Lessons on Motherhood So Far

Motherhood has taught me so much in just five and a half months. I thought I would share what I have learned so far about being a mommy. So here are a few things in random order.

On delivering baby:

It's always good to be prepared, but if you have your hopes set high to deliver naturally and end up having a C-section, remember it's OKAY. I wish I had more knowledge about the C-section beforehand, but I didn't. Basically, my advice is, it may not be EXACTLY what you planned.

On feeding baby:

It's not the end of the world if you don't nurse or physically cannot nurse.

I tried to nurse Jackson for about a week before I finally decided to bottle feed. It was definitely a challenge and the most emotional thing. The more I thought about the pros and cons about it all, we resulted to the bottle. It's definitely personal preference. For us, it was so much easier to mix that Similac in bottles, warm it and that's it. :) Jackson is happy and we are happy. That's our goal.

On changing diapers:

Change the diaper QUICK, because the baby will definitely pee on you. Many times. HA! I've learned from experience. Secondly, it has to be said. Blowouts WILL happen! Just laugh it off after baby is changed. HA!

Also, changing Jackson's diaper is good bonding time for us because he looks up at me while I sing songs, recite "five little monkeys" or "five little pumpkins," and make him laugh.

On baby clothes:

Babies grow. Fast. Of course it's a necessity and need to have clothes for newborns, but once Jackson hit three months old, he has been growing like a weed.

All brands vary in sizes. Carter's brand fits different from Little Me, Gerber, etc.

On baby's schedule:

I totally recommend BABY WISE!!! I didn't follow BabyWise until Jackson was a little over two months. He slept in the Fisher-Price Rock 'n Play in our bedroom. He really loved it, but then he kept waking up several times a night, I realized he was eventually going to grow out of it, and we definitely wanted Jackson to get good use out of the crib. He sleeps through the night, which I think every parent rejoices when that happens for the first time. Can I get a "Hallelujah!"

On traveling with baby:

It's obvious that you need plenty of diapers, wipes, and formula for the road. I guess my main advice for traveling is to not rush getting to your destination. Jackson is a very good traveler as far as I know. We have taken him on a few road trips and he has been very happy and sleepy during the trip. I like to pack plastic sacks and plastic Ziploc bags in case we need them.

I will try to update this every few months on my own "lessons on motherhood," but I will say it has been the most joyous five and a half months of my life as a wife and mom. There have been crazy moments, and there have been hard moments, but most of all, it's all been wonderful, special, and so memorable. I never knew how much I would love Jackson until I met him and held him for the very first time. I try to make the most out of every day and that's a big key. Give everything to God and He will help you for sure! :) Happy days!
 

So...that's it for now, Mamas! :) Most of this info was a helpful reminder for myself, but I hope I helped a little bit. Sometimes it's easy to forget the "obvious" things about having a baby. It's good to be reminded about these things. :)

May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance. 2 Thessalonians 3:5