b'Having a BabyTHE BEST ADVICEIVE EVER RECEIVEDWhen it comes to raising children, they say the days are long, but the years are short. The truth is, no matter how many books you read, courses you take or videos you watch, no one and nothing can fully prepare you for the surprises of parenthood.After becoming a parent, one has the gift of hindsight. So we asked some local Baltimoreans to reflect on their parenting adventures, thus far, hoping that their advice could help new mothers and fathers just starting out on their life-changing journey.Below, four parents share the best advice theyve received when having a baby and starting a family.Diana Solomon Director of 4Front Baltimore, an Associated community-wide teen initiative housed at the JCC.Diana Solomon, 30, is a Charm City nativegoofy and inquisitive faces duringand mom to one-year-old daughter,a morning wake period, are the parts of her Laine. As a new mom struggling throughnewborn life I will remember with a smile. those early sleep-deprived days, SolomonCuddles and snuggles make all the hard received some helpful guidance from herparts worth itand the laundry can wait!cousin, who was also navigating new-momAs a new mom, diligent about research life. She told me to make sure I was takingand how best to take care of her baby, she in all the baby snuggles. read the popular baby books and scoured A year on, and she is grateful to have hadparenting blogs. While many were helpful, those sweet moments. they also raised self-doubt.It was easy to hold Laine when sheHer message to new parents? Youneeded somethingto be fed, rocked know your baby best. Trust your instincts or soothedand then hand her off soand follow your babys cues. Dont get that I could attend to my myriad householdstressed out about all the things youre chores. But to just hold her because Iworried youre not doing and instead,could, to relish in those sweet milk-drunkbe proud of yourself for the things youmoments after a feeding, or laugh at theare accomplishing.36 SHALOM BALTIMORE'