Ha! I love it when people tell me that. Ummm hello I didn't take any classes in school to prepare me for this, in fact all of the classes in school just tell you to NOT have sex or Get Pregnant....EVER. I am here to tell you however that please don't get so caught up in your day-to-day lives that you miss out on the little things.
The first 8 weeks with my little man I had NO IDEA what I was doing..which is pretty typical I hear since while you are at the hospital the nurses are changing him and tell you when to feed him and ordering your food; that when you get home you are like "where's my help?!".
I seriously struggled with breastfeeding, I ABSOLUTELY HATED IT! I did not feel any sort of bond, I didn't feel like I was loving him enough...I felt like all I did was pump, feed, sleep over and over again. I never looked at him longingly as he drank my milk, I never enjoyed it or had that "feeling" that some moms claim to have. So on top of me hating it I was not producing enough for this little chunker. So on top of getting what I could out of me I had to add formula in there.
After 8 weeks I said ENOUGH! I am not enjoying this little miracle in my life whatsoever. I decided to go all on formula and give up pumping. Which was the BEST DECISION I have ever made. Not only did I have so much more energy for my little one, I didn't have to figure out a good time to pump in between his feedings, or if he woke up in the middle of me pumping and started crying...talk about unnecessary stressors! It was so great to make his bottles and be able to hold him while they heat up...not having to wash all the pumping equipment and spend time with him while he is up. I seriously felt like I was in jail and I was let free!
So any mom that is having a difficult time with it I don't say "DON'T GIVE UP" I say "DO WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY!" Formula has come such a long way and is totally fine if not better since Drew has milk sensitivities so he has been on Soy which would be extremely hard for me since I would have to give up all dairy to be able to breastfeed him. And No offense but seriously sometimes I only had time to grab a string cheese, or chug some milk to be able to function.
So please enjoy the little things and leave the big ones by the wayside, there is only so much in your control and every kid is different so what works on this one might not work for you. I highly recommend reaching out to your friends/family if they have kids around the same age and if not join a support group in your area because the baby books only tell so much and it's nice to hear other opinions or that your are doing a good job as a parent!
And those stupid papers you get at the Doctors office about the developmental stuff could drive you insane...Just be in the moment, Enjoy every little victory even if it's not on the those stupid papers. These are some of the ones I LOVED
1. bouncing on his knees reaching up for me
2. Waving
3. Blabbing
4. Grabbing the dogs face and chasing the dogs
5. Laughing
6. Smiling
7. Pointing where he wants to go while I hold him
Even if the TV is on, the dogs are barking, someone is ringing the doorbell and the tornado sirens are going off I am watching him, trying not to miss anything, enjoying him just sitting there looking at his books. Those are the things that keep me going, that make the sleepless nights so worth it. That keep me from getting down on my flabby belly and keep me wanting another one. Enjoy it because it goes by in a heartbeat and you never get this time back, and some people aren't able to get any of this so remember you are one lucky soul; having someone to call you "mama".
~Candace
So sweet :) I promise he'll never say, "Mom I wish our floors were cleaner when I was little." Enjoy the mess....
ReplyDelete