I have been debating how and what to share about our parenting experience. I have been hesitant for two reasons. I feel like people are often extremely fake when it comes to what they share and you find yourself thinking "seriously?" there is no way it's that easy. Or on the flip side I feel like parenting gets a bad rap. I can't stand when people say things like "you will never sleep again," or "just wait until you have kids," or "we used to do that....until we had kids." So I am going to do my best to give an honest account of what parenthood has been like for us. It is different for everyone and I am sure people really do feel the above extremes from time to time.
- You will sleep again and you do sleep (or at least we have been blessed to). BUT, you sleep in intervals. Sometimes you get a three hour stretch, sometimes 4-5 hours. It gets progressively better. Starts out pretty tough because a newborn needs to be fed every 2-3 hours, but it definitely gets MUCH better quickly. I have been amazed at how quickly my body adjusted and while I am absolutely still tired I am functioning quite well.
- Your standards will change. While before you may have felt a certain amount of sleep was necessary per night, or eating dinner at a certain time was important. Now you have to take into account that your life revolves around this tiny human. There are going to be days when you eat lunch at 4pm or dinner at 9pm or 5pm and you just have to learn to roll with it.
- We have had our share of exhausted times where we have turned on eachother because we can't get upset at the baby. We have both had to take a time out, or lock ourselves in another room for a quick nap. It takes a while to get used to giving 100% of yourself to another person 24-7. No breaks. Bottom line a baby is just that a BABY. It is completely reliant on you for survival and it's a big job. You just have to step up and remember you are on the same team.
- Having family close is an absolute lifesaver. I can't imagine how we would have survived these first few months without help from our families. They have made it possible for me to maintain order in my home (keep the house clean, get laundry and dishes done) which is super important to me. They have also given us breaks so we can catch up on sleep or go out just the two of us - also super important.
- Breastfeeding can be really really tough. Mom's don't get enough credit for breastfeeding. It's not easy for everyone and a lot of women go through a lot to make it work. Before I had kids I was horrified at the thought of giving my child formula. But like most things with regard to having children, it doesn't always work out like you planned. Bodie ended up having some serious issues with my milk that we are just now getting under control by working with a GI specialist at Children's Hospital. I fully support any mom's decision to breastfeed or to not. It's a personal decision that you have to make for yourself.. At the end of the day only YOU know what's best for your family.
-Taking breaks is important. If you are fortunate to have family to help with this that's great but it's also important to allow each other breaks. Whether it's a quick trip to the gym, a hair appointment, lunch with a friend, etc. You both need breaks and if you allow each other time away everyone is much happier.
Lastly, like I said everyone's situation is different. For us, I returned to work when Bodie was only 5 weeks old. It's been a whirlwind but we have survived. I was able to do this because Cole and I are a team. He completely shares the parenting work load with me and I am extremely fortunate that I married such an amazing guy.
Being a parent is by far the best thing I have done in my life so far (not just saying that because I can't go back now ;)). Creating a mini you to share your life with is absolutely awesome and at the end of the day it's what life is all about.
Happy Hump Day Friends!
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