New mom warnings-Things to help save the sanity.

Its a baby boom! You would swear it had been a cold fall/winter, and everyone's heat was broken! I've joined a few mom sites, mainly to see the pot be stirred, offer my glowing advice, and judge people with my husband and friends. There are LOTS of first time moms out there. Tonnes! the amount is staggering, and it seems families are getting bigger by the moment. (I wouldn't know a THING about that). Here's some tips to follow if you're asking for advice, tired, or just feel like comparing yourself to other moms

1. Don't sweat the small stuff. A dirty face, and stained shirt are far less important than you think. Jammies are perfectly acceptable wear for a newborn baby when you leave the house.
2. Sweat the big stuff like tigger on crack. You know when things are important. If a fever is REALLY high, and baby is lethargic, and not drinking. Don't let someone tell you its not important. If your baby can projectile vomit better than a drunk on st. patty's day. MULTIPLE times a day. Sweat it. You know in your gut what's really important.
3. Don't ask for advice. But if you must-and you will. Ask someone with the same parenting philosophy as you. If your mother believed in keeping a wooden spoon in every room, and your a pacifist, don't ask her discipline advice. Conversely, if you're a little high strung, and a germa-phobe. Don't ask your hippy friend who believes in cloth diapers, and essential oil therapy how to treat a fever. Her answer is going to make you want to punch her in the throat. And want to call child services.
4. If your going to do what you want anyway-DON'T ask for any one else's opinion. Ignoring what people say after you seek them out, and blatantly not pay attention to the answer, isn't making them feel like apart of your baby experience. Its rude. If you don't want a different answer don't ask.
5. You don't HAVE to ask any one, anything-ever.
6. Enjoy it-I know everyone says it, but this stage is so very very short.
7. Cuddle your baby as much as you want to
8. If you need a shower-put the baby down some where safe and shower. ten minutes of a freak out has never hurt you, your hubby, and it WILL NOT hurt the baby. Besides you won't hear it with the water running anyway.
9. All the books are wrong-ignore them
10. All the books are right, read a few.
11. Take what you want out of the books, ignore the stuff you don't like. Get on with your day.
12. Your SO knows as much-or as little as you. Don't cut them off or out.
13. You're the only one super concerned about how you look to other moms. We've all been there, bottle, breast, un-washed face, pizza for dinner. What ever it may be. You'll be a lot happier if you realize you're doing the best you can and the other ones can suck it.
14. You got this!

I know theres a tonne of these lists, but I think its important. If you see, hear, read it all enough you won't be so scared.