Things I wish I knew before having a baby
MOTHERHOOD is an exciting phase of life that many women anticipate eagerly. They prepare themselves by seeking advice from friends and family, and by doing extensive research on parenting. All of this, however, does not prepare many for the reality of what is to come. Irrespective of all the reading and queries made, parenting always comes with the unexpected. This week some mothers share the things they wished they had known before becoming mothers.
Kayla, 30, mother of two:
I became a mother at 20. I thought that when babies woke up in the night, they would go back to sleep after about 30 minutes. My son was up for hours. When he fell asleep again, it was time for me to get ready for work.
Renae, 32, mother of three:
I didn’t know that I would no longer be able to sleep through the night. Even when they get older, you still get up and check on them during the night. I no longer sleep like I used to before having my kids.
Natalee, 33, mother of one:
I wish somebody had told me that they would get enough sense one day to get out of the playpen before they reach the age of one. In the kitchen one day I felt someone grab my clothes. When I turned around, there was my nine-month-old grinning at me. We still haven’t figured out how she got out.
Kim, 37, mother of two:
Taking care of a baby plus working outside of the home is exhausting, even with a helper. I wish I had known that.
Nicole, 25, mother of one:
I wish I knew that sometimes they cry for nothing at all. One night my prince woke up crying. He wasn’t hot, he wasn’t cold, and he wasn’t hungry. I tried everything that I thought would calm him down. We took him to the hospital and the doctor just laughed and said, “A bad ‘im bad.”
Jennifer, 43, mother of three:
I knew that being a single mother was difficult, but I didn’t know it was worse when the child is young and wants to keep you up at nights. There were many nights when I wish I had someone to rotate baby duty with. I eventually had to get a live-in helper.
Pat, 50, mother of four:
Every child is different. I expected my children to automatically behave like myself or my husband. My firstborn has my husband’s characteristics. My third and fourth are more like my sister-in-law and brother-in-law. But God help me with the second one, because she doesn’t act like anyone in the family. I don’t know where she gets her habits from. No book prepared me for this.
