The world is never short of advice for new parents. There is always a piece of advice about everything from everyone – and if you are not careful, you will fall for the wrong ones.
One of the greatest excitements of parenthood is the one you will experience as a new parent. Trust me when I say there is always an overwhelming show of love and support, both for you and the newborn.
When you ask parents about their experience as Parents-to-be or new parents, you will see the excitement in their eyes – it is unmistakably the same.
I can still remember – like yesterday, how I felt before my first baby, the anticipation and excitement as a parent-to-be are unexplainable. Then when she finally came, my excitement doubled as a new parent.
In this article, I have highlighted a robust set of advices and happiness tips – that will adequately cater for new parents and parents-to-be. This is because, from experience, I have found out that – although they are both tremendous and ecstatic, the feeling – and anticipation could be different.
10 Advice and Happiness Tips for New Parents and Parents-To-Be
The birth of a baby is the beginning of a new chapter in your life. Forget all you’ve been told. This is the real deal and the beginning of a peculiar – but equally exciting journey.
Here are 10 advice for new parents and happiness tips that will guide you in this new phase of life.
1. Congratulations are in Order
The birth of a child is time for celebration, and you will get congratulatory messages from virtually everyone –including those you are not close to or on good terms with.
Dear new parent or parent-to-be, this is perfectly normal! This is not the time you should be trying to decipher who is genuinely excited or who is faking it.
Congratulations are in order, regardless of whom and where it is coming from. Accept the well-wishes with an open heart and appreciation.
2. Trust and Follow Your Instincts
When you are a new parent or a parent-to-be, everyone has advice for you on how to be a better parent and the best practices to employ in taking care of your baby.
Expect to have different bits of advice on the same issue – conflicting information on almost every topic. Also, the tricky part is that you cannot choose which recommendation to adopt on the basis of your relationship with the person who is giving the advice.
What works for them may not necessarily work for you, so you should trust and follow your instincts before you make any decision.
3. Get Expert or Professional Help
As a parent-to-be, you should seek expert help by enlisting in parenting classes, attending antenatal sessions regularly, and keep close contact with a medical professional.
In the midst of all the advice coming from all angles – family, friends, religious leaders, and neighbors, it is best to have professional and expert help to give you a clear, unbiased opinion to help frame your decisions.
With professional medical help, you can get the best advice on symptoms that are going to arise as a result of the pregnancy or delivery. Trust me; you do not want to depend solely on general advice at this time.
4. Things Will Get Easier with Time
The first few months will come with a lot of stress, pain, and fatigue. Remember that this is new territory for you, and you will need to be careful with each step.
It can all be overwhelming and overly tiring sometimes. Sometimes, the days look unending, and sometimes the stress seems unbearable. But it would be best if you continued to trust the process and not relent.
If anyone told you that being a new parent or a parent-to-be was easy, they lied. Please read that again; they lied!
You should reach down and gather the strength you need from the baby – there is enough strength in the ‘Bundle of Joy’ to keep you through. Keep in mind that with each passing day, things will get better.
5. Be Ready for a Paradigm Shift
One piece of advice I always give new parents or parents-to-be is that they should be ready for a radical change to their routine and preferences.
The baby will change many things about your current routine, but the good thing is that it is for the best. You will be more occupied than you have ever been, and you will have the most significant responsibility you have ever come across – the responsibility of being a parent.
There is still one thing that no one – including science has been unable to explain. It is how being a new parent or a parent-to-be changes your views about life and brings out your most matured self.
6. Live in the Moment
As a new parent or a parent-to-be, I advise you to live and cherish the moment. I mean, do not allow anyone or anything to deprive you of this moment because it means everything.
Sometimes, it can’t be relieved – it can never be like the first when you go on to have more babies. You need to cherish this moment and make it worthwhile.
Even the stress, the irritations, and all the time the baby disturbs you from your precious sleep or pees on your favorite couch – will all become fond memories in no time. So, do not fuss about anything. It would be best if you enjoyed each day – as a new parent or parent-to-be as it comes.
7. Relate with More Parents
Sorry darling, but this is not the time you want to be hanging out with all your single friends from morning till night. You will have to expand your circle and welcome in some married couples.
There is a need to be around people who have been there before. There are many things your single friends will not know or understand which a person who has had children will.
I am not saying you have to get rid of all your single friends just because you are now a new parent or parent-to-be.
But in all sincerity, you will have to consider relating with couples who have experienced what you are about to experience and can give you first-hand advice and opinions.
This is not the time you want to be making mistakes you would have easily prevented if you had an experienced parent to advise you.
8. Document the Moment
One crucial piece of advice for new parents and parents-to-be is to document the moment. It is surprising how time flies, and you don’t want this special moment to pass by without anything to remind you of it.
Modern technology has made things very easy, and you do not have any excuse why you didn’t take advantage of your smartphone and social media cloud storage.
It would be best to document those special moments such as the pregnancy phase, delivery, first walk, etc. Besides, your child(ren) won’t forgive you if they grow up and you have nothing of their birth to show them. Be warned!
9. Stand By Your Decisions
If you want to bend your decisions to every opinion, you will have to be prepared to bend many decisions.
As a new parent or parent-to-be, many people will question your decisions and flood you with opinions that they want you to follow instead.
If you are pretty sure that you have made the best decision that is in the best interest of you, your partner, or your baby, stand by it!
If you bend and succumb to every opinion, you will lose your relevance and your life – and the newborn will live at the mercy of external influence. Trust me when I say you do not want that!
10. It is Not Pride to be Proud
To be a new parent or a parent-to-be is a significant achievement. Do not hold yourself back to be proud of yourself and the moment.
I know you have learned about humility your whole life, and a voice in your head is saying it is pride if you carry yourself in a particular manner. Well, my advice for you as a new parent or a parent-to-be is that it is not pride to be proud of this moment.
Feel free to bask at the moment and be proud of yourself. This is all yours – enjoy it, because when the stress and challenges that come with being a new parent or parent-to-be comes, no one will carry your cross with you. on this, it is not pride to be proud!
Final Words on Advice for New Parents and Parents-To-Be
Before writing this article, I sent out a broadcast to a few parents on my contacts to ask them how their experience was as new parents and parents-to-be. They all said the same thing about how exciting and fulfilling the experience was.
Let me put this straight to you, it is not as if there won’t be challenges and struggles, but like I mentioned in the article, one look at your baby will wipe away all the stress and challenges you will face on this journey.
The good memories certainly outweighs the not-too-good ones, and being a new parent or parent-to-be will make you happier than you’ve ever been in your entire life. Congratulations are in order is my best advice for new parents!
