WIB
Motherhood is a big deal to all the ladies of Basketball Wives L.A.,
and the fact that it played a fairly significant role in this season’s
storyline, I felt like it was only appropriate to bring up the subject
with the ladies. See, I, your friendly VH1 blogger, am pregnant with my
first child, and at the time of the Basketball Wives L.A.
reunion I was entering my glowy second trimester and wanted to hear what
kinds of advice these ladies would offer an expectant mother. (The
entire cast, with the exception of Bambi, has children, but don’t you worry, Bambi’s advice was SO Bambi.)
Before you go off and criticize them or ask me why I’d take advice
from a reality star, let me just say that I was surprised at how
thoughtful all the ladies’ answers were and appreciate their enthusiasm
for me and my still-unnamed baby. Here’s what they told me when I asked
for their number one tip for a new mom.
Draya: I am a picture person. I love photographs, so
just take a lot of pictures when they’re babies. Because when they’re
like five, you won’t remember what it was like when they were that
little, I can’t even remember my baby when he was that small and he
couldn’t talk. I can only remember when he started talking, took his
baby steps, just take a lot of pictures to remember it as best you can.
Brooke: I have three children, and with every one,
it’s different. They grow up so fast, I can remember so vividly like it
was yesterday having my first baby, holding her, seeing the doctor cut
the umbilical cord, I remember all of that, but there’s no book you can
read that’s going to tell you how to love, spoil, raise, take care of,
have patience with your baby. They’re little people with opinions, and
their opinions matter. They feel certain kinds of ways and we’re molding
them to be our future. My mom always said “Hold her as much as you
want, it’s not spoiling them, it’s loving them.” And forget what people
tell you.
Malaysia: Keep the baby on a schedule. That’s the
best advice I can give you. Once the baby is in a routine, it makes life
so much easier for you. If you have to stop what you’re doing to put
the baby to sleep, do it. Also, never put the baby in the bed with you.
Love them up, cuddle with them, but keep them in the crib at night
because otherwise, you will never, ever, ever be able to get them out of
the bed after that.
Laura: Eat good, have a lotta sex.
Jackie: This season has taught me a lot, I always
thought that I was a great mom by just being there and loving my kids
and making sure that they were happy and smiling. Communication,
definitely. Communication from when they’re young. I think what I would
do is just to make sure that you’re asking them all time what they feel
and want and that’s it.
Gloria: Never underestimate the beauty of sleep.
Seriously. If you can fall asleep standing up, leaning against a wall,
DO IT. And if you have any signs of postpartum depression, get them
checked out. I had postpartum depression up until about two weeks.
Always let your significant other do nighttime duties. As a new mom you
might be like “I want to do it all!” But hell no. That baby has no clue.
Nursing is your bonding moment but let him change diapers and all that.
Girl, you need that extra hand…
Bambi: Sprinkle the baby with lots of shimmer.
