Motherhood - the journey begins…

I am a fortnight old mom today. Yeah…few days back, I was blessed with a little prince charming (who is yet to be named) and life changed the very moment.  

The nine months seemed like a long, long time and transformed me into a test tube with various chemical and hormonal changes happening all the time. Towards the 9^th month, my irritation reached its heights and I often told Mr. Hubby, “It feels like I have been pregnant for years!” The calm and patient guy he is, he would be his pacifying best as he replied, “It’s a phase and a tapasya and this too shall pass.” I would roll my eyes and wonder that it’s easier said and done and secretly wished fathers should be made to carry the child atleast 2 out of the nine month gestation.

I also realised it wasn’t just Mr. Hubby, but many male colleagues at work as well, who needed to go through the experience. While some of them were pleasantly supportive, others just asked dumb questions which aggravated my already oscillating mood swings. For instance, one colleague, despite being married and having a kid would always ask me, which is the date when you GO, despite me explaining several times that there was a tentative date however, the stork could come calling anytime. Finally, when he paid no heed to my explanation, one day I had to ask him shamelessly whether his wife delivered on a pre decided date or whether it just happened. Seeing his reaction, I felt I should have asked that question much before. Then, there were others who would ask me how I felt. Now how was I supposed to feel and how could I make a guy understand that! Pat came my reply, “if you tie a 2kg stone around your tummy you will exactly feel the way I feel!”

Every sleepless night with the little one also makes me feel if there is something that can prepare you for motherhood, it’s just being open to change. Throughout my pregnancy I was reading articles on pregnancy and parenting. A prenatal camp also gave me insights into the pre and post childbirth life. Having armed myself with an arsenal of information, I was super confident about managing the baby as I marched into the hospital. However, the confident fizzed out the moment I saw the baby. Lying on the operation table, with half of my body subjected to anaesthesia and scissors, the moment they showed me the baby, the emotions were a mix of joy and responsibility. The baby was crying his lungs out, as if telling me, “Get out of Operation Theatre fast. You had to be on a 6 hour fasting for the operation, not me. I am hungry!!!”  The doctors were all sympathy for the baby as they told me the baby was hungry and need to be fed. But hullow! They were yet to complete the stitches. Moral of the story – service before self!

All the gyaan I had acquired from internet and pregnancy camp seemed useless when I was bed ridden for good day and a half after the delivery. The mother should hug and feed the baby the moment he is born, I was told. But leave apart holding the baby, the C section left me confined me in a position on the hospital bed and all I could do was helplessly stare at the little one as my mom in law fed him formula milk. Lesson learnt – nothing can prepare you for motherhood than motherhood itself.

And yes, there were some pleasant surprises too! Having spoken to many friends about their experiences, I knew delivering a baby and the hospitalization phase wouldn’t be a cakewalk. However, all the pain was forgotten as the little one made his presence felt. For a moment, the operation theatre no longer felt like a dreaded place and I had tears of joy in my eyes as I kissed the little one on his forehead.

The little one also proved to be a motivation like nothing else. The next day post surgery, when the docs came to mobilise me, the intolerable pain made me cry. But I did manage the walk from my bed to the baby, for I was dying to take my little one in my arms!

After school and college, motherhood is another school that’s teaching me valuable lessons about life and relationships. With the baby, I too am evolving each day as a mom and I count my blessings.

Welcome to my blog where I intend to share my experiences with motherhood. From my journey during pregnancy to my experiences with the little one, there is a lot I have to tell. Keep watching this space for more and feel free to share some of your tips and experiences!