From the day my baby said "Hello world" we knew we will have to take care of her alone in a foreign country. This thought made my learning easier as I tried taking care of her without much dependency from others. So what it means to have a baby in your home which probably no one warned you about.
- The word "Sleep" I long forgot. (Every mother of a new born will agree with me) Waking up every 2 hours during the night does make you feel sleep deprived. You need to complete your daily chores when she is asleep during the day. so you end up looking like a zombie throughout your babies first year.
- Feeding, Changing nappies, feeding, changing nappies!!! You do this a dozen times a day that you feel that you have been doing only this the whole day. ( Even my dreams were filled with poo's and pee's!!)
- You master the art of cooking with a single hand. Some how my daughter wakes up exactly when I am eating or cooking. So I end up eating, having her in my lap and cooking in one hand and carrying her in other!
- You start loving pitter-patter walk in your home like a thief. One thing you dread the most is to awaken her. (I made sure that my husband had his own set of house key to get in, instead of using the calling bell!) Complete blackout when she is sleeping.
- Giving bath to a new born is an art! It takes me an hour to finish the bath process which includes an oil massage, bath, applying cream , dressing her and making her sleep. She loves to have a short nap after her bath and after this everyday procedure anyone would wish to have a short nap as well.
- You always have company! She comes where ever you go. You piggyback her the entire first year. You cant leave her alone... No you cant even wash your face alone.
- There are certain places where you cannot even imagine going. Theatres for an instance. Enjoy the freedom during your pregnancy.Don't fret that no one warned you aftermath!
- Your love for shopping goes to a all time high! You see a beautiful dress for your baby and you want it now... you see another and you want that too! Everything in the shop looks so pretty... oh I want the whole shop!! NOW.. NOW NOW... it happens.. trust me... It took my husband lot of effort and explanation that we cant swipe the card where ever my eyes fell!
- You will be in the hit list for all the Auntiji's free advice service. Do this.. do that.. Don't do that Don't do this.. arghhh... Let me learn my parenting in my own way.. Thank you Aunties!!!
- You become addicted to your little darling that you want to cuddle her and kiss her the whole day and not do anything else!
This really sounds bizarre and you may even rethink about having your baby... but of all the above hurdles, there is a beautiful emotion that flows when your baby smiles first at you... when she wants to see and be with only you in the whole world. To see her laugh, cry, roll back and all her "first milestones" , you feel content, you feel "Yes, I was born to see this moment. This is the purpose of my life". Of all the parents, She chose to be daughter for us!
My bundle of joy.... any sacrifice is less for you!!!
