Ten things I learned when I gave birth to my first child

 

In the run-up to my son's birth almost sixteen years ago, I collected so many baby books and parenting manuals I could have opened my own store.

A rote learner, I sat with a highlighter in my hand most nights and carefully marked anything I thought was of supreme importance , but which I feared I might forget once the baby actually arrived.

Books, post-its, pamphlets, leaflets, pre-natal classes - the literature and information I had accumulated in the nine months prior to Christopher's arrival allowed me to assume I was ready for anything and everything this baby could throw at me.

Motherhood? I had it all sewn up.

Or so I thought.

As I quickly discovered, no amount of literature can prepare you for the life-changing event that is giving birth to another human being and there are certain things which you will only discover once your infant is safely ensconsed in your home.

As a mum-of-four, the things I've learned since becoming a mother are innumerable, but none have had as big an impact on me than those learned during my first foray into motherhood at the turn of the millenium.


1. NOTHING in life will ever give you more relief than the moment you hear your newborn cry for the first time.

“Ten fingers, ten toes and a hearty pair of lungs by the sounds of things.”



2. Your child's pain instantly becomes your pain, and sometimes it's an actual physical sensation.

“Mummy's taking your owie from you, baby.”



3. Your protective streak and sense of loyalty intensifies beyond all measure once you become a mum.

“I have super-human strenght and I'm not afraid to use it.”



4. The meaning of love takes on a whole other meaning.

You THOUGHT you knew before but you had NO idea, am I right?



5. Dangers lurks around every corner, and you can sense it a mile off.

“ Trust me, I'm right on this one.”



6. You can now function on two hours sleep when you struggled to operate on seven before.

“A whole three hours last night!”



7.You suddenly see your partner in a completely different light

And he definitely sees you in one.



8. If you thought you were a worrier before motherhood, the arrival of a baby will confirm it.

“I can't help it! Don't make me explain it!”



9. Poo is nowhere near as gross as you once thought, even when you're picking it off your face.

“Every time, and I still don't care.”



10. Watching your baby search for your face – and only your face - is the moment you never knew you'd been waiting for.

“Oh Lord, my heart.”