As a first time new mom, there were so many things that all the books and all the google searches couldn’t prepare me for. The pain of labor and childbirth wasn’t even as bad as I expected it to be. It was short-lived and just needed to be endured with willpower. On the other hand, the journey of motherhood and fatherhood are for a lifetime. Once a mother, always a mother.
Prior to becoming pregnant, I was always on the go and wanting to try everything and be everywhere. I was working full-time as a teacher and just going back to school for my Masters. I took any and every opportunity and break to explore my city and travel both nationally and internationally. Pregnancy slowed me down immensely. I think God had to make me sick while I was pregnant or else I wouldn’t have slowed down until it was too late. He knew better than I. I’ve become more and more of a homebody with the birth of our son- not necessarily on purpose but out of necessity for him. He’s almost 1 month old and is the greatest gift God ever gave me. He allowed me to be the vessel to raise his child. The time I have with him is precious and we are only on borrowed time.
My brother’s can’t believe I am a mother… About 1 week postpartum one of them ask me if I feel like a mom and I really had to think reflect on that question- and my response was “No, I don’t feel like a mom–I feel like a bad baby sitter“.
There was so much truth to that statement in my inexperience of this new role: from putting on baby clothes, to breastfeeding to properly putting him in the car seat; I felt like a bad baby sitter. I knew what had to be done, I just didn’t know how to do it. We were given a baby and a pep talk at the hospital and sent on our merry way to figure out the rest. There were no instructions. Just intuition.
We have many new stories to share on our new journey…the Adventures of Mommy & Daddy.
-Medinah
