Everybody's pregnancy and experience of early motherhood is different, but there are some universal truths out there that every mum-to-be should be aware of

Pregnancy, birth and a new baby can all feel very daunting. Your body changes and things you used to take for granted are now off limits, not to mention the fact you now have this little person who relies on you for everything. We asked some iVillage new mums for their top pregnancy and birth tips.

'The best intentioned advice can be wrong. Things have changed since we were brought up, and all babies are different. You know your baby better than anyone, trust your instincts and believe in yourself.' liz_h

'Routine really isn't important in the first few weeks, survival is! I was obsessed with getting a routine in place, but I now realise with a newborn, it's not going to happen. I didn't even know that babies couldn't go any longer than four hours between feeds and I had been reading all the books!' davinadevil 'I wish I had been told that breast feeding isn't easy and that it takes a lot of work to get it right.' jojane2006

'Accept all offers of help. You are not a bad mother just because the dishes haven't been done. Don't expect to be superwoman.' poffigirl

'Something I learned from with my first baby is not to go for the biggest possible pram with all the accessories. I soon grew tired of trying to cram this enormous thing into the boot of my car (which was also enormous) and I bought the smallest, lightest thing I could find.' lady_popster

'I expected to be overwhelmed with this little person as soon as I'd given birth. The reality was I didn't want to know him! I was too concerned with being stitched up. In fact, I didn't really want to know him for a couple of weeks. That was quite a shock.' wobbs

'Birth doesn't always go to plan. Emergency cesareans do happen!' Vonnie

'If you suffer a little incontinence in the first few days, that doesn't condemn you to a life of lady pads. It will get better. But keep doing those pelvic floor exercises.' zippy012006

'A midwife told me to keep a jug by the loo so that I could pour warm water on to stitches when going to the toilet. It was good advice and really helped.' lady_popster

'I didn't realise how physically and mentally shattered I would be from all the sleepless nights and trying to understand whether baby crying meant hunger, tiredness or boredom! People say it's tiring but not how much. In a good way, I also didn't realise how much better it gets when they are more settled and in a routine of feeding every 3-4 hours. You can actually feel half human again and really enjoy your baby.' kat24

'My biggest piece of advice would be to expect the unexpected and always keep your sense of humour!' ladybabylove

'Do your pelvic floors. Believe me it's worth it!' poppy_9

'Babies do not spoil. Never feel bad for holding your baby or feeding or cuddling the baby to sleep. Remember your baby has spent nine months inside you, so it is natural for them to want your presence, to be comforted by you. Babies do not cry for the sake of it. If they cry, they need something, even if it is only to feel safe and secure.' cl-phoenix1985

'The importance of tummy time; my first son got plagiocephaly (sometimes called flat head syndrome). I didn't know what it was because no one had told me about it! So he was on his back all the time. That, combined with the fact he was three weeks early and his skull was soft, made his head really flat so we had to go private to get it corrected.' hidden_talents

'The best bit of advice I was given was to take loose jogging bottoms in a hospital bag to come home in.' kate76

'I wish that I had known that I wouldn't love my baby straight away. In fact, for a few weeks I didn't even like him that much. I didn't fall in love with my boyfriend the first time I met him, feelings take time to grow. One day I woke up in the middle of the night and looked over into his crib and realised that he was the most perfect little thing ever and, better than everything else, he was all mine.' Lullabee