NO ONE WARNED ME: PART 3.

Hey there, thanks for coming back to read some more about the joys of “mamahood".

Before becoming a momma & a lifeline for another human being, no one warned me about how utterly weird being a parent would be. Let’s keep it real here, there are some things you just can’t prepare for. Even if people did warn me about some of the weird aspects of parenthood, I probably would’ve never believed them. Some things you just have to find out for yourself. It’s all a part of the journey.

No one ever said you had to ride this journey alone, so I’m here to help. Yes, becoming a super hero - I mean “mom”, has it’s weird moments, but plenty of women before you have survived, myself included (so far). So, I am here to share my experiences & hopefully pass along a few tips & tricks to help. Please keep in mind, every baby is different, so be prepared to try different things in order to find what works best for you & your little one.

Before becoming a momma, I knew that little ones needed to be burped during and after feeding times. Seems simple enough. However,

no one warned me before becoming a mom that there would be times in the late night hours that I would desperately long to hear a tiny burp. The fact of the matter is, some babies are just hard to burp. Mine just so happens to be one of them. Here’s a warning for all of you expecting momma’s out there, get prepared! Do the research! Do yourself a favor and save some time later by searching different tricks & ways to burp babies, now. Here’s another tip: if you have a little one that struggles in this particular area, Mylicon gas drops will become your best friend (generic brands work as well).

Maybe I’m just a weird mom, or person in general, but no one warned before I became a mom that I would constantly be messing with our home thermostat. l have found it basically impossible to find the perfect temperature for my new bundle of joy. Yes, I’ll admit it. I’m that mom who always thinks their child is cold and overcompensates with way too many layers of clothing. Before becoming a mom, I never knew that was something I would ever have to worry about. So, if you see my kid dressed for winter in 70’ degree weather, don’t judge. I’m still learning.

It’s a running joke with experienced momma’s that first time momma’s tend to be total “germaphobes”. I was no exception to the rule. I was completely prepared to be constantly sanitizing & washing. What no one warned me was that because of all the hand washing & sanitizing, my hands would constantly be cracked & ashy. At one point, they got so bad that they began to really hurt. So, here’s a tip that a fellow friend shared with me: keep a bottle of lotion in every room. It also wouldn’t hurt to keep a bottle or two in your diaper bag. Trust me, you’ll thank me later!

Speaking of washing, no one ever earned me that bathing a slippery newborn would be one of the scariest experiences those first weeks of life with a newborn. On top of that, no one told me that trying to wrap a baby in a towel after bath time would be so freaking difficult! So here’s a tip for those who struggle with something you’d think would be so simple. I’ve learned to keep a towel laid out on a playmat right next to the sink or tub so that I can just move her from the sink/tub straight to the towel, instead of trying to hold a wet/slippery baby in one hand while trying to wrap her with the towel in the other. I’m sure none of that statement makes any sense, but if you’ve been there, you know my struggle. If you had an easier time, kudos to you my friend. Send some luck my way!

Here’s one more weird experience I have to share that I never expected to go through. I’m a 23 year old momma. Some would say, I’m in my prime. If you believe that, bless your heart. Somebody forgot to notify my knees and back that I’m still in my so called “youth”. No one ever warned me how physically impossible it would be to try and get up off the floor with a baby in my arms. If/when I manage to accomplish this not so simple task, I promise you, it’s not a pretty show. I apologize if you have ever had to witness it.

Bottom line, being a momma/parent is just plain weird and I have a feeling things are only going to get weirder. I’m embracing the weirdness & enjoying the ride. I hope you learn to do the same. Try and remember that every baby is different, so be prepared to try different things to find out what works best for you and baby. You’ll figure it out & do what’s best for your little one. Remember you were chosen, momma.