Motherhood an era I knew was coming, but did not expect to change my life forever. When you announce you are pregnant, everyone shares all these stories on what to expect when you become a mom, like all the sleepless nights or the neverending anxiety or that you will never get to go to the bathroom by yourself. But nobody ever talks about the real nitty gritty of becoming a mom. So, I figured I would share the Five Things I Wish I Knew Before Becoming a Mom; that way, you can prepare yourself for these occurrences.
The 3-Month Slump
After the first two months, you feel like you have it all together, and then suddenly, you hit this slump at month three. It feels like you and your partner are on opposite teams; you have your first big sleep regression, and you’re wondering if you will ever feel normal again.
This is totally normal. It’s the end of the ” baby honeymoon” stage, and life starts to go back to “normal,” well, your new normal. My best tips are to give yourself grace; motherhood is rewarding but tough. Stay on the same page as your spouse. Whether you do weekly meetings or daily debriefs, stay on the same page and check in with one another. Lastly, do not be afraid to try various rhythms until you find one that works for your family.
You Mourn the Old You
This one is tough. During pregnancy, you have this mindset that you will get back to “you” after you give birth. I hate to break it to you, but that “Her” will never exist again, and that is completely okay. Why?
Because you will blossom into a beautiful butterfly when you become a mom, you learn to channel a new and better version of yourself. AND it is totally okay to mourn who you once were, how you acted, the clothes you wore, and the makeup you did; that was all a part of who you were. While some of those things may bleed into the new you, be grateful in the mourning of those things that didn’t survive. Sometimes new is better.
You Will Lose Friends
Okay, I totally fell into this trap that my “friends” would still be the same after I had kids. No, no, they won’t. AND that is totally okay! God will not remove something unless he intends to replace it with something better. And let me tell you that when He removes the friends who won’t show up, He will replace them with friends who surpass showing up.
Your Career Will Change
I will just rip the bandaid off and say that becoming a mom ruined my career. BUT not in a bad sense. I had so many people tell me if I have kids young, it will ruin my career. I know they had good intentions saying this because they wanted to see me succeed on the corporate ladder, but becoming a mom helped me realize that I don’t want to climb it.
Becoming a mom gave me a new perspective on where and how I want to focus my energy, and battling the corporate ladder is not where I want to funnel my energy.
Your Heart Will Grow
Going into motherhood, you’re like, “Nahhhh I won’t be THAT mom.” The mom who always posts about her kids, the mom who doesn’t stop talking about them, the mom whose world revolves around her kids. But becoming a mom MAKES you THAT mom by default, and honestly, I love it. Why? Because my heart has grown so much since welcoming this tiny human into the world that IDGAF if Karen finds my 37 baby photos annoying.
Motherhood is a WILD journey, and if you are graced with this walk, know that 89% of the wild things you are dealing with are more than likely normal. Hopefully these Five Things I Wish I Knew Before Becoming a Mom help you prepare for the beginning of your motherhood journey. The most important tip I can give on motherhood is to take care of yourself. Read my post-partum self-care tips here. Check out the What to Expect When Expectings self-care list here.
