It's starting to hit me that I'm going to be personally responsible for a real-life human being, other than myself, in just 4 short weeks. In the words of my 3 year old niece, "It's totally fweakin' me out".
I mean, everyone who is a parent is a first-time parent at one point in their life, but some people just know what to do right off the bat. I'm not so sure that I'm going to know what to do or that I'll be capable of doing it. Example A: I have to wake up really early each morning due to a bladder that is about to burst. I walk to the bathroom bumping into EVERYTHING and basically keep my eyes closed the entire time. Right now, I'm only bruising myself, but in 4 weeks, when it's a baby and not a bladder waking me up, what will I do?
I'm just starting to realize I have SO many questions and NO idea what to expect. I keep telling myself everything will be okay because my mom probably didn't know what she was doing either and I'm still alive and ended up okay.
I know I'll get comments on this like, "You'll be great." Blah, blah, blah. But seriously, does/did everyone feel like this before their first baby? Totally fweaked out?
I'm also worried about...
1) Allergies. Is there a way to know if your child is allergic to something before they have an allergic reaction and go into anaphalactic shock?
2) How do you know if your baby is too hot? Too cold?
3) What if our baby realizes Seth is way nicer than me and thinks I suck.
4) Is there such thing as a SIDS alarm? Like if your baby stops breathing in the night, the alarm goes off?
5) Is my baby going to behind for his age because I didn't listen to classical music while he was in my belly?
6) Vaccinations. Jenny McCarthy and Oprah have me all fweaked out about this too.
7) I ate a lot of Doritos during my sick stage, will this make our baby predisposed to become a white trash food junkie?
8) If we really do name him Cash, will he really become a truck driver or a rodeo guy like the baby book said he might?
2.09.2009
Fweaked Out
Posted by Heidi at 12:35 PM
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16 comments:
You crack me up! Cash is an amazing name!! I love it. But what's wrong with rodeo guys??? I'm totally offended! JUST KIDDING!! Can we please get together before little Cash arrives??
got some answers...I think...funny story...well kinda...when zeke was first born the nurses told us to always keep him swaddled in two blankets cause they blasted the air conditioning in the hospital. One night Zeke would not sleep at all and we tried everything...he just kept screaming...exasperated I pulled of his blankets to see if something was wrong on his body. The minute I pulled off the blankets all the crying stopped. The good thing about babies is they know exactly what they want and will cry till they get it...we just have to figure out what that is ;) Zeke definitely already knows that his daddy is way better than his mommy but hey he loves food so he always wants to come to me ;) There is a sids alarm but I heard it stinks because most babies do stop breathing at night for seconds most nights. It just happens and they are ok. So the alarm will go off like every night and scare parents to death. Vaccinations are such a hot topic right now. I researched some on my own and then prayed. I figured the Lord would have the best advice :)
I know there is so much to freak out about but really it does just come to you. Believe me I was so not ready for motherhood...I was way to selfish ;) But somehow when that baby looks up at you and you know you are the only thing protecting it from that big bad world out there...super powers come into gear and you become a momma :)
Oh Shoeg, I loved Julia's advice! It's so great to have friends that have just recently gone through what you are about to do. As a first time mom with you, I certainly didn't know anymore than you know. I will say that you have one quality that will definately go a long way and that is patience. You are a much more patient person than I am and that will serve you and baby Seth really well.
I'm excited to meet my grandson!!! You and Seth will make a terrific parenting team. I have no doubts!!!
Keep on worrying. That makes you an official MOM. Welcome to the club. Wish I could stop worrying, but it just keeps coming. Just promise me that you'll tell baby boy that he MUST keep his newborn smell until I get there. I can't wait.
Haha! It's like I'm reading my own blog or something. I was terrified, and for a couple of months I think I had serious anxiety (I had stomach aches all the time from worrying), but I honestly believe in a mother's intuition. You'll be amazed at how quickly you start to pick up on his little cues and get a rythm going. I've made a lot of mistakes already, but Claire is healthy and happy and will hopefully never know the difference. Trust your gut though- when Claire was 3 months old she started having these screaming fits, which she never had before. Big fat tears rolling down her cheeks and just the saddest cry. For a couple of days we thought maybe it was just a change in temperment or something, but I just really felt like something was wrong, even though all these people were telling me she was probably fine. I took her into the dr and it turned out she had a bladder infection, poor thing! Also, I remember one time we were visiting family in G-ville when she was about 6 weeks old. She was exhausted and overstimulated from all the people and I knew it, but all the ladies there insisted she had a gas bubble and kept thumping her on the back but she just kept screaming. I thought I was going to go crazy. I eventually just snatched her away, wrapped her up, and she instantly went to sleep. I knew all along what she needed, I wish I had spoken up sooner (I didn't want to offend anyone.) Bottom line- you're his mother, and you will know what is best for him!
