What is the best advice you have ever given to an expecting mother?

After finding out that I'm pregnant with twins, after already having 5 children...I wasn't sure if I wanted to laugh, cry, or scream. Thought maybe I was the butt of some joke or something.





My best friend told me ';God only gives you what you can handle.';





And I've felt doubly blessed ever since.What is the best advice you have ever given to an expecting mother?
That it is different for each baby and that you will have to let things happen natuarly. But not to worry your are only a phone call away for when the time is needed.What is the best advice you have ever given to an expecting mother?
Don't listen to everyone's stories about their own birthing experience(s).





I believe that more expectant mothers expect the worst, are extremely stressed and fearful because 'well-meaning' friends and family feel it's better that you know all the potential problems via their own nightmarish experiences. As a first time Mom, listening to stories from hell was enough to make me clamp my thighs together and run for the hills!





1. Get your birthing knowledge from your birthing coach, mid-wife or doctor AND a good resource book. I recommend the ';What to Expect'; series. Factual and not overly 'scary.





2. Once you're holding your own bundle of joy in your arms, feel free to dish the dirt all you want.





Until you've completed steps one and two, stick your fingers in your ears and go...la,la,la,la,la or quickly change the subject to something less stressful...i.e. schedules, travelling with babies..whatever!





Good Luck!
relax and sleep now when the baby comes you wont sleep
Don't worry it will all come out OK!
YOU are the expert on YOUR baby.....not a book, not a doctor, not some person on the internet. YOU live with your baby and YOU know them best.





Sleep when the baby sleeps.





Make a list of anything that needs done around the house and post it on your fridge. When people come over and say, ';how can I help'; you then point them to the list and ask them to pick anything on it to do for you.





Don't make any decisions about weaning until at least the first 6 weeks are up. Those are the hardest weeks and once you get past them the baby begins to fall into a pattern and nursing becomes much easier. COMMIT to the first 6 weeks and then make a decision about continuing after that.





See a massage therapist regularly while you are pregnant to keep your body in balance. It keeps the aches and pains of PG from getting too bad AND balances your body for labor.





Hire a doula for the birth.