Dear New Mom,

​Breathe in and breathe out. Don't worry about trying to make life perfect, that's an impossible job better left in the Hands of a Perfect God.
 
Instead, cherish the small moments, the snuggles and the smells of your soft newborn baby. Those small moments turn to big memories you will forever carry as a your first badge of motherhood.
 
Honor your body too. It's easy to critique your figure and the changes that may have taken place during pregnancy, but your body just participated in the miracle of life. Day by day, it will keep changing and returning to the way you remembered it. Don't forget, it took 9 months for those changes to take place and it'll take time and healthy practices to feel normal again.
 
When 3 am rolls around and your still holding a baby, longing for sleep. Let God wrap his arms around you and cherish you just the way you're loving your baby. God loves us through our lows and highs with a love that's multiplied beyond our human understanding. He's with you when your patience is gone, he's with you when your joy explodes, and he's always willing to provide the perfect amount of comfort and advice to his children as we care for our own.
 
The most important piece of advice I can give you is if you're ever feeling lost, lonely or unloved. Sit down in a quiet spot and don't get up until you feel God's presence. Sometimes it takes a simple prayer, asking God to let you feel his love, sometimes it takes surrendering your worries or fear, but it's a request that never comes back void and might carry you through the longest shortest years.

Love,
​Alex

     ​If you're planning to breastfeed or currently nursing, I'm sure you’ve checked out the various nursing pillows in the market. Most pillows are a life saver, or at least a back saver, once you find the right one. I've owned four different types, three of which I would recommend to a friend. 
 
     First off, we'll start with the bad. I grabbed a no name nursing pillow at a consignment sale. It came in the same half-circle shape as other nursing pillows, but was pure fluff with no support. I threw it in the back of my car for infrequent car nursing sessions, and eventually dropped it off at goodwill. Don't waste your time and money on no names pillows, because they leave you with no support! 

​     The Boppy nursing pillow, My Breast Friend, and Ergo nursing pillow are far more worth your time and money. 

Which nursing pillows have you used? How would you rate it?

December 14th is always my least favorite day of the year. Five years ago, our little town was shaken by horrible darkness. Today, God's light shines brighter than ever. To read my reflections on the Sandy Hook Shooting, head over to http://www.alexandrakulick.com/blog/good-keeps-going-a-lesson-from-sandy-hook and join us in prayer for the families and friends of those who were lost.