Information overload, baby

I have discovered that nobody really knows what they are talking about when it comes to babies. Ok, yes they know what may or may not have worked for them in various scenarios, but any advice they give me may as well be a fairy tale. I want to believe it's true, but that doesn't mean it is how my life is going to go.

But, being a rookie mom, you take what you can get. If someone tells you to try giving your daughter rice cereal at 4 months, you go ahead and try, and then watch that poor child screw up her face and spit it out. If a mom of a one year old suggests giving her formula before bed, you will head out to the grocery store and spend every evening preparing bottles when before all you had to do was lift your shirt. You get worried if your baby isn't rolling both front to back and back to front, crawling on her elbows, sitting up unassisted, laughing, eating solids or sleeping through the night by 5 months. Because that's what so-and-so said their baby was doing at 3 months.

It's probably my own fault really, that I am so confused. When Sofia is having a nap and the house is quiet (like it is right now ... ahhh) I sit with my computer on my lap or my iPod in my hand searching anything and everything I can about motherhood. I read all kinds of mommy blogs, I download every parenting app I can get for free and check my email for my weekly updates telling me what milestones my daughter should be hitting this week. How can anyone know what is "right" with information coming at them from every direction?

Just this past Monday at mom and tot playgroup we had a presentation about cloth diapering. I went into it thinking I'd like to try that. I mean, it's obviously better for the environment, it saves you tons of money and how hard could it be? Well, by the time the presentation was over, I was so overwhelmed that I was more scared of the whole idea that excited about it. When you have so many options, it's hard to even think about making a choice.

Sometimes I want to just block it all out. I want to stop reading blogs written by people I don't know, delete all my apps and tell strangers, friends and family alike to butt out. I kind of want to figure it out on my own. But then, aren't I doing that either way? Even if I listen to all that advice and maybe even take them up on a suggestion or two, in the end I am the one making the decision about what really is right for my baby. It is trial and error sometimes, but that is what makes motherhood interesting. That, and watching that little baby grow up of course. And if you have a happy, healthy baby that's all that matters.