We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you ... you're just helping re-supply our family's travel fund.

This post was sponsored by WaterWipes as part of an Ambassador Program for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own. I received complimentary products to facilitate my review.

I was just eighteen when I had my first baby. She was actually due a week after my birthday – on her dad’s birthday – but she came a week before mine. I read lots of books on what to expect during pregnancy and the first year. Nothing quite prepared me for all the things they don’t tell you about.

Ten Things They Never Told You About Parenting in the First Year

The backseat of your vehicle will get gross. No more pristine seats. Instead, they’ll be covered in crushed cereal and spilled sippy cups.
You’ll just need to learn how to eat food cold. Why? Because you’re going to heat it up three or four times in the microwave while tending to everyone else and by the time you finally get some time to eat, you’ll say screw it – I’ll just eat the food cold!
Baby will go through so many different outfits in a day that you’ll never be caught up on laundry.
Everything you love will get ruined. Those decorations you keep on the coffee table? Might as well put ’em in a box until they graduate.
Every single day you have the same internal debate – do I get caught up on the things I want to do…should I clean…or should I nap, too? when baby is sleeping.
Giving birth hurts…like, a lot. The worst pain you could ever imagine. Oh, but it is so worth it.
Our lightning-fast home water birth
You’re going to care a lot more about your children’s health than you do yours. They’ll get the best of the best – such as WaterWipes, a chemical free baby wipe that contains just two ingredients; 99.9% pure Irish water and 0.1% grapefruit seed extract. None of the harmful chemicals you’d find in other wipes. Only the safest, most natural options for them! You know, like that organic milk they get from their free range mommy?
Christian getting organic milk from his free range mommy
You’ll become acutely aware of how other babies compare. Who rolled over first? Nursed the longest? Sleeps through the night?
You might actually gain weight while nursing. I know I do every time.
Your baby will develop their own little personality – my youngest is such a free spirit!

Making Messes

It’s funny having a child so young. I was so used to being the young, inexperienced mom. Now, I’m the experienced mom at just 30, with 3 kids under my belt. I made so many mistakes. Some still haunt me – like the time my oldest baby and I were making homemade ooblek (that ooey gooey stuff they can play with). I wasn’t watching carefully enough and she pulled the ooblek off the table and right onto our new white carpet. I also remember the time when we went sailing and took a dinghy to shore so we could build sand castles. She just piled that sand right on top of her head! Not once, but over and over again! EEK!

As we’ve learned and grown together, I’ve been able to let go of the little things. Pause, reflect. Will this matter a year from now? In the grand scheme of things – is this really that big of a deal? I am not a perfect parent. You are not a perfect parent. Your best friend is not a perfect parent. And no matter how perfect that one mom on instagram looks, she’s not perfect, either. However, YOU are the PERFECT parent for YOUR child.

[ctt template=”3″ link=”_4D4L” via=”yes” nofollow=”yes”]You’re not a perfect parent, but you’re the perfect parent for your child. #successcoach @IAmKathyHaan[/ctt]

Let’s hear from other moms about their childs first year.