Okay, yeah. I knew parenthood was no walk in the park, but boy was I in for a surprise when my little one was born!
These are 10 things I learned as a first-time Parent. Any of these ring a bell?
First Time Parent 101
- The sleep deprivation is REAL! You don’t sleep longer than 2 hours at a time for the first week or so.
- “Sleep when the baby sleeps” sounds nice, but it doesn’t happen unless you have magical fairies to tend to your house and bathe you in your sleep.
- Your baby will look like a potato right after she is born. A really cute potato, but still a potato.
- You will voluntarily catch baby puke in your hand. Hands are easier to clean than carpets, you know!
- After a while, you’ll be able to make dinner with one hand.
- All those nursery rhymes that you haven’t heard since you were little come right back! You won’t get them out of your head! I caught myself humming “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” many a time while doing dishes.
- Germs stop being a huge phobia after they learn to put things in their mouths. My little girl was DETERMINED to taste anything she could get her tiny hands on.
- The baby does NOT need the crazy, overly-complicated, baby rocker/bouncer/music thing. Yes, they are nice, but she will be just fine without it. Although, a swing or baby bouncer IS nice…
- Reflux is real and it is AWFUL! My little one was 3 weeks old when her reflux set in and the only thing that helped her was holding her upright for half an hour after she ate and rubbing essential oil on her tummy and feet twice a day to support her digestive health.
- You will love that baby with all of your heart – fiercely. Nothing in the world can prepare you for the love you will feel towards that sweet bundle. Embrace the sleepless nights and know that they won’t last forever.
Now pass the coffee maker… we drink it by the half gallon.
