Last year Hubbster took one for the team and had a vasectomy.  (Yes…I think he would appreciate a round of applause at this point…humour him please ladies!) As the saying goes “You need balls to get a vasectomy!” haha!

We both agreed that our family is complete.

So…no more babies for me.  My days of carry, birthing and breastfeeding my babies are gone…but also my days of worrying about contraception too!  Yeeehaaaaa!

Mixed emotions much!

Luckily, for me, I have a number of friends and a sister-in-law, due to join the ranks of motherhood shortly, so I will still be able to get my baby fill (with the added perk of handing bub back pronto when the sticky yellow poo starts to ooze through the jumpsuit). 

You know exactly what I’m talking about, right?

I can’t even begin to explain how excited I am for all the expectant mums that I know.  It is such a wonderful, life changing experience.

I spent the majority of my first pregnancy with a head full of happy daydreams; holding our beautiful newborn, drinking in the smell and touch of his baby-soft skin, enjoying a ‘family’ snuggle on a lazy Sunday morning etc.  I was blissfully unaware of what lay ahead of me.  Somewhere along the line I had forgotten to factor in moving from two incomes to one, lack of sleep, complete change of lifestyle and an irreversible shift in priorities.

Back then I had no idea that I would spend the first six weeks of Woo’s life as a sleep-deprived shadow of my former self. 

I was desperately in love with Woo, I felt as though I had fallen in love with Hubbster all over again as I saw him with fresh eyes in his role as ‘dad,’ and I was ecstatic that at last…at long last…we were finally a family. 

But despite all the joy I felt, I was also largely clueless, and lacking not only precious sleep but confidence in my new role.  Caring for a newborn, you quickly realise is an enormous responsibility.

As I watch the beautiful bellies of my friends grow and that expectant glow radiates from them, I want to say something that will prepare them for the transition that lay ahead of them.  I look for the words that will ease their passage.  But of course there are none.

Nothing anyone says can prepare you for it.  I’m not going to sit my friend down every chance I get and tell her how she will soon feel like the living dead and that she has days, maybe weeks of cracked nipples ahead of her as she and her child learn to navigate breastfeeding together.

I’m not going to do this.  Not because it isn’t true and certainly not because I think she should learn the hard way like the rest of us, but because I am not going to rain on her pregnant parade.  When all is said and done, motherhood is a beautiful, wonderful thing, despite all of the hard work and exhaustion that it entails, especially in the early years.

Nothing compares…NOTHING!

So, what am I going to do to make her transition an easier more positive one?  I mean besides popping in at 3am to feed the baby so she can sleep!  Even friendships have limits!

I’ll tell you shall I?  When her beautiful little bundles arrives, and I race to the hospital with an uber cute outfit for bub, tucked under my arm I’ll also have a copy of this…

http://www.themumwhoroared.com/

Christie Nicholas’ book ‘The Mum Who Roared’ is a fantastic, inspirational and motivational book for new mums.  The A-Z format means that it very easy to dip in and out of for even the most exhausted of mums. 

I really REALLY can’t praise this book enough.

I can think of no better gift to give a new mum than confidence.  Confidence in herself, confidence in her new role as mother, and the confidence to realise that becoming a mum doesn’t have to mean losing your own identity.

The fact that it is crammed full of humour, survival tips and real-life accounts written by real mums is what makes this book so special to me.  It wasn’t written by some stuffy doctor in a tweed suit in his nice quiet child-free office somewhere.  It was written by a mum, who has lived through experiences and is not afraid to say that it was difficult!

Christie not only acknowledges the hurdles and challenges of motherhood with humour and honesty, she has provided a  motivational and practical guide to help other mums feel in control and enjoy the next chapter in their lives.

In short…this book ROCKS!

I only wish she had written it sooner…like when Woo was a baby.  It could have saved me from months of walking around in trackies with hair that spelt of parmesam cheese! Lol!

As Susie O’Brien, from the Herald Sun commented;

‘Christie’s book is a must-read for mums who need a motivational boost.  It’s cheaper than therapy, less hassle than divorce, and less fattening than chocolate. Highly recommended.’

You can buy your own copy for you or a friend here.  This really will make a fabulous gift!

And because every mum deserves a little pampering every now and then, we have a $100 gift hamper to give away for one lucky reader.

The hamper includes: Goji Skin Cleanser, Goji Moisturiser, Bebe Minihaha toy and a $40 Coles online voucher.

Enter, by leaving a comment below telling me what is your top  tip for new mums?  This will get you TWO entries into the draw!

And how cool is this…you can get yourself lots of extra entries by following the instructions above!

Good luck!

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