The night after having my precious baby Lukas was fairly easy—the nurses were amazing and made sure I had all the proper tools and guidance to feed him and take care of him. Once I arrived home, however, I was no longer in the comfort zone the hospital had created for me and other mothers alike. The first night or two back home were a little challenging. Not only was I trying to master breastfeeding all on my own now without anybody's help, but I also realized that my sleep, my dearly beloved sleep, would be compromised from now on, and there was no turning back.
Being sleep deprived, this one challenge took its toll on me the most. I have always loved my sleep, and so it was hard on me emotionally and physically. I remember one night in particular, I was getting so beyond frustrated with my son's crying after being up for so many hours. But an inner voice peacefully reminded me that this is a new world for him and he is probably afraid. I was a mommy now, and this is where unconditional love and affection came into play. Once I was reminded of this, that night and every other night after that became easier and my patience grew from that night on.
Another challenge I faced was leaving the house on time. I remember being late for his very first follow-up appointment at the hospital and then being late for his first appointment with the paediatrician. Why? Well, it was only when I became a mom that I found out I could no longer take showers nor get ready when I pleased. Oh no. I learned very quickly that unless baby is fed, burped, changed and happy or sleeping, I could not do all these "me" things. And then there was the extra time needed to fully pack his diaper bag (and knowing what to pack), bundle him up, secure him in his car seat. But then also remembering to prepare myself a big bottle of water filled with ice, because that is what breastfeeding had led me to crave. Did I mentioned I was always famished? Nursing did that to me too.
Then there were all the little things I always took for granted, such as running into the grocery store to pick something up quickly, tidying up the house, cooking and even blogging.
And finally, another challenge I faced was giving my body the time it needed to recover from delivery itself. I am the type of person who loves going out and being active, but even walks proved to be a tad strenuous.
In the end, I would not change a single thing. I am so happy to have found motherhood and am thankful to have this. The very moment I laid my eyes on my precious son, I knew I was in love, and I knew God loved me, for he gave me one of the most beautiful gifts one could receive. Even his beautiful little cry was mesmerizing. I love all the little things about my baby boy, like the way he searches for mama when he is in someone else's arms, the way he stares into my eyes when I hold him closely, the way he gets hyper and excited around mealtime—these are the little moments I will hold in my heart forever. And I can only imagine the fun times that are to be had in the future.
If there is one piece of advice I could give to a new mom, it is to take a deep breath and remember that things will only get better from here. Someone once told me to not forget the feeling of longing I had while pregnant. It's easy to think of the "now" when the baby is crying and won't go to sleep at 4 in the morning, leaving you tired and frustrated. But if you can focus on the days and nights you spent dreaming of being a mommy to the baby in your belly, it puts all things in perspective and helps you regain control of the situation.
-Alesia Dunn
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What were your challenges in the first few weeks of motherhood? What worked? What didn't work? I'd love to know!
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