I really don't have anything planned for this blog, but I just wanted to updated it with something, so I'm going to brainstorm about things I've learned (so far) about parenthood...or just about having a baby:
1) Getting ready to go somewhere takes twice as long -- gotta get the child fed, changed, diaper bag ready, and always running back in the house to get what was forgotten!
2) Going to town is much harder, with or without child -- if I'm with Tristan, I have to schedule my shopping around his feedings, so I'm around a place with a nursing room when it is time to feed (I've nursed before in a changing room -- not the easiest), and if I'm not with Tristan, I have to schedule my shopping around places (again) with a nursing room so I can pump!
3) The idea of "sleep when the baby sleeps" sounds like a great idea, but it doesn't always work that way. You may not be tired when the baby sleeps, or the baby won't sleep long enough for you to relax enough to sleep, or some other reason. May work for others, but never really worked for me.
4) Your life truly revolves around your baby. Dinner time often revolves around eating, going to put the pacifier back in his mouth, eating some more, going AGAIN to put the pacifier back in his mouth, eating again, giving up and holding him while trying to eat...
5) Babies have a lot of gastro problems...acid reflux and gas are the two main ones. Neither are comfortable for the baby, and both can cause a lot of fussiness!
6) Nursing HURTS at first (at least, it did for me) and is not easy. I was tempted to give up on the nursing during the first 2 weeks, but as several people told me, I pressed on and sure glad I did -- it does get better!
7) I am a paranoid mother. I'm worried that the house is too warm during the night, so I constantly check the temp in the nursery. I'm worried that his poop is not the right consistency. I'm worried that he is not eating enough (which is stupid of me 'cause he is growing great). I'm worried about my milk drying up, so I often wake up in the middle of the night to pump (then can't get back to sleep...). I'm a worrier (I'm going to take after my mother ;).
8) No matter how fussy Tristan is during the day, those moments of smiling and cooing are the absolute best in the world. It truly brightens up my day :)
9) All those things I said I would never do with my infant...I do (at least, some of them). I've let my child sleep in the carseat in his room at night until we went to bed. I've fallen in love with the pacifier -- he took it from day 1 (no confusion with breastfeeding/bottle to all your baby experts that said no pacifier for however long!) I know there is more, but I've gone blank. I just know there will be many more times that I will regret my words in the future...
10) You need lots of burp cloths -- more than I ever realized! When a baby has acid reflux, you go through a lot of burp cloths!
11) I wash clothes constantly -- his because of his spit up, leaky poop, or surprise tinkles during diaper change, and mine because of his spit up, leaky poop, or surprise tinkles during diaper change.
12) I never realized how fast we would go through diapers! My child seems to enjoy having his dirty diaper changed, just to poop again either right after putting on the next diaper or right before...then he might spray himself and me as I'm changing him once again...
13) I don't enjoy waking up in the middle of the night to nurse, but when he finishes eating and falls asleep against my chest, it is hard for me to put him back down. I love the feeling of him at rest against me.
14) You can read all the books on babies and sleep and everything that you can get your hands on, but nothing will truly prepare you for a baby. Every baby is unique and nothing works for every baby -- it's a learning process!
15) I know I will love it someday if I have a little girl, but I adore being mommy to my little boy. He is the most wonderful thing to me...one of the hardest things, but I love it.
I can't put everything I have learned so far -- my list would go on for a while -- but these are just a few things. I know I have much more learning to learn! Does the learning ever really stop?
No honey, you didn't get your worry from your mother (although, yes, your mom worries), you got your worry from motherhood. It's part of our job to worry, because those daddies won't. :)
ReplyDeleteNo, Bev, she got it from you...ha...but that's ok....Tristan will survive it just like your girls did. :) Love you, sister! :) Shawna, you're exactly right though....nothing really prepares a woman for motherhood, and nothing is more rewarding. You'll forever be invested in your little one's life and there comes a day when they invest themselves back into yours. That's a good day too. :) We love you guys. Keep up those daily deposits into your son's life.
ReplyDeleteAmen to what Aunt Kaye said! Nothing, absolutely nothing, is more rewarding than being a Mother!
ReplyDeleteI'll be praying for you as you go back to work --that will be hard, but thankfully, this time, it's just for a few weeks.
Give that baby boy a kiss for Aunt Debbie!
hahaaaaa!!! I laughed at Aunt Kaye's comment... yep, Shawna, you def got your worrying from your mother! haaa!
ReplyDeleteI loved this post... such reality! So often you don't hear about the REAL things you deal with as new moms, so I love this!!