This is the last day of our series, Motherhood: More than Meets the Eye. We hope each of our stories have blessed you and helped you in some way. If you want to catch up on all of the posts in this series, check them out here. Today we conclude with posts describing our “Day in the Life”, and I am sharing a day in the life of a new mom.
When we came home from the hospital my eyelids already needed toothpicks to hold them open. After about 36 hours in labor and then two nights of setting my clock for feedings every two hours, my body ached, and I couldn’t stop crying.
I never knew it would be this hard.
Four years earlier, as a newlywed, having a new husband to answer to, tend to, and think about rocked my world. At 32 years old, to say I was set in my ways is an understatement. My time was mine. My meals were mine. My activities were mine. I joked that I got more selfish by the day as a single woman.
But motherhood is something all it’s own.
A few months before Baby Girl was born I started going to a mom’s small group through my church. I like community, and already knew I was going to need one to help with being a new mom.
But when I showed up it was obvious that I didn’t fit in. I came wearing makeup and a cute sundress. With sandals.
I had heard about the perils of mothering an infant: not showering for days, big, droopy bags under your eyes, and clothes that no longer fit. But seeing it face-to-face, and knowing that was going to be my reality in a few short months, scared me.
I would be different, so I thought.
Right now it is ten o’clock at night. It has taken me all day to get this much written as today we had a “needy day”.
It started in the middle of the night last night. Baby Girl woke up around 3:00 a.m. which is normal, but then right before heading back to bed she spit up every. single. bit. of milk that she just drank. All over the upholstered chair in her room. And then of course she was hungry again. Her stomach hurt, too.
An hour and a half later we headed back to bed. But I couldn’t sleep. I laid there so thirsty but too tired to get up and get something to drink.
Then 6:30 a.m. came. It was time to eat again. I scooped Baby Girl up from her co-sleeper right beside our bed and this time took her to a chair in our bedroom. The chair in her nursery was still wet from where I had cleaned up the spit-up.
She ate, and I took her back to bed with me this time. She laid on my chest in the middle of the bed, and we slept until 10:00 a.m.
We had to get up then because it was time to eat again, and company was coming over at 11:30. I put Baby Girl in her Lamb’s Seat and set her in the bathroom so she could watch me brush my teeth. I also put my hair in a clip and slid on some yoga pants and a long sleeve t-shirt. I don’t have many clothes that fit right now. Including the sundress and sandals.
The rest of the day was filled with cluster feeding. She’s six weeks old today. And 30 minute bouts of napping. Finally, I put her in the Moby Wrap, and she slept on my chest just like this morning. That’s when I started this post.
Around 3:00 p.m. I managed to start baking some cookies for a Christmas gift I wanted to take my midwife tomorrow. Baby Girl sat in her swing and watched me.
I just finished the cookies. Again, it’s 10:00 p.m.
Baby Girl is finally down for the night, and I am once again pounding out the words to share this with you. My eyes barely open.
So even though it’s hard, am I complaining?
Not at all. That child asleep down the hall from me has brought me more joy in the short six weeks that I’ve physically seen her than I have ever experienced in my entire life.
And she’s already taught me so much too.
I understand a little more completely how much God truly loves me.
I realize that this world is not about me at all but a bigger story including the soul I’ve been entrusted.
I see what laying down your life – day in and day out – for another person really feels like.
I fall on my knees in prayer every day for help because I cannot do this on my own.
Baby Girl has drawn me closer to Jesus.
When she’s asleep a long time I miss her. When she grows a little more I cherish her. When she smiles with an open mouth I kiss her.
There are few words to describe motherhood without being cliche, so I won’t try. But the bottom line is that with the bigger hips, unbrushed teeth, spit-up, and new bathroom company, she is more than worth it.
I love her more than words can express.
Be sure to read “A Day in the Life” stories of all the bloggers in this series:
Christian Mommy Blogger
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