Having been doing this mothering business for 5 months now, I consider myself among the experts. haha. I was so freaked out before I had Otie. When I left the hospital I really thought, "so, you're just going to let me take him home now?". But so far, so good. I think the best advice is to not stress about routines, sleep schedules, swaddle/not swaddle ...blah blah. There is so much advice out there, I found I was happiest when I just didn't care and enjoyed it- even if it was cuddling until 3am then waking up for the day around 2pm. It is so insanely hard in the beginning because everything is so new, but it is SO fun and amazing. I am so excited for you! I think a white trash, dorrito-loving rodeo kid named Cash will get along great with Otis!
Oh I felt the same way! But most of it somehow came naturally. I'm sure it will for you too. I remember asking my mom and friends tons of questions that to them probably seemed insignificant. The only thing you might need help with is nursing, and Lara was a GREAT help for me. It turns out I was doing it right and didn't know it. :/
I do have a couple answers...
#1. You won't find out til it happens and you'll probably have to run to ER! They can do skin tests, but only after a certain age. With Isabel it was a bit different... I think she is going to outgrow her intolerance to dairy. She never got a rash or anything...just spit up and cried a lot and didn't sleep much.
#2. Touching them is the best indicator. Don't put them in more than one layer than you are wearing.
#4. My friend has 4 kids and she said with her fourth she was still standing over her to make sure she was breathing! The worrying never goes away.
I TOTALLY felt that way when I was pregnant both times! You'd think the second time round you wouldn't be nervous, but I was:) I think the anticipation is hard...the unknown and then once they get here you just do it and everything falls into place...I'm so excited for you! I LOVE the name Cash. It's one of my very favorite names. good luck! You will do amazing.
i have no advice but i thought i would comment anyway because your post is funny. i still feel like i don't know what i am doing most of the time and secretly hope that lara will just raise my kids for me because she is good at it.
Okay. I am laughing because I honestly don't have much advice. You would think that after four kids I would know a lot more than I do. It's just that every child is so different. And every mom is so different. However, I will give you three rules to live by:
1. You are the Mama. You know what you know. Listen to yourself.
2. Ask for help when you need it. We are lucky to have tons of mothering resources, take advantage of them.
3. Be present. Babies are miracles. Being a mother is a huge blessing (hard at times but worth it) and the time flies by. Enjoy it.
p.s. I can't wait to see little baby Herway! I am so excited to watch Seth become a Dad. I am so grateful he found you and that you guys are creating a cute little family.
Oh and Scarlet just walked in and said, "Zane is like totally fweakin' me out and stuff." So she is fweaked too. At least you are not alone....
I had those very same feelings...and it really does come naturally. You hear it said again and again but believe me, in a month you will be saying "huh, it really did." And I am a worry wort like you. Jake gives me lots of faith pep talks, so you just do the best you can and let God take care of the rest. Motherhood is really hard! And the beginning is especially tough, at least for me. But just remember this, IT GETS BETTER...I promise!!
I agree and I had a lot of those same feelings. It's not worth stressing too much though. You really will be an amazing mother, and all the answers will come. I can't wait to meet him! I have a package I'll try to get out this next week. I was so sad I couldn't be there at your shower. So you could have him any day, really. Ava came at 36 weeks, was not expecting it. You just never know. I want to hear about your dr apt as it gets closer...
You are the funniest blog poster! I think every first time mom experiences all those feelings. For me personally they all went away the moment I saw her chubby little face. You just kind of figure it out as you go along. You can stress about SIDS (which I did, all the time) but it won't do any good, If you wants to be a truck driver/rodeo guy there probably won't be anything you can do about it, I use to wonder if the baby would like Chris more than me all the time but now it's just not something I think about. You'll be great at all of it, I'm so excited for you! I wish I could go back in time and have Kennedy all over again. There's nothing like having your first baby!
I totally agree! It has all been said by everyone else! Seriously heids it really just comesa to you! You see their little face looking up at you and something just happens! It is the most wonderful awesome moment ever and you just instantly will know! Sometimes there are times you don't know but you just figure it out! You will be great! I am so.... excited for you!! Love ya
PS just be careful about that middle of the night bladder thing... I thought I had to pee too in the middle of the night infact thought I really just couldn't hold it but instead at 39 weeks and my water broke!!! Good luck There is nothing like having your first little one I really want to see you before!
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