The Breaking Light

… about having a newborn. Ezri is about 4.5 months old now, and recently I’ve been looking back at the early days when we first had her home with us. So, this week’s blog is going to be a different format!

1) Sleep deprivation…

… is a very real and hard thing. Maybe it was just Ezri as a newborn, but she had NO sleep schedule, no pattern, nothing. So there would be times where I was up for hours on end throughout the night trying to get her to sleep. And it was not easy, but it definitely doesn’t last forever. My body is now very used to getting up with her and it’s a lot easier than it was.

2) Cluster feeding…

… is a good thing!! It means your little one is growing and helping your supply come in more. Just be ready to feed her, at times, maybe every 30-45 minutes. It might hard, but it won’t last forever!!

3) Try to sleep…

… when your baby sleeps. Everyone will tell you this and it’s so true. Sleeping when your little one sleeps is so important. You will be tired, and that’s ok. Rest when you can. You will be an even better mama taking care of yourself so you can take care of your baby.

4) Being in your pajamas all day…

… isn’t a bad thing. Honestly, for the first few weeks of your baby’s life, all that matters is being comfortable. You can dress up again soon, but take it easy. Your body just went through an incredibly tough thing and is still healing. You need to be comfortable, so just take it all day by day.

5) You and your husband…

… might feel like roommates for bit. Having a newborn home requires all of your energy, time, and focus. It’s SO hard to continually pour into each other when you’re pouring so much into your baby. So yeah, you and your husband might feel like roommates at first. But that’s ok! It won’t last forever, and you’ll eventually get the hang of it.

6) Your baby is discovering new things…

… ALL the time! Even at 4 weeks old, your baby is already becoming who they really are! You can see them developing a personality, and watching them discover new things is the best feeling… even if all they did was just find their hands. As a parent, it’s amazing to see that.

7) You might be late…

… to a LOT of things! It’s hard to get into a rhythm at first. Your baby will be eating a lot! So, you might be ready to go somewhere, but then your baby needs to eat right then and there! Take it easy on yourself, you are learning more about your baby every day and their needs. If you think you’re giving yourself plenty of time to get ready, maybe give yourself an extra 30 minutes just in case.

8) Bonding isn’t always immediate…

… and that’s OK! It’s ok to not feel bonded or connected to your baby at first. It’s ok that it takes time and it’s ok to feel sad and frustrated about it. In fact, it’s more than ok! Do whatever you need to do… skin to skin, tons of cuddles, anything. I promise you will feel bonded to your baby soon and that it won’t be like that forever.

9) Finding little ways to take care of yourself…

… is important. All of your time, energy, and emotions will be put into your little bundle of joy. Before you know it you might feel very burnt out. Then you’ll realize you haven’t washed your hair in days, that your shirt is still covered in spit up, and that you forgot to brush your teeth or put on deodorant that day. It’s so important to do things for yourself, even if it’s just one little thing each day that makes you feel like you. Because pouring into yourself makes it so you can continually pour into your baby.

10) The difficult times won’t last forever…

… but neither will everything else. You might be thinking at 3am in the morning how excited you’ll be that your baby will be older and you can get more sleep. But then you’ll blink… and all of a sudden you won’t have a newborn anymore. The newborn stage isn’t always easy. It can be scary, lonely, and sad… and that’s ok. But don’t take a second of it for granted. Your baby will grow so quick, and all you’ll have is pictures and videos of how little they once were.

Mama, it doesn’t last forever. Just snuggle your newborn a little longer.

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