A friend of mine had a baby last week.
Her first baby.
As I looked at pictures and status updates I was reminded of
my first few days, weeks and months of being a mother. While it can be fun to
think back to those first few seconds and minutes of meeting my first born for
the first time…if I’m honest, those next days, weeks and months weren’t always
full of joy.
Yes, I loved her when I first saw her face. But truthfully I
wasn’t “in love” with her right away.
I feel like there is so much pressure on us ladies to be “blissfully
happy” from the moment that child exits our body. That this is the pinnacle and
there is no way that anything can top it.
But let’s be honest for a bit.
Any of us who have experienced newborns know that it’s not
all “candy and roses”. There is hard stuff to deal with. We are recovering
physically (don’t get me started), emotionally (really don’t get me started)
and hormonally (really, REALLY don’t get me started). And it’s not fun!!!!
I remember feeling so overwhelmed with all those things, but
then ridiculously guilty because for the first couple weeks I wanted to stick
her back inside and never let her come out again.
I know I am not the only mom who would just lay in the bed
and cry (while sweating like a pig on a roasting pit) and wish life could go
back to how it was before… and I wish more of us would be honest about it. I
think it sets up unrealistic expectations for those moms that come behind us.
We put on our “best face” so that others won’t see how all that craziness
bubbling up inside.
Now, I do know that there are those people who just love the
“newborn stage”. I am not one in any way shape or form. If I could birth a 6
month old (who was already developmentally a 6 month old), I would have done
it. But even those moms have had moments where they were too overwhelmed for
words.
I’m not saying everyone is going to be the same. I know not
everyone is like me. I just want those new moms who aren’t drowning in
happiness to know that it’s ok.
It will come.
I promise.
I can’t tell you when.
But it will.
