Things I Wish I Would Have Known

For some reason I know about 20 girls who are pregnant right now. I guess we're just in that time of life. Anyway, I don't know how many of them actually read this blog, but I'm sure some of them do, and I would like to impart my wisdom on them :) This isn't meant to frighten anyone, but there are a few things I really wish I would have known before Jackson blessed us with his presence:

1) Be excited for baby to come, but for heaven sakes SLEEP as much as you can until your bundle of joy arrives!
I realize that sleeping isn't that easy whilst you are 9 months pregnant, but just do it while you can because when that baby gets here you will forget what it's like to sleep through the night--at least for a few months. I was so exited for Jackson to be born that I coerced him out a few days early with some castor oil. About a week after he was born I was wondering why I didn't use those few days to sleep.
2) Motherhood is so wonderful.......eventually.
Everyone always says, "Motherhood is the most amazing thing ever," and, while this is true, most women I have talked to who have had babies agree that those first weeks are not so amazing. Yes, you will love your child the minute you meet him/her, but then they start crying and you don't know why. They need to eat every three hours no matter what you're doing or where you are--this includes nighttime hours (see point #1). They don't smile at you for about 6 weeks, so you have no idea if they even like you. On top of all this your post-pregnancy hormones are making you crazy, literally. I used to be a little confused as to why women got Postpartum Depression. I mean, come on, you have this wonderful, cute little baby to cuddle all day, what's there to be sad about right? Wrong-o! Not everyone experiences Postpartum Depression, but I can totally understand why some women do. My parents came the week that Jackson was born so I had help, but as soon as they left, and Weston was at school all day, and I was all alone with this newborn that I had no idea how to take care of (see point #3), I thought I was going to lose it. So, I ended up hopping on a plane with my two-week-old child and going to my parent's house. You gotta do what you gotta do.
3) Babies don't come with instruction manuals.
You can read all the baby how-to books in the world (I felt like I did), but sometimes you just won't know why your baby is crying, or not sleeping, or spitting up so much, or not eating enough, etc. I feel like motherhood is a learning process, and every baby is different so the "rules" don't necessarily apply to every baby.
4) Everyone has an opinion
From what you're naming your child to why your bundle of joy is screaming in the grocery store, everyone has an opinion and is more than willing to voice it. I think you have to just realize that the sweet old lady in back of you in line really does mean well when she says, "He must be starving! That's why he's crying." No lady, I just fed him. Thanks. You just have to take these unwelcome suggestions in stride, smile, and say, "Yeah, maybe."
5) Nursing your baby is an amazing bonding experience---not always true.
Now, I didn't have a horrible nursing experience and some people may disagree with me on this point, but I had mixed feelings about it. Yes, it is awesome that you have your babies food supply inside your boobs, and yes, it's nice to not always have to heat up a bottle when baby is hungry, but when your newborn needs to eat every three hours and there isn't always a nice mother's room to nurse in, or when the baby in front of you at church starts crying and you start to leak it's kind of a pain in the you-know-what. The best advice I can give is, make sure your baby will take a bottle. I started Jackson day one with a bottle and gave him one once a day to make sure he wouldn't forget how to drink from it. Best idea I've ever had.


Well, that's it ladies. Again, I don't mean for this to scare anyone, but these are the facts (at least for me and a few other women I know who have recently had babies) that no one really tells you. Everyone has different experiences, and some people love newborns, but I guess I'm not one of those people, and I don't think that makes me a bad person. I love my wild, crazy, busy-as-can-be, smiley 8-month-old who finds a new way to make me laugh everyday. Motherhood really is the best thing ever......eventually :)