Being a Competant Mother is Importat

 When The Marine and I started thinking about having children I started learning all I could then. When we started trying for children I learned more then. When we went through fertility problems I joined an online community for women, some were having troubles, some TTC, some TTA, some pregnant, and some parents already. There were different forums for each different thing, I learned a ton from that online community and formed some great bonds as well. When I found out I was pregnant with Ladybug I joined a "due date buddy group" and made some amazing friends with women I have never met! Some were new moms like myself soaking up knowledge, some were seasoned pros having 3rd or even 4th children, some were having seconds. I read new information everyday and learned as much as I could about being pregnant and being the best mom I possibly can be. I could not imagine not reading and not knowing every single thing there is to know about becoming a mom. From being pregnant to childbirth, to carseats and feeding and sleeping troubles and fever issues. These were the things I needed to know to succeed at being a competant mother. With the easy access of google and the wealth of information out there to new moms I do not understand how one can get pregnant and just assume they will be fine at being a mom?
 No seriously for those out there who just get pregnant and say hey ya I will be fine WTF are you thinking? How you know a single thing about proper carseat installation? Or how to even properly buckle your baby in the carseat? Because did you know that driving is the most dangerous thing you can do with your new amazing babe? Why would you just drive around and think luck will be on your side? Chances are you have your child buckled in all wrong and the seat not installed properly. Check out carseat.org for some simple how-to's please, for the sake of your child.
 Or how about those who say you want to breastfeed, have you read a single thing about how to breastfeed properly? Have you found helpful resources in your community to help you succeed? Have you taken a class? What have you done besides say that you would like to breastfeed? If you haven't done anything chances are your baby will end up on formula. I am not saying formula is a bad and evil thing because Ladybug was on it after I got pregnant with Mister and my milk totally dried up despite doing everything my IBCLC friend suggested (if you don't know what IBCLC means you seriously need to read some of breastfeeding). If you just don't care to educate yourself be prepared for the price of formula, the bottles and nipples, the engery wasted cleaning them, the worry about the formula making your baby sick ( hello recalled bug formula), finding the right formula for your baby because yes that's a process some babies are more senitive to formuals than others (due to their intestional lining not being fully developed until around 5-6months of life) and can create a screaming crying upset baby and that's what you need in the middle of the night. Check out http://www.kellymom.com/ for great information and starting points to breastfeeding like finding support in your community to help you succeed with a wonderful amazing bond that is breastfeeding. After-all breastfeeding is bestfeeding
 Do you know a thing about childbirth? Watching "A Baby Story" on TLC doesn't count nor does reading "What To Expect" those things are made to make women think childbirth is dangerous and scary. Do you trust your doctor 100% no matter what he says and never question his/her infinate wisdom? Did you know that first time low risk mothers are at a 30% chance or greater (depends on doctor and hospital) of getting their baby cut out of them just because? I mean not just because, your doctor will convince you it was for the best or your body just doesn't work right or some other bullshit reason like that. Failure to progress...more like failure to wait till the baby wants to come out when ready. Thinking induction? ...is there any valid medical reason for it? No...then don't...let your baby come when they are ready and do not rush the natural process of labor. If you blindly follow your doctor's words like a sheep you are probably being led to a slatter in the OR. I am not saying you need to go out in the woods squat behind a tree to birth then eat your placenta but you really should be as informed about labor/birth and every intervention that may and probably will be pushed on you. Check out Birth Without fear facebook page, great group of women there!
 Where is your baby going to sleep? In a crib in their own room across the hall from where you are sleeping? Yikes that is going to suck. See your new amazing sweet baby just spent about 10months inside of you in warmth where they heard you, smelled you, were cradled and loved by you non-stop so why suddenly must they be on their own? I am always baffled with the mentality of people who think that babies need to be on their own from day one so that they grow to be indepenant children....why? If you want a child to be independant and not bother you do not have a child like honestly! Your baby wants you to be close to them so they can smell you and hear you and just in general feel warmth and safe like they have been used to. they depend on you for every single thing in their little lives so why do you not want to meet their needs and make them sleep in a cold dark room alone? When they cry they really do need something, babies do not cry just because they want to trick you, answering the babys cries promptly does not mean you are spoiling the baby. You cannot "spoil" a baby whatever that even means anyway. Create a safe sleeping enviroment for your sweet baby, one that is close to you. Think about getting a co sleeper or a pack n play with the bassinet feature and let your baby sleep in your room with you. Trust me doing this won't make them sleep in there forever or create a weird 10yr old who cannot sleep alone. I have two amazing wonderful sleepers who both sleep in their own rooms now, but they both slept with me from the beginning and we slowly transitioned them over.

 I seriously do not know how some "moms" out there cna just go at it blindly and hope for the best. Isn't part of being a mom doing the very best that you possibly can do for your kids? Or maybe I am just like totally awesome mom? I don't know but seriously please for the childs sake do the best you can.