| A few truths about what it's really like when bringing baby home & a chance to WIN the Stop Guessing Yourself book series! Jen Singer You know how baby lotion commercials make new motherhood look so peaceful, calm and clean? Yeah, it's not always like that. Here are a few secrets about having a baby in your house that no one tells you about -- until now. #1. You May Not Fall Completely, Madly in Love with Your Newborn There, I said it. It isn't always love at first sight, and not just because, as my father says, most newborns look like Winston Churchill. Think about it: If your husband had kept you up all night with his crying and fussing when you were dating, how would that relationship have turned out? Yeah, I thought so. It's hard to bond with someone who cries all the time. (Take it from me: I had not one, but two colicky babies.) Yet it's also tough to get to know someone who sleeps all the time. So if you're not feeling the love, know that it's okay -- normal, even -- and that better things are to come... like Baby's first smile, or your first full night of sleep. Hang in there. Eventually, you'll fall in like and in love.  #2 Breastfeeding Can Take Work. It's hard to imagine that something that's so natural can feel so unnatural, but for some new moms, that's the case. When it comes to breastfeeding, some mothers need practice and patience. Others never get the hang of it and give up. Frankly, if and when you decide to switch to bottlefeeding is your business. But if you decide to give it a go, make sure you arm yourself with the resources you need to get through the rough spots, such as: the phone number of a lactation specialist, pamphlets, books, websites and a good friend who's willing to coach you. Take it a day -- or even an hour -- at a time in the early days, and it will likely get easier over time.
#3 Daddy Isn't Going to Have the Same Experience as You You're both the parents of the same baby, and yet, it appears that the father of your child doesn't exactly feel like you do. Either he's completely confounded by the car seat, or maybe he's a far superior diaperer. And there's scientific proof that sleeping men generally don't hear crying babies. Really. I've witnessed far too many new mothers dismiss their husbands as useless clods, pushing them out of parenting little by little until Daddy simply gives up. And then you know what happens? Mommy winds up with the bulk of the work while Daddy watches March Madness ... |
