Firsts for First-Time Moms

As parents, many of us tend to regard our baby's firsts as momentous occasions worthy of celebration. A social smile . . . a bit of pearly white poking through little pink gums . . . a single staggering step. Break out the champagne! Flipping recently through an old photo album, I was reminded of all of those wonderful milestones we celebrated the year my daughter, Abigail, was born. My little walk down memory lane reminded me how nervous I was as a new mother trying to care for my infant in a self-assured manner when I really felt like I was winging it at every turn.

Over time, what I learned from other moms was that everyone felt pretty much the same way with their first children. There is a "learning by doing" that comes with motherhood, which is unlike that experienced in any other vocation. Your blunders happen at the expense of the most precious being in your world–your child.

Here are some tips for successfully navigating the turbulent waters some of those parenting firsts.