infrequently
Don’t feed on demand, but don’t try to force a schedule too early
Your child should sleep through the night by this age, your child will wake up frequently if he/she’s hungry
Don’t hold them too much because they’ll be spoiled, don’t lay them down too much or they’ll develop a flat head
They have to sleep this way, can’t sleep this way
Your child should be eating this much and this often
Don’t rock her to sleep, but don’t let her cry it out


There’s too much information out there it’ll make your brain explode trying to absorb it all. The first couple of weeks post-partum, I googled WAY too much. I was constantly looking for tips and tricks and advice on how to get Riley to sleep more, to get her on a “schedule,” to get her to cry less, etc. I was constantly searching the web and began convincing myself that I was doing something wrong as a mom. I must be because every other baby out there is doing X,Y,Z.  My husband kept telling me “stop looking on the internet.”
My feeling have drastically changed in just a few short months. What I have learned in my 3 + months as a mom, is this:

A). No 2 babies are alike
B). You can’t find ALL the answers in a book, or online
C). I know what’s best for my baby
D). There’s no such thing as a SET schedule and routine; when you have a newborn, you have to go with the flow.

Riley and I have developed both an understanding and a special relationship. I know how to sooth her  when she’s hungry, put her to sleep when she’s tired, and we’ve developed a trust that I feel like only a mother and daughter can have. I just love her so unbelievably much, and she’s worth every single minute of sleep lost J. I now know that I’m doing a good job (or at least what I think is a good job) and being the best mom that I can. I will continue to be selfless, make sacrifices, and make decisions in my life solely towards the goal of improving the life we have provided for her.