i get by with a little help from my friends.

The next intangible for getting through the newborn days? It's significantly more important than yoga, but I had yoga on the brain yesterday and thus wrote about it instead of this one. Can you guess?

Image from Amber Dawn Photography

It's friends. Real friends. The kind of friends who bring you a half gallon jug of apple juice when you've consumed every drop of juice that the hospital has available. The kind of friends who bring you food. The kind of friends who check on you regularly but understand that you've got a baby and might not be available to answer the phone or emails for awhile. The kind of friends who will hold your baby while you nap or shower or get a cup of coffee or just sit still.

When the baby gets older, these same friends will continue to be invaluable. They will listen to your inquiries about sleep issues. They will try to help you just by listening. And they'll still hold your baby while you get a cup of coffee/nectar of the gods.

They'll also reassure you a lot. Like when you're afraid you're going to strangle your older child because she's pushed you to your limit and you think you might be the world's worst parent...they'll remind you that you aren't. They'll let you know that it's completely normal and that no one will be the worse for wear.

They will also remain your friends despite the fact that you will talk about poop all the time. And naps. And nursing. And how huge your butt is. You should thank them for it.

The point is that you need a support system. At least I do. I need it for my sanity. I highly recommend it.