I became a mother for the first time in November 2018 and it was the single greatest day of my life. We gave birth to a beautiful baby girl and our lives changed forever. We are now 7 months in and I’ve been asked “what advice would I give to a new mom?”
There is a lot I could say, but to keep it short and sweet, I’ll say this:
Motherhood- parenthood- as anyone will tell you, is the most wonderful and exhausting journey. It is the most fulfilling and challenging thing you will ever do. That being said, try and enjoy every moment. There are days when it’s hard and you’ll want to cry and there are days when you’re overflowing with laughter and joy. Cry on the hard days and savour the good ones.
Remember to take care fo yourself. Your baby needs you to be healthy and well and fed. You won’t nap when she naps, so sit and watch her. Take in her gentle breaths and soft skin and the calm, warmth of her body. Don’t worry if the laundry isn’t done, the house is a mess or dinner hasn’t been made- there will always be time for that, but these quiet moments are short-lived.
Ask for help. Raising a tiny human takes a village; you are not weak for needing a break or someone to hold her while you go and shower.
Take all the pictures. Even when you’re tired, with no make-up on and greasy hair, take the picture. You’ll want to remember all these moments, so document them and do so unapollogetically. The first smile, the first laugh, the 2 am feedings and the blood-curdling screams. It goes by too fast and you’ll want to look back on these moments and hopefully laugh.
At the end of the day, being a parent is hard. Your baby is new and learning, but so are you. Be patient with yourself, trust your gut, cuddle lots and then cuddle some more. It’s hard, but worth it and I wouldn’t change anything for the world.
Follow along further with Chelsea’s journey as a new mom on her blog https://www.sweetpeamomma.com. She shares more personal experiences and cute photos of her sweetheart Eloise ❤️
I had the pleasure to capture Chelsea twice for the series and this set is from when little Eloise was just 5 months old. You can tell from the images just how quickly little ones change in just a couple of weeks. ❤️
PLEASE LEAVE CHELSEA COMMENTS AND SHARE THE LOVE FOR THE COURAGE SHE’S TAKEN IN SHARING HER STORY.
Irina Fortey is an Ottawa and Toronto Documentary Photographer.
Capturing your everyday in the most beautiful way, candidly and unscripted.
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