6 Things That Surprised Me The Most As A New Mom

1. Being able to fall completely head-over-heels in love with someone within seconds of meeting them – I’ve heard of “love at first sight,” but… never realized just how accurate of a description it really was. When my son was handed to me, I fell – and I definitely fell hard. In that one single moment, everything changed. 

2. How easily you forget about labor and delivery – apparently scaring pregnant first-time moms is a rite of passage these days. Ask me how I know this. I was petrified of labor and delivery. It doesn’t last long, though – it has a clear beginning and end. You can work through it. I’m not discounting the fact that it’s one of the most painful experiences you’ll ever go through, but when you meet your brand new baby for the first time, it makes it all worthwhile. 

3. That it is possible to function on next to no sleep – I seriously didn’t think I’d survive those first few months – only sleeping for 2-3 hours at a time because newborns eat around the clock– but somehow I did. I couldn’t believe it, but it’s definitely possible. New moms cross that threshold every day from not sleeping for more than a few hours at a time to sleeping through the night. 

4. How quickly babies grow up – probably silly, but I watched the scale go up at each one of his well visit appointments at 2 weeks, 1 month, 2 months, 4 months… I was in awe by it. Every two or so months, I was cleaning out his dresser – taking smaller clothes out and putting larger clothes in. That cycle is just now starting to slow down.

5. The way things start to fall into place – it didn’t take long for things to get to the point where he would cry and I would instantaneously know what he needed. At 4am, I knew he was hungry. At 7am, I knew he needed changed. It got to the point where it was no longer trial and error and we had the very beginning of some semblance of a schedule. 

6. How many changes your body goes through – some amazing and others obnoxious. The whole idea of growing a baby… Obviously, experiencing it is so much different than reading about it. The idea that your body can produce milk to feed said baby… Oh, and don’t even get me started about everything that happens during your first six weeks postpartum. 

Were there things that surprised you when you became a mom for the first time – things that you weren’t expecting? Leave a comment and share your list. I can’t wait to read it.  

Written by: Cristi Wuenschel