All the book reading, hospital classes, Internet research and conversations with family and friends will never fully prepare you for having a baby. There are just some things in life that you have to experience first hand, to fully understand. Having a baby is one of those things, and it’s beautiful and wonderful and unlike anything else in the world. There are many things that you learn right away, and others that take years to comprehend. Anyone who has had children will tell you it’s worth every happy, sad, frustrating and joyful moment! Here’s just a small collection of things I wish I had known before having a baby.
Source: @Maessive via Flickr
1. Undeniable Love
No one can prepare you for the instant, deep and unrelenting love that you will have for your child. Sure, you’ve used the word love to categorize many things: your favorite foods, activities and even relationships. But the love for your child is unlike any other and its as if your heart grows to twice its size when you hold your baby in your arms. Be ready for some intense love!
Source: @Or Reshef via Flickr
2. Sleep As You Knew It, Is Over
I knew that babies were known for keeping parents up at all hours of the night, but until you’ve experienced true sleep deprivation, you won’t understand just why it’s used as a form of torture! I’ve never known such exhaustion, so much so that I’d often find myself crying for no reason. Even after my daughter started sleeping through the night, it’s not uncommon to wake up out of habit, or because I think I heard her crying. I know this will only continue as she gets older and I start worrying about her being out with her friends and being on her own.
3. Time Feels Like It Is Speeding Up
There are hard times during your baby’s first year that make you wish for the future. Teething, little sleep and frustration with finding foods they eat can be trying. But trust me when I say that you will be piling up tubs of clothes they’ve outgrown in the garage before you know it. The best advice I was given was to enjoy every moment, because there will come a time when you look back and long for the days your baby fit in the crook of your arm.
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Karly Wood
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