6 Lessons I've Learned in 6 Weeks or So: Sleeplessness, "SIDS", and So Much More!

Forgive me, Bloggers (and blog readers) it's been over a month since my last blog. I wanted to blog more often, but you see the thing is...I had a baby. I used to blog most often when I had insomnia, and that seems to be a rare thing when you have a newborn in your house.

Whenever your baby will sleep at night, you usually try to sleep. And, whenever your baby will sleep during the day, you want to sleep too...only, you have these other things that come up like: Eating, Showering, Using the Restroom, Housework, and Socializing with other humans. They weren't lying when they warned us. Let me just come out and say it, I definitely miss sleep.

So, to kick off the "6 Lessons I've Learned".....

#6- Your life will truly never be the same after having a baby (and that means...don't count on sleeping 8 hours or more at night for the forseeable future).

It's hard on the mom...you're trying to recover from labor & delivery, 9 or so months of pregnancy, and if you are planning to nurse it can be worse. I know all about the numerous benefits of nursing, but I wasn't really aware of the challenges. That brings me to my next lesson...

#5- It's alot of pressure to be not only the person responsible for carrying your child inside of you, but also the one solely in charge of their nourishment for awhile!

New moms out there- I'm being honest here, nursing was extremely difficult and highly frustrating for me in the beginning. I totally understand why many women get discouraged! It is A LOT of pressure, especially when the nurses give you any indication that your baby is not perfectly healthy.

Being a new parent, in general, can definitely cause a lot of anxiety. I'll never forget one of the funniest things that my husband said to me in the early weeks. As we're getting into bed one night he says, "I found out what SIDS stands for"...."Oh, yeah?"...."Scared Inexperienced Daddy Syndrome." It's funny because it's true.

In the first weeks (okay, sometimes still now), we would lie in bed awake listening to Josiah breathe, jump up out of bed if he made a funny sound. "Was that a sneeze? A hiccup? A cough? Is he spitting up?" This also reminded me of how Josh used to check on me at night, after we first got married, to make sure that I was breathing. Which brings me to my next lesson...

#4- My husband is incredible. I am so utterly blessed. He is an amazing partner & father.

And, my next one as well...

#3- It's completely normal to, on occasion, be totally freaked out about being a new parent.

I think Josh and I take turns being freaked out. I've realized quickly that there are so many things I took for granted or didn't understand before. It's easy to look at parents and make judgements when you have no clue what they're going through. I can also say with full certainty that no amount of babysitting or nieces & nephews prepared me for this.

#2- You may feel a bit like a superhero after giving birth. Although it's a bit more like Wonderwoman after she's taken a major beating...it's still a confidence booster. : )

I think it's one of those things in life that makes you feel like, "If I can do this, I can do anything." And, no wonder my mother is such an incredibly strong woman of God...she's done this 5 times!!

And, lastly, the most important...

#1- Everything we have been through, are going through, or will go through is all worth it for the adorable little guy that is now in our lives. We are so thankful.

"Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his dwelling place. Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let them say among the nations, "The Lord reigns!" Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever." (1 Chronicles 16:8, 9, 24, 27, 31, 34 NIV)