One. Little. Plus. Sign. In one minute I went from 28 year old wife and nurse fulfilling my lifelong dream to immerse myself in another culture, to mother-to-be. Visions of American Girl dolls danced in my head as my mind began to swim with the wonder of it all. I envisioned myself working until my 3rd trimester. I had it all planned out. I would cut back my hours during my second trimester, start prenatal yoga, and enjoy those 10 months of pre-baby bliss. I have to interject and tell ya girls that pregnancy is 40 weeks. I know, I know…the books say 9 months…but you do the math. I woke up from that dream and found myself on bedrest at 17 weeks. Thankfully, my SON (hee hee) and I are both healthy.
Since I had so much free time lying in bed for 5 months, I spent countless hours researching everything I could about becoming a mom. I had the up-and-up on everything from the safest carseat to how to get your baby to sleep through the night. I was one of the last in my “group” to have my first child, so I planned on gleaning everything I could from my friends who had made it to the other side! Unfortunately, no matter how many Lamaze classes you hee and hoo through, nobody can really tell you how bad labor hurts…or how good it feels to conquer it. And while the same can be said for experiences like sleep deprivation, only your closest mommy friends will divulge those unsaid truths about motherhood.
Why didn’t anyone tell me that…
1. My 9 month belly would itch so bad I would scratch it in broad daylight…and not care
2. Rubbing my belly EVERY DAY with belly oil WOULD NOT prevent stretch marks
3. I would growl at my husband when he told me I didn’t need ANOTHER pretzel, bowl of ice cream, or you fill-in-the-blank
4. The urge to pee would be so bad I would shed tears
5. I would practice delivering a baby EVERY TIME I didn’t eat enough fiber
6. Sleep deprivation doesn’t begin when the baby is born…like we need PRACTICE preparing for something like that!
7. I would go from laughing to crying in the same sentence
9. Man (uh…woman) cannot live on bread alone but macaroni and cheese is a nice alternative when you’re sick ALL DAY!
10. I would become obsessed over nitrates, listeria, and other threats to my unborn child
Pregnancy was one of the most difficult experiences of my life. It challenged me physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I could say the same thing about motherhood. Some days I’m huffing and puffing up that steep hill…other days I’m coasting. And while I would not trade a single second of my life as a mom for my life before my little munchkin, I wish I would have known…
1. How difficult something so instinctual as nursing a baby could be
2. How little sleep I would actually get, night after night, month after month
3. How all my preconceived notions about routines and schedules would be thrown out the window and replaced with on demand and whenever he wants
4. How much time I would spend worrying about whether or not he was eating enough, peeing enough, sleeping enough, you fill-in-the-blank…
5. How co-sleeping ensures that there will be no other children until the first one is out of the bed
6. How much I would love my son completely, unconditionally
7. How much I would cry when I had to go back to work
8. How quickly time goes by
Despite the fact that being a mommy isn’t always glamorous, I wouldn’t want to be anything else. My son is the joy of my life and I can’t wait to do it all over again.
This week blogging moms are sharing the truth about motherhood. Discovery Health is introducing their new docu-drama entitled “Deliver Me,” which follows 3 women, who happen to be OB/GYNs, as they balance their practice with their lives outside the delivery room. Head on over to The Parent Bloggers Network for more advice on pregnancy, parenting, and motherhood.
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What a great post! I can sympathize completely!! Except for going back to work… From pregnancy to delivery to being a mommy… it’s nothing what I expected… it’s better… it’s harder but there’s nothing sweeter. Thanks for sharing.
Becoming a mother is truly an intense, amazing, overwhelming, and beautiful experience full of unexpected surprises. My daughter’s arrival has changed me in indescribable ways…and I know that I will never be the same person that I was before.