edition 1.
No one told me...
that trying to walk during a major contraction is possibly the WORST pain second to..
Throwing up while having a contraction.
that pushing can be the worst part. so many people told me how i would "enjoy" it because that meant the end was near and it would feel like things were happening. no thank you.
that my baby would want to suck on my boob for the first 72 hours NONSTOP. i mean won't sleep unless something is in her mouth. when you don't want to give a nook yet, that is VERY trying.
speaking of nook...you can't just pick one out at the store and put it in your babies mouth. i had to buy at least 7 before she sort of liked one. AND same thing with bottles...you have to work with them to take it. no one told me this!! (helen's not real fan of the bottle anyway)
The first two months of breastfeeding are SUPER intense.
Lanolin cream is your best friend.
that explosive poop gets on you. happens all the time. and is very hard to get out of clothes.
that postpartum depression can happen to someone who has no history of depression, had a natural homebirth, a stable home life, and fantastic support. it doesn't care who you are.
that your baby might not like facing in when carrying her. helen ONLY wants to face out and you have to wait until their neck is strong enough for such things like a baby bjorn.
that the word "spurt" would bring on a whole new definition.
that you will become one of those people who take a zillion photos of your baby.
that your baby will go through SO MANY stages and you are just along for the ride. embrace it. (easier said than done)
that one of the worst feelings is not knowing what is wrong when something is wrong.
that your bedtime is 4 hours earlier.
you shouldn't feel guilty about accepting help from friend and family. it really does take a village.
that my boobs would start looking like ice T's wife. at least in my head, anyway.
..........these are just my notes from months 1-3. more to come i'm sure.................
9 comments:
oh goodness... we're expecting our first (baby girl) in fourteen days! This post is ringing true to a lot of what mothers have been telling me. So much so that I'm taking leave from work a little early in the hopes of stealing some last time by myself. I'm also starting the lanolin now...
oh yes! i'll add a couple:
1. no matter your best intentions, sometimes things just don't work out (even if you breastfed your older child for 15 months, had a natural delivery and happily breastfed your second, you can still get appendicitis when your baby is 6 weeks old, have to have surgery, and lose your milk!
2. we're all a little bit too hard on ourselves about the whole mothering process
thank you for sharing so honestly and for sharing your earlier thoughts about post-partum depression. remember that nothing is permanent and not to get too attached to sleeping or feeding from one day (or week) to the next. "Momma Zen" is a great book to read as a reminder every now and then.
Thank you for sharing so openly. I feel that there are about a million things a to-be mom would have to know and I know maybe two of them. I am sure I will learn a lot from you and others when that time comes for me. Looking forward to a visit next week. :)
Having a baby was definitely the biggest shock of my life. I can relate to so much of what you wrote. I knew it would be hard, I just had no idea how hard. Here we are at .month seven and little man still refuses the pacifier. Thankfully a lot of his other opinions (like wanting to only face out) have mellowed. Hang in there mama, it just keeps getting better (and of course, a little bit harder).
I love this, my baby just turned 1, and it's so crazy the things people don't think to tell you! We had the same thing with bottles and pacis. Ended up finding Dr. browns bottles at Target, the only ones my babe takes. They supposedly mimic the way bf feels. Months 1-4 or 5 were the hardest, it gets easier!!!
I can relate to most all of these things! Lucy is 2 months old and we've definitely experienced our ups and downs. Oh and about sucking on boob, she is obsessed with boob! She will accept a bottle sometimes, but rarely every the pacifier, but she always loves her boob! And that can make mama pretty tired! And about the poop - I can't believe the grunting that goes into getting poop out sometimes :) Thanks for sharing this with us, it helps to know we're not alone.
re-reading this post now that i have had my baby. boy oh boy, is this hard work.
Oh my goodness, I have no idea what this is like, but you're certainly painting a picture here. I just want to give you a hug. You're such a beautiful, loving mama.
It is so hard. I was in shock that nobody told me how hard it would be. So now if a friend gets pregnant, I very seriously warn her. Luckily it gets easier and easier. And then you stupidly have another one and it's twice as hard as the first time. Good luck, you will feel in control of your life again in a couple months. :)
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