Many of my friends are expecting. There's great anticipation for the arrival of the new little lives. When I hear about the new person who will soon join us, I am just as excited as the one who is expecting. This may be caused by the fact that I am not experiencing the symptoms of pregnancy or because of His truth.

"Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him." Psalm 127:3

Isn't she adorable?! She and that paci (and the replacements) were rarely apart.

Although I haven't given birth in over eight years, some of my friends still value my advice which made me think maybe I should share some of my suggestions for preparing for a new little one with you.

So here they are ...

Pray. I believe in submitting everything into prayer. There is nothing too small or too big to pray about. When I was expecting my first daughter, I didn't pray as fervently as I do now, but when I prayed I believed that HE would take care of the things that I feared. . It may not have been how I expected, but He did take care of me.
Relax. Try not to stress over things which are not in your control. Most things related to pregnancy, we do not have control over. If there are things that you can change then, of course, work to be better in those areas. The main point is to not stress. :)
Prioritize. There are so many things ... gadgets, experiences, items, and such that fight for space in the birth and first days of a baby's life, but often these things are not necessary. If needed make a list ( a short one) of the things you deem important.
Find Support. Have a friend on speed dial who can listen to your concerns without making you feel bad or silly. Childbirth and pregnancy tend to bring out emotions some of us didn't know we had. If there was one tip anyone would've given me, I wish it was this one. I had several lonely days in my early years of motherhood, and I wish I would've had a good support system.
Enjoy. Enjoy the new addition to your family whether this is your first, second, or sixthbaby. Every child is a gift. It took me awhile to learn not to allow anything or person to take my joy away. If you are happy about the spit up on your shirt then be happy. If you are happy with exclusively nursing then don't use a bottle. If you are happy with formula then feed your baby formula. Just enjoy the moments because they truly are fleeting.

Those chubby cheeks! This is still her demeanor. Full of fun!

I, initially, began penning this post for the reasons I stated earlier, but as I mentally prepared to write I found refreshing healing. For the past three to four years, I have mourned the fact that I would not experience pregnancy again. This month marks eight years since I had my hysterectomy.

I had no idea that I would experience grief five years after the procedure nor did I know that the pain would last as long. I am so grateful that I am now able to talk to about pregnancy without sadness.

What are some tips that you would share with an expecting mom? What were your favorite parts of pregnancy or the newborn stage?

Advice I Wish I Heard When I Was Expecting ...