One year in to being a mother. I read every book I could before Anna was born.
Here's a few things the books didn't tell me.
Breastfeeding is hard. Really hard. One of the hardest things I've ever done.
Colic is so much worse than just a fussy baby.
If your baby has colic its ok to wear headphones while she cries and you comfort her for hours on end.
You are not a bad parent for trying to keep your sanity.
Everyone will give you an opinion on how you parent, how you should parent, why aren't you parenting a certain way, whats wrong with your parenting, etc.
You'll have as many clothing changes and your baby.
Your baby will probably fall off the bed, a changing pad table, down a step or two once, or a chair. She'll probably get a bruise, bump on her head, or pinch her finger in a cabinet. Accidents happen.
You'll slice your finger open at least twice cutting baby food into teeny tiny pieces.
You'll get poop on your face.
Everyone tells you when they sleep you should sleep too. Which is definitely true unless you have no clean clothes to wear. Then maybe you should do laundry.
Your dog will act out because of "single child syndrome"
and probably start causing trouble at doggie day care.
Sleep deprivation is so much worse in person than just written down in a book.
The first time you hear her laugh is the biggest feeling in the world.
When she tells you a joke you don't understand but you both crack up because she is too cute.
It will be the funniest joke you've EVER heard anyway.
You might not have that "unconditional love" feeling right from the start.
Hormones can do crazy things to the body.
Postpartum anxiety is a real thing.
Random people will come up to you and give you advice or comment on your baby's growth/health.
Random people will come up to you and touch your baby without asking.
Random people will say your baby looks like a boy even if she is in hot pink from head to toe.
Your boobs will get big and beautiful but they are not pretty.
They are for one thing only and its to produce milk.
Buy toys with a volume button. Then turn the volume on low and leave it there forever.
You'll be folding a lot of tiny clothes.
Tiny socks are the cutest but they get swallowed up in the large clothes.
You'll constantly be searching for the match.
Sign up for a strollercise class. It gets you out of the house with baby and
you burn a few calories while you are at it.
You'll never leave the house again without 20 pounds of stuff in your arms. The "just in case" stuff.
It'll take you an hour to get ready and into the car for a 20 minute shopping trip.
You'll probably have a baby girl and she'll refuse to wear hair bows or anything in her hair.
You'll have so much more laundry every week. Especially if you use cloth diapers.
You'll probably get pooped on out in public. That will be the day you don't bring a change of clothes.
Always bring a change of clothes for baby AND yourself.
You'll find cheerios everywhere.
Other moms with babies will become your new best friends.
Take at least 5 minutes for yourself everyday to renew your soul.
Breathing techniques help. Yoga has done wonders for me.
Picking out a stroller, carseat, bottles, formula, pacifiers, etc. is like picking out a needle from a haystack. There are too many bells and whistles on everything this day in age.
Shopping for a newborn is overwhelming.
Every baby is different. Every mom knows best for their own baby.
But they don't know whats best for YOUR baby.
Labels: mommy mondays, mommyhood