Whether we admit it or not, as new parents we are soooooo naïve. I can now admit without any shame that before my son's arrival I was more than a little idealistic about life post-baby. Fact is, everything was just simpler in my former life — you know, back when I thought life was so complicated!
Here are some of the biggest misconceptions I harbored before I became a mom:
What I thought: The first few weeks would be full of blissful days cuddling and bonding with my new baby.
In reality: My son had a few cuddly, sleepy days after he was born, but soon turned into a hungry, active little dude demanding food and entertainment in endless streams. I learned quickly that as a new mom, you're constantly meeting needs rather than vegging out with a real-life doll who never complains.
What I thought: My son would be out of my room and sleeping in his crib by two weeks old.
In reality: I was terrified to let my little one sleep without me close by. Even when he was right next to me in his Pack 'N' Play, I was constantly checking his breathing, so moving him to the next room over seemed like a terrible idea. Though I was still terrified, by the time he was five weeks old I managed to make the move, and after about a week we were both sleeping better at night.
What I thought: I would nurse on demand.
In reality: I lasted about four weeks before the unpredictability had me at my wit's end. When my baby was a month old, I put him on a two-hour schedule and a couple weeks later I moved it to a two-and-half-hour schedule and I'm now working on stretching him to every three hours. He's gaining weight, developing well and seems to love his mama despite the lack of "comfort nursing." The result — I'm now much saner.
What I thought: Myself or my husband would have time to cook and clean every day.
In reality: Hah! I could hardly remember to eat during the first few weeks. I love cooking, and sadly, when friends didn't bring us meals, we relied heavily on takeout for at least a month. Honestly, we're still eating out more than we ever did pre-baby and yet there always seems to be a sink full of dirty dishes.
What I thought: I could handle the sleepless nights better than most.
In reality: So this may seem a little pompous, but let me explain. I've struggled with insomnia most of my life, so I had a theory that because I was used to surviving on very little sleep, I'd get by just fine. Boy was I wrong! When you add nursing and rocking your son to sleep every hour and a half, "sleepless nights" have a whole new meaning. I walked around like a zombie until he was two months old.
What I thought: I'd have more of a social life.
In reality: Before I was pregnant I regularly hosted friends for dinner, attended social events, etc., but as I got closer to delivery I simply didn't have the energy. I thought things would go back to normal after I delivered, but thanks to the aforementioned sleeplessness, I'm still having a tough time playing hostess. Although I'd say we're an active family, all outings — social or otherwise — have to be arranged around my son's schedule. Perhaps selfishly, so that I can hope to sleep at night.
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