You drive home from the hospital, head straight to the nursery, and make your little bundle of joy feel right at home. Even before he is born, you’ve already formed plans for their life. You think about his future and want nothing less than to see him in all his wonderful glory. As wonderful as these plans are, any realist would know that things don’t necessarily turn out according to plan. Reality hits you in a few months time when you actually have to go back to work and balance your schedule just so you can spend time with your baby and fulfill your other responsibilities. You wish you could be with them forever and you often find yourself counting the minutes until you get to see your little angel once more. You don’t want to miss any new experience and time away could mean that you may not be there for them when they first smile or when they really look deeply into a face for the very first time.
You will never want to leave, especially if this is your first child. Everything looks so new and wonderful that you would want to be present to enjoy every waking moment. Newborns can be mesmerizing because no one else is as pure as they are. You want to hold them in your arms and keep them there for as long as possible. Even while they are asleep, you enjoy looking at their faces in peaceful slumber. Those first few days are more miraculous than ever. Suddenly, you realize that your baby has more needs that just TLC. You need to be there for them every time they cry. They interrupt your sleep constantly. Babies cry whenever they need some attention. With a bit of practice and some experience, you get to learn what their needs will be just by listening to the sounds they make.
The lack of sleep combined with stress can start eating away that wonderful feeling you had. Nothing has really changed, at least not for your baby. They are still that same dear infant you brought home. Chances would be that you are actually the one that went through the most difficulty. You don’t have time during the day when both of you are fully awake, and when night comes, you are too tired to do anything else. Moaning about it will prove to be futile. Every new mother goes through this stressful stage. All you need to do is find the middle-ground. It’s a bittersweet memory, and your task to look into the sweet part of it.
Stop that disparaging train of thought. You are headed to a road that brings you down, and if you don’t do anything about it, you could easily miss out on your family’s new adventure. Make that choice right now and enjoy every stage, no matter how difficult it can be. After all, there is no way to turn back the clock. You should be there for your baby in every milestone. This little miracle may be the biggest responsibility you’ll ever have, but they can also be your greatest source of joy.
