It’s So Much More Than Sleepless Nights

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Hey there, Pregnant Mama.

I was just like you not so long ago, anxiously awaiting the arrival of my first baby. I spent my days rubbing my giant belly, taking bump photos in the bathroom mirror, and daydreaming about what life would be like after he arrived.

So much more than sleepless nights
Being pregnant makes you a magnet for advice, doesn’t it? You’ve probably heard many of the same things I was told constantly over those nine months. I heard stories of colicky babies crying inconsolably for hours at a time. I heard tales of babies who woke up every hour and a half for years, affording the parents neverending sleepless nights. I was encouraged to take as much time to myself, because my life would essentially be over as soon as the baby came. And the hormones? Well, I could expect to be an emotional wreck.

It was a whole lot of doom and gloom from people who were probably well-intentioned…but it was all rather discouraging.

Now that I’m on the other side, I’m finding out many of these things firsthand, the way that you will soon. Yes, I’m more sleep deprived than I used to be. Yes, my baby’s cries can sometimes drive me nuts. And yes, my alone time has all but been eliminated. But that is only a small part of the story.

You see, those advice-givers forgot to mention all of the amazing things about your first few weeks as a new mother. Perhaps it was just too long ago for them to remember. But it’s all still fresh to me, and I want you to know some of the beautiful things you have to look forward to.

Here is only a small handful of the amazing things I didn’t know:

  • How quickly I would memorize his face and recognize his cries
  • How good it feels to be the only one he wants
  • How privileged I would feel to be his mama when he looks me in the eye
  • How much more I would love my husband, watching him be a dad
  • How I wouldn’t miss being pregnant at all
  • How quickly time spent with him would pass vs. time spent with other people’s babies
  • How I’d still be able to squeeze in a small amount of Me Time
  • How proud of him I would be, wanting everyone to see and hold him
  • How quickly life with him would become the norm
  • How good he would smell from the very beginning
  • How supportive our family and friends would be right away
  • How grateful I would be for Google
  • How much more I would instantly appreciate little things (like a hot shower, or a cup of coffee)

You will have your own unique experience when your little one arrives. Maybe some of these will ring true for you as well, or maybe you’ll find your own magic. But I guarantee that magic will be there. Take the time to soak it in, commit it to memory, and pass along some of those joyful experiences to pregnant mamas later.

Your turn is coming soon. You’ll see–it’s so much more than sleepless nights.

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