Being a mom is incredibly rewarding, a calling if you will, but something they don't tell you is....it's tough!
3 months in and I have learnt the following:
1) Having a baby makes you so vulnerable. You worry about their health and safety every minute of every day. You worry if you're doing the right thing, you'll make a decision and then instantly second guess yourself. You'll get it wrong and try to do better next time
2) Getting an appointment with a paediatrician is a bit like winning the lottery
3) Babies will make you broke. You will buy every piece of expensive baby equipment you swore was a waste of money, in an effort to stop the crying - cot mobiles; rocker/bouncer seats etc.
4) You will find yourself defending/protecting/fighting for your child with a momma bear voice and attitude you never knew you had
5) People are full of well meaning, yet stupid advice and opinions
6) You will never truly be alone again
7) You will never get to eat a hot meal start to finish, or drink a whole cup of tea again. Hannah is honestly the best diet I have ever been on
8) Say goodbye to a good night's sleep. Even when they're in dreamland you will wake up to check on them...are they too hot/too cold/comfortable/still breathing?
9) You thank your lucky stars you only conceived the one baby and not the set of twins you were initially hoping for
10) You will find yourself late at night asking an infant, who cannot speak, what else you can possibly do to stop their crying, and waiting in vain for a response
At this same point (late late at night) you and your husband will turn on each other out of pure frustration and weeks of accumulated sleep deprivation. It's not worth it - being on the same team is critical. You need your spouse's love and support more than ever
11) Oh, the medical bills! You will find yourself facing a mountain of medical insurance jargon designed to both confuse and incite fear. All it basically means is that they're not prepared to pay for what the doctors deemed a "medical emergency"
12) No one really wants to help put your baby to sleep or allow her to remain in that state - they just want to play with her, even if it means you'll suffer the consequences later that same night. An overtired and overstimulated baby is no fun
13) Time is a luxury you no longer have - use it wisely! Use whatever resources you have at your disposal; do what you deem as most important and delegate/leave the rest for later
14) Taking hourly shifts either rocking Hannah or getting some sleep is the only way Matt and I manage to stay sane and not have broken backs in the morning. I never thought the day would arrive where I would be excited by the idea of going to bed at 8:30PM
15) You cannot spoil a child by loving/snuggling/holding her too much
16) Those moms who make it look so easy are either lying, or have loads of home help
17) And yes...one gorgeous smile, laugh or gurgle from Hannah makes it all worthwhile
