fear. worry. panic

I realized one thing, well many, but this one that really stood out and became clear to me today,  eight months later...... that we fear, worry and panic as new mothers.
At least I did.

I  feared the drive home from the hospital, was he too hot , too cold, was his head okay like that on these bumpy roads??? Once home, I even took him into the sunlight , because he looked a little jaundice to me. (our hospital room was so dark, felt like we were in a cave for 5 days!!) 

 I could go on and on about all sorts of things  I feared and worried about on those first few days, weeks, months.  I realized today that with babies things change so quickly from minute to minute that basically it's better to stay calm and test things out. For example I remember switching from the breast shields to the actual breast, I would do so for one feeding only at first.... and lets face it after 2 weeks of shields the baby had no idea what nipples felt like,  so at first he didn't latch on . I panicked, would I have to use these things forever?  All sorts of terrible thoughts of worry ran through my exhausted head!!! Only to have Lewis later on that same day take to the breast with no trouble at all!!!   I had spent my entire day worrying trying to figure out a solution, racking my brain with the whole thing and then boom before I knew it,  it solved itself.  

My point to all this is that today I realize babies are a little like  dogs... who better knows dogs than  Cesare Milan. (I LOVE this guy) he says dogs live in the moment, and I think it's so true for babies too.!!! They don't hold grudges, they don't remember the crying spell they had ten minutes ago. They live in the now. We have a lot to learn from that.  I do.  I realized that if I would take things as they came more,  I would have been a lot less stressed.  I know Lewis needs to feed before his naps... so if I'm heading out for a stroll  I'll try to feed him before heading out and sometimes he won't drink right away.... I'll try literally a couple of  minutes later and he's drinking full force.  One moment to the next.   So I've learnt to go at his pace too...I think that was one of the hardest things for me to adapt to.   I've always been the type to pick up and go... and well with a baby there is planning, timing, and lots of gear!  So much to think about that by the time you actually get out  it's 2 hours later! All my mom friends whose children are,  well no longer babies,  all tell me it'll get easier... 
So lets hang in there mommies... one minute at a time !!!


Till the next blog,
Happy minutes!
L&L