one piece of advice.

I have a friend who lives in our condo. She and her husband have been married almost 3 years and she is ready to have a baby! When you take a new mom, who is also pregnant and put her together with someone who wants to get pregnant...well you have a million things to talk about.

She's really sweet and she asked me the other day. What is one piece of advice you would give to new mom's? Ummmm....since I consider myself a 'new mom' it was kind of hard to answer. But I told her "Buy ONE reference book that covers all the bases and throw everything else away, then TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS." Books absolutely cannot raise your child and it drives me crazy when people try to fit their child into the book.

Randomly, today I read this and I thought it was worth posting:

"Have Confidence in your instincts; they will serve you well. Though today's new mother may have achieved feats of monumental proportions in school or at work, she still ventures into motherhood as a wobbly-legged beginner. Even the most confident among us have moments of doubt and confusion. We can't compare ourselves to the unattainable perfections of imaginary parents. We can only hold ourselves up to the high standards that we, as intelligent and caring women, set for ourselves. In these enlightened times, we are offered the well-meaning "how tos" of parenting from every angle--the media, our friends, our family.

It pays to recognize that there is not set formula for success, and that so often the answers lie within you and your baby. When in doubt, look to your past and consider how well your intuition has served you. Then apply your sound judgment to the issue at hand, and move on. Your confidence in your parenting skills will increase tenfold with each decision made and each problem solved. Don't be afraid to take a stand and try a new approach. Do what works for you and your baby. Recognize your special qualities as a mother and have faith. Your self-assurance will not only stand you in good stead, it will also help you set and example for your child, enabling him or her to become a confident and independent person."