I think back to when my first daughter was born. I didn't have a clue about being a Mom. While being pregnant I read every parenting book possible. Yes, there was some helpful information but nothing prepares you for that moment when your baby is put on your chest and you realize, "Wow , I just became a Mother."
Here I was with this beautiful little baby girl who was totally dependent on me. I was breastfeeding her and although I absolutely loved it, it was stressful at times. I thought, "what if she doesn't eat?, what if she isn't getting enough?" I was her life line. That is a lot of responsibility!!! Well, it turned out just fine. At least I think it did :-) Yes, my husband and I made and still make mistakes as parents but it is all part of the journey.
I feel like I learned more with each baby. I was pretty uptight with our first. I was always worried about routine, schedules etc. With our second, I was just trying to figure out how to survive with two young daughters on top of a lot of life changes. Finally, with our third I am feeling like I am embracing motherhood and enjoying it all while I can. Life is too short to be so worried about everything.
As Moms we know we need to show our children love, kindness and respect. The rest will fall into place. We'll figure out how much to feed them, bathe them, read to them, etc. Because that is what a mother does. Women learn to incorporate themselves into many different roles in such a short time. Some days it amazes me when I think of all the responsibilities a Mom has and more importantly how amazingly it all gets done. There are some days things don't get done and well that is okay too. BALANCE!!!
Now, I'm not meaning to leave out Daddies. They are equally important and so very good at what they do. We love our Daddies!!!
So, do you find yourself second guessing your decisions as a parent? Do you worry about what others may think of your parenting style? How do you handle it?
Mother love is the fuel that enables a normal human being to do the impossible. ~ Marion C. Garrety