Resources for New Moms

Google is both your best friend and your worst enemy when you’re pregnant or a new mom. That sounds totally cliche, but it’s true. If you haven’t figured this out yet, you are either going to be totally fine or you are dying, no matter what the question was in the first place. Turns out, the fun doesn’t stop with pregnancy.

If you’re looking up symptoms for your baby, you’ll learn the same thing – your baby will be fine, or something is very, horribly wrong. Try it with any combination of symptoms – normal developmental blah blah blah, OMFG SIDS!

Before we go any further, let me say this: when in doubt, call the doctor. Do not pass go, do not post it in a moms group (more on that later), do not phone a friend, just CALL THE DOCTOR. What may be normal for one person isn’t for another, and your life, your pregnancy, and your child’s life are all important. Seriously, it’s why we pay medical professionals. Google didn’t go to medical school, but your doctor did (hopefully, if not, that’s a bigger problem).

Here are some resources I’ve found particularly valuable as a new mom.

All things breastfeeding: Kellymom.com. The about page sums up why I like and trust the information on the website: ‘[the site was] developed to provide evidence-based information on breastfeeding and parenting. I am the mother of three lovely children, and I am an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC).”

All things formula feeding: The Fearless Formula Feeder. Full disclosure, I exclusively nursed my first for the first six months (except for about 3 ounces of formula at the hospital for dangerous weight loss), and am on track to do the same with my other baby. However, this site has been crucial for friends of mine. The most important thing is to feed the baby, and we all need good information and support to do it. You should read their About section because it’s awesome.

When you’re wondering why your baby isn’t sleeping, won’t stop crying, or is just being a jerk, the Wonder Weeks App is incredibly helpful. It has a convenient little storm cloud face that tells you when your child is being a butt it’s probably because something incredible is going on in their mental development. The app is based on the science of a baby’s mental leaps.

Baby Sleep: This is a topic likely to make anyone go crazy. While I have my own experience about what worked for us, that may not work for everyone. Instead, here are some books and sites that may help, representing different ideas and methods of/about sleep training:

Baby Gear: Obviously, Lucie’s List. The reviews are on point and not alarmist, just the way I like it.

I’ll keep adding to the list, I promise!