Musings Of A First Time Mom

Stepping into the role of a new mom is everything! It’s  exciting and exhilarating but mostly it’s extremely exhausting! Before my little baby boy entered my life, I remember being giddy with anticipation for when he arrived, but I didn’t realize how under-prepared I was where it mattered and over-prepared for things that didn’t; i.e. all the new born baby clothes I bought that he only fit into once! 
Here are just a few simple things I picked up in just the first couple of months as mom – they may seem obvious now, but I was completely oblivious to them before they happened!

1. Keep a towel on hand, always. You may not know it, and your baby may not know it, but when it’s time to eat, your body can tell you in the most embarrassing way – stay well prepared.

2. “I’ll figure it out when I have to” is a great way to live, but if you have the option, learn how to properly put on a diaper. When you’re running out the door, and your baby is leaking from every crevice onto your fresh office clothes, you’re going to wish you took the time to do it.

3. Shortcuts are ok if you’re willing to live with the consequences- sure, it seems easy to take that drive to help your baby slip into serene slumber, but when it’s 4am on a Sunday night and the only way your baby will fall asleep is if you cruise around the neighborhood, regret might hit you harder than you know. 

4. Invest in a nice diaper bag – trust me! This bag needs to go well with all your outfits because, like it or not, this is your new handbag! You’re not going to care to separate your things from your baby’s because when you’re carrying a cranky bundle of joy, plus all their things – the last thing you’ll want to do is carry yet another bag.

5. When you’re carrying precious cargo, a pristine diet of organic and healthy food tends to be the only choice, but the second you deliver the package you’re going to want to binge, badly! If you choose the breastfeeding route, you might want to lay off those greasy gooey goodies or midnight munchies – because whatever makes your stomach unstable will do tenfolds the damage to that tiny tummy; and that just makes your job as food source that much harder!

The list of things that don’t click right away is practically endless – the only thing I would advise is, enjoy the little things, nap whenever you get the chance, and get that epidural! Happy mothering!