How many books have you seen in stores about what to expect when you're expecting? You might own a fair few of them in preparation for the birth of your first-born. Just be aware that those books don’t always tell a realistic story. They are there to give calming generic advice to parents-to-be and can miss out on some important details. So, let's start from the very beginning with our 10 pieces of awesome advice for new mums.

1) You will probably have to rip up that perfect plan for your delivery.

While it is nice to make plans and visualize the big day when your child finally enters the world, donât expect it to be a reality. You may have the perfect facility in mind where you plan to have a calm, uncomplicated birth with your partner. You might have a specific list of items to take with you. But, you are not in charge here. If your baby decides to make an appearance when you are out-of-town, or ill-prepared, you just have to roll with it.

2) When they do appear, it's not guaranteed to be a blissful experience.

Television and films have tricked new moms into thinking that all births are beautiful with that wonderful moment where your glowing face looks at the beautiful child in your arms. They don’t always highlight how much of a mess it is going to be, how undignified it can be or how some mothers don’t get that feeling of serenity straight away. That is true natural childbirth.

3) Breast milk may be the best but it isn’t essential.

There is a lot of pressure on a new mom to breastfeed. Choose not to and some people act like you’ve decided to put your kids on some banned substance. Breastfeeding just isn’t going to work for everyone. Some mothers struggle to produce or get pain and swelling during feedings. Plenty of mothers that do breastfeed will admit to struggling at first. A healthy formula is fine if your kid gets enough feeds at the right time.

4) Your cute bundle of joy is going to make a lot of mess.

Visiting friends and family will undoubtedly tell you what a perfect, adorable treasure your baby is. While this is true a lot of the time, they don’t have to see the mountain of dirty laundry created from all the bodily functions. They will continually soil clothes, spit-up on themselves (and you) and seem to try and cover everything they can with their mess. Accept that you have a constant laundrette system in place at home.

5) You will fall behind with your schedule.

There are expectations for a new mom to be superhuman as they tackle this new job. As though they are expected to look after the baby, run errands and keep the house spotless. The truth is that caring for a newborn is exhausting. You will struggle with some tasks that you used to manage with ease. It is OK to put things off a little to lighten the load.

6) Always take the time to look after yourself.

This next piece of advice for new mums is going to sound shocking. Your baby isn’t always the number one priority. You deserve as much care and attention because without you at your best, they won’t thrive or stay safe. So, make sure that you get enough sleep, follow the right diet and take care of your health.

7) This also means taking care of your mental health with self-care.

This also means taking the time to look after your mental health. The stress and anxiety of motherhood needs a release every now and then. Let your partner or a family member babysit for a little while and go and unwind. Take a long soak in the bath. Visit a friend for a coffee. Treat yourself at a favorite store. Head to the gym. Whatever it is that you miss in life since becoming a mother, make some time for it. Your mental state will improve and you can stay in control when you are back on duty.

8) Also, don’t pay attention to unrealistic standards of body image.

How many times have you seen pictures on social media of some celebrity's amazing comeback to their pre-pregnancy figure? There is too much pressure to look like we never had a child. It is a strange concept when we should celebrate what our bodies went through. Stretchmarks arenât a bad thing. A little extra weight after pregnancy isn’t going to hurt. Appreciate your body for what it is at that moment. If you lose the weight later on then great but don’t rush.

9) It is OK to ask for help with any of these issues.

You are new at this. Your whole world has turned upside-down with this new member of your family. No matter how much you prepared or researched motherhood, there will be challenges and surprises. There is no such thing as a stupid question. There is nothing wrong with asking for guidance. Experienced friends and family should be there to lend a sympathetic ear and provide guidance on even the most trivial-sounding problems.

10) Just remember that there are no textbook answers for all children.

There may be times when the textbook advice for new mums doesn’t work, or your Moma’s perfect remedy doesn’t help. This isn’t your fault. Each baby is different with its own needs, personalities, and complexities. What worked on you as a baby won’t always work on the next generation. It is OK to get things wrong and try something else as long as you always have baby’s interest at heart.

That is the best point to take away from this. As long as you always try your best for you and your child, you are going to be a great mother. There are no perfect births, perfect guidebooks or perfect routines. Let it all play out in its own way and live in those moments.

About The Author

Hi! I am Sandy Harrison, Mom of 2 beautiful kids , wife, writer, editor, blogger and a pharmacist.

I write about different stages of parenthood and also write reviews and recommendations on products to make life easier and fun for all !

I hope you will enjoy some of the many ideas, reviews and guides I publish at www.mumeemagic.com and raise healthy and happy kids .

10 Pieces Of Awesome Advice For New Mums