Just Brave Enough

I am not going to sit here and pretend that I am in a position to give anyone advice on how to be a mother because, let's be real, I've been a mom for about five minutes. Even a rookie, however, is aware that having a child is no walk in the park. Of course, raising a tiny human in this cruel world is difficult, but I am specifically referring to being a mom among other mothers. There is a lot of judgement and, you guessed it, competition. As a new mom, these waters have been tough to navigate. As the mom of a preemie, they've been impossible. All children reach milestones at their own pace, whether it be finally reaching a specific weight, growing out of newborn clothes, sitting up on their own, holding his or her own bottle, or walking. It's stressful enough to make sure that your child progresses accordingly, but it adds to the anxiety when there's a constant comparison. "Oh, you're still holding his bottle for him?" "Shouldn't he be ...