The One Piece of Advice a Mom of 8 Wants Every Pregnant Mom To Hear

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Out of everything you’ve probably read or heard as a pregnant mom, this may be that one piece of advice that you actually need to hear. I can say this because with eight kids, I’ve been an expectant mother a few times.

As an expectant mom, the days can be long. I want to give you some encouragement. Enter your email below to grab a beautiful copy of some encouraging reminders for when the days get long and hard as a mom.

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There are so many things that we as expectant mothers are told about. But, how do you sift through what you actually need to know and do?

Out of everything I could share with you as a mom of 8 (and a childbirth educator), this is the one piece of advice I think every expectant mom needs to hear.

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Are you ready? Lean in close because here is it:

Take the time to prepare for life after baby more because the reality is, that life continues after having a baby. Don’t worry, I explain this more in part two below.

What do I mean? Meals still need to be made, bathrooms still need to be cleaned, laundry still needs to be done. If you have other kids, you already know that you will still need to care for them as well. You also how much work having a new baby is.

As much as would love to only focus on our new baby in the days and weeks that follow their birth, this just isn’t reality in most cases.

Even if you have never had a baby before, I am sure I’m not telling you anything that you don’t already know. The thing is life after a new baby can be a little overwhelming for a while. In fact, that may be a bit of an understatement.

This brings me to part two:

This piece of advice is a bit of an assignment, really. But, it will be something that you are so glad you made the time to do.

I will tell you the assignment, and then I will tell you the why behind it. Are you ready? Here’s your assignment, and it has three parts.

First, between all of your household duties, decide on three things (and only three things) that absolutely must be done on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis depending on what they are.

Think of three things that bother you the most and that you can’t live with if they are left undone.

I’ll give you an example.

For me these three things would be:

• vacuuming the kitchen/wood floors
• controlling clutter
• and keeping the kitchen clean

These are the three things that drive me absolutely batty if they are not done.

Second, decide on three things (and only three things) that you would like to have done.

Think of the things that really do irritate you, but you can manage to live with them if they do not get done.

For me these things would be:

• keeping bathroom sinks and counters wiped down
• vacuuming the carpet in the main living areas
• wiping handprints off doors, walls, and handrails

Third, decide on three things that you are going to let go for the first month or two after the baby is born.

Think of the things that are part of your regular workload, but they are the things that you are consciously choosing to give yourself a free pass on.

In my life these are:

• dusting
• worrying about whether the fridge is clean and things like that
• keeping the car clean

These are things that are usually a regular part of our cleaning day, but these are the things that I am just letting slide for awhile.

Whether you are having your first baby or are a pro at it by now, reality states that there will be a baby who demands your attention for a while. To a certain extent, you are the only one who can tend to some of the baby’s needs as a mother. This is especially true if you are a breastfeeding mother.

Why is this so important?

This piece of advice and completing this assignment forces you to prioritize among your regular duties ahead of time. This means that you know what to tackle first and what to just ignore. It also means that if you have friends or relatives who are looking for ways to help you, this list will tell them everything they can do to help.

With this list, you won’t have to look at your overwhelmed life to determine what to do. You will have a list of chores right at your fingertips. Sometimes it can be hard to come up with ways that others can help. Let’s face it, there will be days that your life will be filled only with hormones, baby poo, and feeding schedules.

Becoming a new mom for the first or tenth time is such an exciting time. It is a time that can become easily overwhelming to us, however. This is why doing some planning ahead of time will be so beneficial.

Take the time to complete this assignment, dividing tasks up into what must, can, and don’t need to be done. Then, keep your list handy for after baby arrives not only for you to consult, but also for husbands, moms, friends, or other family members to take a peek at so they can lend a hand.

Looking to really make your pregnancy special?

Make sure you’ve kept a pregnancy journal. My teens love looking back and reading my thoughts while I was pregnant with them. Even my teen boys love to read about this time.

Here is my favorite pregnancy journal. Just click on it for details.