mommyhood: don't panic! chances are it might happen #1

i previously mentioned that i tried to prepare as much as possible for becoming a mommy. but in reality its one of those live and learn kind of situations. "go with your gut" is what i have always been told. but here a few things, that i've discovered and been through with benjamin over the first almost three months since he arrived. now these dont happen to everyone, but they did to us.

Q: where did our sweet little boy go?
when we had benjamin and we cooped cozily up in the hospital, he was a great baby. never really fussed & slept alot! then we came home. do they infuse drugs through their ventilation systems or something? because as soon as we came home it was totally opposite. he didnt like to sleep and he cried (well more like blood curdling screamed) all night long. secret to us: the formula they had us supplementing tore up his poor tummy. we now use sensitive and are on the right path to big boy city!

Q: what are all those little red spots on his head and face? we thought it was baby acne. nope wrong again. baby acne actually is a little larger in size. what these were actually is just a basic heat rash. babies, when they are born, all their sweat glands havent opened yet & so when they are hot, fussy or just basically irritated, those glands clog, because they are still opening. so we stuck to mild soaps and keeping him as cool as possible. too bad he has this fuzzy blanket he absolutely loves and we live in Texas! all in all secret to us: this should clear up by month 5. phew!

Q: Ack! Why are his eyes all crunchy and boogery? another one of those babies and body things. his tear ducts havent fully opened so they clog easily. secret to us: this is easy to take care of. massage tear duct a few times a day and lay a warm compress on their eyes to have unclog those ducts! ours went away on its own, but if by 4 months you are still having problems, the dr can help out.

Q: My modesty! What happened to it? Yep, that pretty much goes out the window when you're pregnant. And whats even funnier, is how quickly you forget you ever even had any. I was bound and determined, no one was gonna see anything when I delivered, except those doctors. Well deliveries are completely different for everyone and everything can change in a split second. So just be prepared!

Q: Is that a seizure? Why is he hitting me? Eh, chances are its not a seizure. I panicked about this! But babies are getting control of motor skills and some even have the startle reflex causing them to flail some when they sleep. No worries, this goes away. Thank goodness! Co-sleeping with a flailer is tough on my body.

Q: Does it ever get better? Yes it does! My aunt told me if we can get through the first 3 weeks, we will survive.  And honestly, I really have no clue how we did it. I cried more in those first weeks then I ever did in my whole life. Counting labor! I actually never even cried during labor until they told me he was positioned wrong and I was going to have a c-section. But yes, it is terribly trying, hard, and stressful, not to mention, sleep lacking, but its worth every second of the chaos. Adult Swim, baseball & lots of milkshakes got me through it. Its okay! It doesnt make you a bad parent, even though you feel like it all the time during those first few weeks.


That's just a few of the oh-em-gee moments we have had, with a million more to follow. Make this a series? I just might. Anything you are wondering or have questions about? Chances are, this little family has been there.