3 minute read | by Tiffany B., new mom and CBR employee of 9 years
As a first time mom, I was caught off guard with the sheer volume of new emotions and feelings I have never experienced before. Having a baby changes the way you experience the world instantly—at least it did for me. Two weeks prior to my due date, I delivered a healthy 6 lb., 15 oz. & 18.5-inch-long baby boy we named Jayce. My husband and I expected that the new parent instincts and intuition would kick in.
We found it did not come naturally, but we have survived and are learning something new every day. Those first few days at home were such long days, but looking back, they were a blur at the same time.
Once your baby is here, it’s surprising how much you experience in such a short amount of time. As my first Mother’s Day as a mama is just around the corner, I’ve learned several things along the way that I want to share:
1. The unconditional love is real
How can you love and care for someone you just met and hardly know? Easy. One glance from those adoring eyes, or a smile as I hold him melts my heart and whisks me away to this deeper understanding of what love means to me.
2. Delivery and recovery after birth is no joke
In speaking to other mothers, I realized that no birth story or experience is the same (which is wild for me to wrap my brain around). At the end of the day, we all accomplished the exact same thing—delivering a child and becoming a mother—but our journeys are so different. I find it mind-blowing how special it is to become a mother, and how unique the journey can be.
3. It truly does take a village
There is a special connection when you can relate to another mom by simply being pregnant, giving birth, or figuring out motherhood. I was fortunate enough to have a close friend pregnant at the same time (her son was born three days after Jayce). It was nice to get out of the house to meet and to have someone to say things like “I had no idea babies did that!”.
We inadvertently started a new moms club. It happened organically and was truly amazing. Another friend who gave birth two months after us started joining us on outings. While out shopping one day, we randomly helped an expecting couple decide on which stroller was the best choice. She gave birth in February and is now part of our “New Mom Crew.”
It’s amazing how supportive and helpful other new moms can be to one another. We talk about our approaches, the newest trends in parenting, our choices that we’ve invested in for the future of our babies and their health (yes, we preserved his cord blood and cord tissue!). You name it, we’ve talked about it. This community has become invaluable in building my confidence as a mom, as we share similar experience, questioning, and provide input to each other.
4. There’s no shortage of advice
While I was pregnant, every mom I met had advice. I’m now going to share mine. Listen to the suggestions and stories, and take away what you need from it for your journey.
Listen to your gut. Your instincts to protect you and your baby started the moment you found out you were pregnant. Sleep while you can. Take moments for just you to decompress. Remember, you’re preparing for a whole new life ahead of you, so cut yourself some slack. Sometimes, it’s enough to know you’ve gotten through the day!
5. It’s all about the baby
Six months have gone by and, man, have our lives changed! We know all the words to songs in popular children’s programs, I am now an experienced nursery rhyme singer, and my husband has almost 50 different bedtime story voices to choose from. Surviving on little sleep, daily talks about poop, getting tiny arms into even tinier sleeves, and consoling a hangry baby is truly an art form, but I wouldn’t have it any other way!
Wishing a Happy Mother’s Day to all the mamas and mamas-to-be out there. We’re creating something awesome.
-Tiffany