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Unprepared for motherhood

Discussion forum for parents in Australia

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GrhRo

Unprepared for motherhood

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Great little personal story from Clementine Ford in the Sydney Morning Herald about her feelings and fears becoming a first time mum.

 

I can relate. Anyone else go through similar ..?

 

http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/news-and-views/why-having-a-baby-was-the-most-reckless-thing-ive-eve...

Super contributor
Ngaio-RO

Re: Unprepared for motherhood

I absolutely do @GrhRo In fact, I'm yet to meet somene who claims to have been fully prepared for it. 

I still clearly remember calling my mum in the middle of the night, holding the phone agaist the mouth of my crying newborn and yelling "What's wrong with her? What does she want?" I remember feeling so annoyed at my mum that she didn't know. 

 

Weirdly, it was arounnd that same time, to celebrate that birth, my mum gave me a card with that Elizabeth Stone quote on it ""making the decision to have a baby is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body". Which I loved.

 

 

Prolific scribe
Lily17

Re: Unprepared for motherhood

Absolutely not. My 2 came home 3 mths old. We'd already been bathing changing feeding for a few wks but I remember sitting down on the bed beside them thinking what on earth do I do with you now???

 

No need for a baby monitor -they sounded like farm animals..

 

I'd been surrounded by babies my whole life but then I realised I can't give these guys back. uh oh

 

Bottles I'd needed 12 a day. They were in prem nappies (very exy and hard to find) OMG and they fit into cabbage patch clothes..

 

I'd see a happy adjusted (apparently) mother and baby.. I asked her what meds she was taking and where she got them..

 

Sleep? well I was unprepared for them coming home in a 4 hr routine, but very unprepared for projectile vomit from both at the same time..

 

I think it is the only thing you cannot prepare for emotionally mentally or physically.

 

I look forward to my grandkids.. only because I can  give  them   back..

Super star contributor
taokat

Re: Unprepared for motherhood

I must admit I had it pretty good @GrhRo - mine slept 9 hours through the night plus 2 day sleeps, then 12 hours nightly, but dropped a day sleep. I do remember however bawling one day as she was crying and I couldn't settle her. My neighbours mother was there and she came over and gave me a hug and said this is motherhood. So the crying I wasn't prepared for. I wasn't prepared for the emotional connection, it's so strong!!

 

@Lily17, I'm sorry but I couldn't help but have a laugh reading your comment. The vomiting, oh yeah. Mine lived in onesies, never any dress ups, because she spewed ALL the time, I went through bibs like you wouldn't believe. She always smelt like vomit! Twins would've been twice as much fun! Smiley Frustrated