Being a new mom can be both exhilarating and terrifying. We have spent months preparing our lives, and want nothing but the best for our new bundle of joy.

But there are a lot of questions that come up when parenting a newborn, and navigating everyday life can quickly become overwhelming. We’ve found the best way to navigate life as a new mom is to get advice from the real moms who have experienced all of the things you’re going through now.

We asked 5 real moms the same question: “What is the best advice you would give to a new mom?”

1. Everyone Parents Differently.
   “Everyone parents their children differently. You need to figure out what works best for your whole family. Don’t let anyone make you feel ashamed for your parenting choices and ignore any moms who claim to know it all.” Amanda Boston Skatrud - Mom of two from Wisconsin

2. Sleep When Your Baby Sleeps

“Sleep when your baby sleeps. There will always be more work that needs to get done. The house won’t be as clean as you would like. You will always feel pressure to keep up with the demands of daily life. Take time for yourself. Your baby will sleep at odd times in the beginning, which will throw off your schedule. Don’t stress. Take naps when your baby sleeps. Let the little things go. Enjoy those first few months with your baby. They go fast.” Adrienne Veasley - Mom of one from Illinois

3. Ignore All of the Advice.

“Don’t feel like you have to take all of the advice you get. You will be flooded with advice from friends and family. They are trying to be helpful, but their advice isn’t always useful. Trust your gut. Don’t let anyone make you feel guilty for the choices you make as a parent. You know what is best for your child.” Deedee Clifton - Mom of one from North Carolina

4. No two children are the same.

“No two children are the same. Don't stress if your child doesn't want to start potty training at 2, but your other child was done training at 22 months. Let your kid be a kid! It is easy to forget and as society we put so much pressure on them. Let them play in water puddles, let them have a cookie for breakfast, let them use your makeup for dress up, let them scream and cry when they are upset!!! As young adults and plenty of times later in life they will have to guard their emotions and not be able to let them show. When kids are young they don't know how to handle the stresses of life: a sibling taking their toy, why you ran out of chocolate chips when you should have known they would want chocolate chip pancakes, or why mommy can't afford to buy them new shoes for school. I guess, just love your child no matter what. We don't get to always pick when and how we become parents, but more importantly the child doesn't get to pick us! We have to make sure we are giving them everything we have and not be too proud to ask for help when we need it!” Jamie Adolphson - Mom of two from Illinois

5. It’s ok to make mistakes.

“It’s ok to make mistakes. Being a new mom is hard. You won’t have all of the answers and you are bound to make a few mistakes. It might seem like the end of the world in this moment, but everything will be ok. Take a deep breath. Learn from your mistakes. And keep moving forward.” Sarah Oldeen - Mom of one from Illinois

We understand how exciting and challenging life can be as a new mom. We hope this collection of advice will inspire and encourage you through all of your baby's new moments.  What is the best advice you received as a new mom? Share your answers in the comments!