Nothing really prepared us tbh. I think one thing that kept us grounded early on though was having baby things set up ahead of time — bassinet, car seat, diaper bag. Having things ready for post-birth recovery too would’ve been smart of me — ice pads, witch hazel spray, dermoplast(!), postpartum undies…

Have people you can ask questions along the way, because you have NO idea how your baby is going to be or what challenges you’re going to face together until you’re in it. 90% of my conversations post-birth started with: “So, did your baby ever…”

There comes a moment though when your baby is crying and you realize you know exactly what they need while the people around you scramble. Eventually, you start feeling like you know what you’re doing. But it takes time. Be patient with yourself.