The Trials and Tribulations of Mommy-hood: The Newborn Files

I don’t think anyone’s constant advice over the 9 months of my pregnancy could have prepared me for what was to come during the newborn phase.  When I say my world was turned upside down by a 5lb 14oz baby — I AM NOT EXAGGERATING.

We spent 3 nights in the hospital because I had a scheduled C-Section and I just remember so vividly thinking to myself — How am I going to do this when I get home? lol.  Don’t get me wrong, I was loving EVERY MINUTE with my baby, but the reality was setting in that they aren’t easy.  Daniella would cry and cry all the time in the hospital and the nurses would say you have to swaddle her or do this and that.  I explained to them that I tried it and it didn’t work.  One night we were so desperate for sleep that we allowed the nurses to take her to the nursery so we could get an hour or two of sleep.  In that moment, I felt like the worst mom in the world because I felt like I was sending my daughter away.  But the fact of the matter is, how can I be a good mom, if I don’t have the right amount of rest and emotional stability myself?  You can’t.

When we left the hospital, we immediately went to the train station to pick up my mom who was coming in for a week to help us with our precious newborn.  THANK.THE.LORD my mom came in.  That first night was so difficult.  Babies have their night and days mixed up when they first come out, Daniella would sleep all day long and would stay up all night.  At 5 am that first night, I remember sending my husband upstairs to wake my mom up because nothing we were doing was working to get her to sleep.  My mom came down and was able to get her to sleep.  And while she did that, I went into the bathroom and cried…. In that very moment, I knew this was going to be the most rewarding yet most challenging time of our lives.

Clearly we survived the newborn stage but below are a few tips that really worked for me that I hope can potentially help other new mommies:

1. SLEEP WHEN THEY SLEEP — I never freaking understood why people said that.  In my mind, I probably thought babies slept all the time.  They do just not at the times you need them.  So when they fall asleep, you take your ass right onto sleep with them!  You are a new mommy and need just as much rest otherwise you will eventually go insane
2. GET THEM ON A SCHEDULE — I read an article by this mom who said what helped her newborn get their nights/days adjusted and sleep through the night was getting them on a schedule.  So many moms find this controversial because they say a baby that young shouldn’t be on a schedule.  Well guess the fuck what?  I put Daniella on a simple schedule at 3 weeks old.  She started sleeping through the night by 5 weeks. Maybe we were lucky, I don’t know.  But in my heart, I believe it was getting her on a schedule.  And to this day at 11 1/2 months, she still sleeps through the night.  Below is a sample of the schedule we used from http://www.hashtagmotherhood.com:
3. DON’T COMPARE BABIES — What one child is doing at 2 months, your baby might not do until 4 months.  Every baby is different and beats to their own drum.  Please remember that because you will mind fuck yourself every day if your more worried about what other babies are doing than what is right in front of you.  I am a prime example!
4. FOLLOW YOUR MOMMY GUT — The absolute best advice I could give a new mommy going through the newborn stage is follow your gut.  If you think something is wrong, call the doctor — no one is judging you!  I probably called the doctor 50 times in the first few months and guess what I am not ashamed.  For me, I followed my gut and gave my daughter formula instead of breast feeding.  For me, I was not interested in breastfeeding.  I had to go back to work at 8 weeks (gotta love the Federal Government) and I just didnt want to!!!  Guess what — my daughter turned out just fine by drinking formula!  Now my wallet didn’t because she drinks the ready to feed version but we survived lol.  My point is — You are the mommy!  You know whats best for you and your baby.  Don’t let anyone ever tell you differently.

To all the mommies currently going through the newborn phase, it’s hard but enjoy it because the first year flies by so fast.  I miss my little peanut who didn’t mind getting changed and would sit so quietly.  My daughter now won’t sit still — but I love that too 🙂

Until Next Time…

 

My Greatest Accomplishment — Daniella Jade

So as my daughter approaches her 1st birthday, I can’t help but sit back and reminsce on this past year.

Up until I got pregnant, I always thought my greatest accomplishment was my career and relationships I built with my husband, family and friends.  Little did I know that my TRUE greatest accomplishment would arrive on December 1, 2016.

My husband and I were 32 and 33 when we conceived so we were already very comfortable with the lives we had built.  We both are in thriving careers, our health and have traveled the world.  But I was very eager to add to our family to make it complete.  We conceived in MArch of 2016 after ONE MONTH of trying.  Honestly, I was expecting the worse we started trying for our daughter.  I’ve heard these stories from women who were in great health who struggled to conceive for months and even some years.  So imagine my surprise when my pregnancy test said PREGNANT!  Let me pause for a second and tell you the hilarious story of how we found out we were pregnant.

It was a normal day like any other.  We both went to work and came home exhausted and tired which is nothing new!  I took a pregnancy test bc I was a bit more tired than normal (and honestly I was ready to get pregnant so I was tracking my shit!!).  Instead of waiting for the test to be done, I ended up falling asleep on the couch for 2 hours or so!  When I got up my husband said “It’s Friday, lets have a drink”.  Of course, I said break open the Prosecco.  So there we are drinking away on a Friday and having a good time like always.  I had to pee so bad so I get up and walk into the bathroom and just happen to look down at the counter where my cheap $1.00 pregnancy test is laying and clear as day there are two lines!  I had to do a double take.  Then I immediately panicked because I was already 1.5 bottles of prosecco in.  I walk outside to where my husband is and show him the test.  In his drunken stuper he didnt understand what it meant.  In fact I will never forget him saying “what the fuck is this?  I don’t understand two lines, Audra.  I need to see pregnant or not pregnant”. LOL.  Well, we were stationed in italy and at this time everything is closed so we had to wait until the Morning to go on base to get a digital test just for him and sure enough it says PREGNANT! To say we were shocked is an understatement.

Fast forward 9 months (6 months of those 9 with horrendous swollen feet and morning sickness), my precious daughter, Daniella Jade, makes her grand arrival into the world and my life hasn’t been the same since.

When someone asks me what my greatest accomplishment is now, I don’t even hesitate when I say my daughter.  My life will never be the same and I can’t imagine it without her in it.  So this blog post is for you my precious baby!  I love you more to infinity X2!

PS — I am going to do a few blog posts today about my first year as a mommy so I apologize in advance for the mommy blog overload!