So, you suddenly find yourself a mother (well not exactly suddenly...assuming you have known about it for a few months or so). You can survive motherhood. Being a mother is a miracle. It is the greatest event you will ever experience, even if you're still at the very sore stage that you're not really too sure about this. First let me say congratulations if you are a new mother (or not so new mother).
Since we've been children, we have an idea of how being a mother will be. That picture in our mind didn't include stitches, bruises, sore bones and everything else. There's milk coming from your breasts, a lot of tears coming from your eyes and your head is probably a little foggy. Your life as you knew it is over...yet your life has just begun. Having a baby is like entering a carnival fun house, except this fun house is actually your home. The first year of motherhood is a lot about making yourself comfortable in your own home. You will feel the aftershock of motherhood in many ways including your sex life, shoe size, bra size, career and car choice. Nothing will ever be the same. It may be more difficult but it will certainly be more wonderful.
Don't spend one more calorie of energy worrying about what an amateur you are at parenting and whether you are capable of taking care of an infant. Most mothers wouldn't hesitate to bite off their own arm if it would provide comfort to their crying babies but ask them to treat themselves to a bubble bath or an afternoon nap and they think you are just ridiculous. It's like a race you just keep running in a big circle where there is no start or finish line...just a circle to get through each and every day a little smoother. Take a break now and then. You deserve that bubble bath. The laundry will still be there after your 20 minutes in heaven. Trust me...it does not do itself and all cleaning will wait for you. It's very predictable in that way.
The first year of motherhood can knock us all on our butt and almost over the edge but there's always someone that's been through it to offer guidance and advice. You will learn to live on little or no sleep and you will learn to get the nursing thing worked out. It's no surprise your husband, boyfriend or non existent lover is feeling little or no pain...you are the mother, you get all the gifts, good and bad. Someone once told me, 'Don't stand when you can sit, don't sit when you can lie down and don't stay awake when you can sleep.'
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