"So how's motherhood?"
During the initial stage, there isn't anything much to reply besides being kept occupied most of the time and trying to get used to the baby's schedule instead of my own.
The official maternity leave is now over and it has proven that time passes by faster than anything during the 4 months of 'baby-only' time.
I'll answer the same question again now with a totally different perspective.
Being a mother or simply put, motherhood meant putting your child above everything in life.
When she sleep during bedtime, you eat / bath / express breastmilk.
- by the time you are done, she will wake up soon again for the next feeding.
When she nap in the day, you work (clearing up all the mess made when she was awake!)
When it's her playtime, you play along and work hard being funny to keep her entertained.
When she eat, you work (feeding).
When she poot (pass motion), you work (changing diaper).
When she cries, you work (trying all means to comfort her).
The above was pretty much a daily routine for the past 4 months and everything I do, was dependent on her schedule, never mine.
- Boring as it sounded? Not exactly... as you'll be too busy to even find it boring. Every effort is worth it when she's comfortable, secured and smiley!
- Tiring as you thought? Quite! I can't remember when was the last night that I've slept through till the next morning.
Sleep hours became shorter, personal time to surf the internet, play games, random chat with friends and anything else that I used to do, also diminishes over time. Life-style changes as pubbing is definitely out of the list, chilling at night became impossible and watching movie in a cinema got downgraded to plugging into an earpiece and watching it at home.
Not trying to make motherhood sound boring but I'm sure mothers who are taking care of your own baby alone will agree with me. Most people might view this as sacrifices but I see this as an opportunity cost. The cost exchanged to spend time with my girl, to be around for every of her milestones, to provide the needed love and care for her, to keep her warm and safe, and to seeing her grow everyday.
The cost that is worth anything when she smiles back at you or reacts positively to something new that you are trying to teach her.
There were difficult times which really stresses us out when her jaundice lasted longer than the usual babies, starts vomiting after each feed, fusses every midnight and crying even after feeding, going through a minor operation and falling sick with bad nights due to stuffy nose.
These series of challenges were the toughest during Ada's 1st 4 months but it's worth all the tiredness so long as she is well, healthy and happy!
This pretty much sums up my motherhood days during her 1/4 year! Looking very forward to all the upcoming milestone and playing a part to the every '1st' in her life.
This pretty much sums up my motherhood days during her 1/4 year! Looking very forward to all the upcoming milestone and playing a part to the every '1st' in her life.
