community

all boards


birth clubs



my blog

Sort:
11-14-2012 at 9:15 AM
jjetweddin...
Not Ranked
Joined on 01-26-2003
3,276 Points
jjetwedding is not online. Last active: 05-03-2013, 8:14 AMNewbie

Reality vs idealism

What did you think life would be like with a baby and now that he or she is here, what has surprised you?

Everyone kept saying to enjoy this time and spend every moment because they grow so fast during this stage. So I thought my days would be at home playing, staring, holding and enjoying the miracle of having a baby! And I do but then there is the reality...finding a moment to scarf food down, finding a time to go to the bathroom, laundry, a shower is a luxury, cleaning bottles, scheduling photographs, paying bills on time, skyping with relatives and the list goes on and on!

But I love that I have a baby now, still just can't believe it! DH and I will stop and look at each other and say, " omg honey we have a baby"!!!
Best blessing in this world.
 
11-14-2012 at 9:31 AM
JoNi2010
Not Ranked
Joined on 11-08-2009
10,937 Points
JoNi2010 is online. Last active: 05-18-2013, 7:23 AMSilver

Ditto to everything you said!  Except I guess I never thought about

1. The fussy and crying/wailing moments. It can be pretty taxing.

2. Leaving the baby for work.  I don't get paid for maternity leave since I work for a small business so I opted to go back very part-time after 4 weeks, which will be next Monday.  I am already dreading leaving him, and it's only 2 half-days a week!

3. Just how much I could love my LO!

I hope everyone is enjoying their LO!


 
11-14-2012 at 9:38 AM
wallacewif...
Not Ranked
Joined on 05-28-2008
Shawnee, KS
852 Points
wallacewife06 is not online. Last active: 05-17-2013, 11:01 AMNewbie

Honestly, it is about what I expected. It can actually be better at times because LO has always had a really good sleep schedule. I can't say that there is anything that I have done yet that I said I wouldn't do, but I also didn't make a whole lot of difinitive statements for the early years. I may be eating crow when he's older. I'm worried these days that I am going to not have enough milk for him, but I think it's just low in the past few days because I'm sick. Just taking it one day at a time so I can make it to my goal of BF for a year.

I did think that I would get away to work out. I don't have time between dinner, getting our stuff ready for the next day and sleeping! I do get time in on the weekends to go for a run though, so it's just gonna take a little longer to lose the weight.

My husband has been unexpectedly, extreamly helpful. He will do anything that I ask him to do and doesn't go out as much as he did before baby and I haven't had to say a word! I'm really impressed with him about that.


 Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker 
11-14-2012 at 9:56 AM
starfish71...
Not Ranked
Joined on 04-22-2011
15,850 Points
starfish717 is not online. Last active: 02-28-2013, 8:10 PMBronze

In addition to pretty much everything that has been mentioned...

I didn't realize how monotonous these early weeks would be. It's literally eat, nap, cry, soothe, change diaper, repeat. I knew it would be that way, but I didn't realize how draining it would be. ("didn't I JUST change you?!").

People said "enjoy your sleep while you can!" and I get it now. At the end of pregnancy I couldn't wait for her to be out so I could sleep on my tummy, not have heartburn, not have aches and pains... but now that she's out I'm not sleeping because she is up constantly throughout the night. The stop-and-go nature of nighttime sleep is really wearing me down! I don't function well on broken sleep.... uh oh!

I thought breastfeeding would be magical and a great snuggle sesh with my DD... it's not (not yet at least?). BFing has been stressful and tear-inducing, and not nearly as "natural" as I had imagined. Hopefully it gets better. 

I miss the convenience of just running out on an errand - I can't just jump in the car and go to the store for something, and I often feel trapped in the house and helpless. 

I can't wait for her to become more interactive and responsive, and for routines to be established!

 

 


Lilypie First Birthday tickers  
11-14-2012 at 11:44 AM
Sassy Sara
Not Ranked
Joined on 10-01-2008
2,849 Points
Sassy Sara is not online. Last active: 05-17-2013, 11:02 PMNewbie

I love this question! 

DD is our first, and I'm going to be staying home with her and not working for the first time since I started working years ago, so I knew it would be a big adjustment for me. Everyone kept saying things like "you'll never sleep again" and "get used to being tired".

Along with horror type stories about having to give up any personal time and going out with friends and having any sort of social life to take care of babycakes, I was a little worried. I thought I'd be running around like a crazy person trying to take care of her needs, and just struggling just to keep up with her, not even thinking about taking care of housework.

In reality, it's probably cause she's still so wonderfully low maintenance for a newborn, but she spends most of her time sleeping or eating.  I can sleep or do chores or just chill when she sleeps, and when she eats I can catch up on the computer and read. Honestly it's been a smidge boring. I guess I thought she'd be more exciting too.

I'm sure this will all change once she can do more things, and stops sleeping most of the day. Also once I'm cleared for driving and can run errands and go on walks again will be helpful!


 Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker 
11-14-2012 at 1:24 PM
tch81
Not Ranked
Joined on 11-20-2009
Kentucky
360 Points
tch81 is not online. Last active: 12-15-2012, 2:44 PMNewbie

I have to say, DH and I expected and prepared ourselves for the worst.  Having no social life, lots of crying, being broke etc.  But it's been the opposite! We were blessed twice with calm & easy babies! We've managed our finances surprisingly well & we still do things that we enjoy...we just bring the kids with us! 

I knew that I would love being a mom, but I had no idea that I would LOVE being a mom as much as I do.  Even my toughest days w/ my kids are better than my best days before I had them.  This is the best job on earth! 


Lilypie Second Birthday tickers  Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker 
11-15-2012 at 5:10 PM
hamiltks10
Not Ranked
Joined on 09-22-2010
10,249 Points
hamiltks10 is not online. Last active: 05-17-2013, 10:23 PMBronze

1.  I had not planned for and didn't expect that I'd be hit with the baby blues.  I cried every day the first week....for no reason at all.  Seriously, I'd cry just thinking about how I cried the day before.  It was crazy.  I had spent SO much time preparing for the labor and delivery, but I didn't spend a minute thinking about how physically and emotionally taxing the first week after his birth would be.

2.  Breastfeeding has been difficult.  There is nothing pleasurable about it for me.  I honestly can't wait to be done with it and struggle daily with the thought of giving up and switching to formula. 


 Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker  Pregnancy Ticker 
Hot Topics

New dad or dad-to-be? Chat with other dads here!
Visit the Dads & Dads-to-be board

Need baby shower inspiration? Get ideas here!
Visit the Baby Showers board

Chat with other crafty moms here!
Visit the Crafty Moms board

search boards

choose another board