The Top Five Things I Wish I'd Known as a New Mother

As a first-time mom, my head was full of notions about what it would mean to give birth. Here are a few of the things I wish I'd known before the big day.

1. The hospital is not so different from the Hilton. During our stay in the hospital, my husband and I marveled at how much our baby was sleeping. "He's an angel!" we cried. "He'll certainly sleep through the night."

Not so. As we were checking out, one of the nurses said (with a rather devilish smile, I might add), that they "put the batteries" in babies when they left the hospital, meaning the days of sleeping through the night were at an end. She was right. So, appreciate your time in the hospital if that is where you choose to give birth. Take advantage of the nurses and the time alone and those all-important chances to get some rest.

2. Being a mom is about more than labor. As a first-time mom, one hurdle seemed nearly insurmountable in my quest to become a parent: labor. To combat this, I took classes, read books, did pre-natal yoga...anything to feel prepared. While I'm glad I did all of these things, I now realize that I'd focused on labor at the expense of thinking about what would happen once we were home with a new little baby.

3. Your baby is a stranger. After months of feeling kicks and hiccups, of imagining what your child might look like or what kind of person he'll turn out to be, it can be difficult to overlook one very important detail: You haven't actually met the baby until he or she is born. My first thought after giving birth to my son, quite frankly, was "Who are you?" This is natural, but it's important to recognize that it will take time for the two of you to pick up on each other's cues.

4. Deep bonds take time. If you don't feel an immediate and complete attachment to your baby from the very second she's born, it's okay. A lot of mothers feel this way. While I can say with absolute certainty that I fell in love with my baby the day he was born, I had plenty of moments where I didn't know just how important he was to me, or how much we'd really "bonded." These things take time. That being said, if you feel extremely detached, or if you're depressed, be sure to seek assistance, as you may be suffering from Post-Partum Syndrome.

5. Trust your baby. He'll let you know when he needs something, when he's content or when he'd like to play or snuggle. Best of all, if you exercise a little patience, he'll soon let you know how much he loves you.