Angela L.

1.  How many children do you have?

I have one child, Sophie, she is one year old.

2.  Would you like to have more children?  How many or why not?

I would love to have another child, just one more would do.  I don't want Sophie to be an only child. I want her to have a constant playmate, as she gets older, I am sure my reasoning for wanting her to have a sibling will change, like her having someone other than "mom" to talk to.

3.  What do you wish you would have known before becoming a mom?

I wish I would have known a couple things first before becoming a mother, one being, everything is NOT an emergency. I heard so many "do this" & "don't do that," that when I did do those things or didn't do something, I thought it was an emergency. For example, my family member told me to make sure that I wake up during the night to change the baby, well one night I was just too tired to get out of bed to change her and she indeed peed in her pajamas, not only did i feel awful, but I felt I neglected her and somehow something bad was going to happen because she peed in her pajamas, it was really an emergency to me! Now, of course I do not believe in just letting babies wet themselves, but if they do, it's not an emergency, just clean baby up change her clothes and everything is ok!

4.  What are the tasks that you wish someone else would regularly do for you?

O' I wish most of all someone would cook dinner every day for us!

5.  How did you take care of your health and wellness during pregnancy?

I drank plenty of water during my pregnancy and ate a lot of organic food. I worked out in the beginning, but somewhere along the line that ceased! :-)

6.    Did you have the labor and delivery experience that you desired?  If not, what would have improved your experience?

I am so grateful that my delivery went perfectly as far as the medical side is concerned. There were no emergencies, or errors. However, I did push for two hours!! I didn't know how to correctly push, I was pushing from my head, then my stomach, finally when the epidural was beginning to wear off, the doctor and nurse both agreed, that is when I started pushing better and soon thereafter, Sophie was born.

7.  How have you taken care of your health and wellness since becoming a mother?

I have been drinking lots of water, making sure I have adequate amounts of veggies per week, (although, that is not always the case) and I just began a workout regime again on the treadmill.

8.  Are you involved in any mommy groups (in-person or online)?

Sophie and I are actively pursuing playgroups and play dates! We both really need them!

9.  What do you do to relax?

To relax, I love to read! I do deep breathing exercises as well when laying on the couch to relax more internally.

10.  What advice do you have for new and expecting moms?

Ah, for new and expecting moms, stop listening to everyone! Everyone will offer their expert opinion, and it is wise to seek information and help in areas you are uneducated and unsure about, but if you try to take advice from every "expert" your head will spin! O' and don't Google every little red area and bump on your baby’s body! That for sure will have you calling your doctor every 15 minutes, and that will stress you out for real!! ( I know because I did it! )

11.    What is the best thing about being a mom?

The best thing about being a mother is giving my child all the love, gentleness and tender-care that I did not receive growing up.

12.  What is the most challenging part about being a mom?

The most challenging part about being a mother is, for me, time and scheduling. I sometimes just want to sit and read a book or surf the Internet, but I feel I need to entertain and be teaching my child something.

13.  Please share any additional story or detail related to your pregnancy or motherhood.

Always be conscious of love mothers, even when your most irritated, and praise your child ridiculously, it will give them an abundance of self-esteem as adults!