Permanent damage done... already...

Experienced mothers may already know where this is going. I know this because when I Googled "Boppy Pillow images" a number of other parents have done the same permanent damage to their children.

The first day home from the hospital, I took William out of his car seat and was carrying him around. I came upon my laptop that I hadn't seen in 48 hours and needed to get my fix. So, I sat down and started to go through the usual routine... Facebook, e-mail, work e-mail, friends blogs... and of course needed to typity type type type to broadcast my newest addition and I just couldn't wait to upload photos. Well... Jerry and I hadn't completely figured out where we were going to put the bassinet and I needed a place to set little sleeping William... when I saw my Boppy pillow. This seemed like the logical place to set him down, after all, it is sold at Babies-r-Us and that means it's safe for babies. Awwww... look how cute he is... let's take a picture.

Two days later when I was using the pillow for it's intended purpose (nursing), I noticed this large warning label that says, really clearly of course, NO SLEEPING. Crap. I'm glad that I took the time to photograph the damage I am already doing to my child. Let this be a lesson... not everything sold at Babies-r-Us is safe for babies.

Exhibit B...

When my parents were visiting a few weeks ago, little William was having a hard time adjusting to life outside of the womb. Especially at "bed time". I put quotes around bed time, because it was pretty much whenever he decided he wanted to go there and time had nothing to do with it.

My mother was helping us calm him down one night and was successful in getting him to fall asleep on her chest while rocking him. I was upstairs getting ready for bed when she came upstairs and lay him down in the bassinet on his stomach - just like he had fallen asleep. I see this and first take a picture because he was so cute, then super freak because she put him to bed on his stomach! Her response? "You lived." I was shocked! MY mother put ME to sleep on my stomach? Apparently I also had toys in my crib, among other currently unheard of parenting practices. Maybe this could explain why I'm continuing the cycle of permanent damage" starting from birth?

After the baby is out...

It's been over 3 weeks since William was born and so far, everyone is still alive and thriving. And by everyone, I mean EVERYONE. I'm sure you probably figured that Jerry and I would live through the first month, however, there were a few points where we didn't know if we would... even before William was born. You are told over and over again that the first few months are a big adjustment and different, but no one tells you just how big of an adjustment or just how different your life will be. See photo below... this picture was taken at 7PM, William had been crying for at least 2 hours.

A number of people have already approached me and asked "I know you'll be honest... how much did it hurt?" or "Does it hurt as much as everyone says?" and my answer is a resounding A LOT and YES. Even though I was only in the labor and delivery wing for about 8 hours because I didn't think that I actually WAS in labor, the last 4 hours were extremely painful. I did have an epidural for the last two, but it only worked on one side of my body and I felt everything anyway. I said to Jerry at least 30 times in the delivery room that I would never do that again. Three weeks later, I can hardly remember exactly how bad it felt. I just remember it being very painful... which is probably why women decide to have more than one child a few years down the road.

Most of us are well prepared for the delivery room. We read all of the books, watch "A Baby Story" and "Bringing Home Baby" on TLC, we've seen all of the latest baby movies (I must add that "Knocked Up" seems to have the most realistic pregnancy symptoms), and when we are pregnant we go to the obligatory pregnancy classes held at the hospital or elsewhere. When it comes to delivery time, we know "what to expect". What most of us, on the other hand, are NOT prepared for is for what you go through AFTER you deliver your baby. I'm not going to discourage anyone from getting pregnant and making a wonderful family with all of my disgusting details and candid facts about your body after birth... I'll let you ask me personally, I promise not to hold anything back. I do, however, want alllll future mommies out there to know that you will be VERY SORE after giving birth for at least a week. You will be very uncomfortable (yes, more uncomfortable than those last few days of pregnancy) and you will definitely need help from daddy and any friends and family that come. I have to give major kudos to any mother who goes through the first weeks single or home alone, for whatever reasons. I can't speak for anyone who has to have a c-section, I can only imagine that the recovery is a bit more lengthy and most likely more painful.

I don't want to sound like I'm not having any fun with William... he is an awesome addition to my life. I just want to put it out there - no one talks about it! I went 39 weeks worrying about how I was going to take care of this little baby, thinking that I would be fully ready to take on motherhood straight from the womb. I wish someone would have better prepared me for the fact that I would have to deal with a baby AND some major body recovery. At three weeks, I feel almost fully recovered and I'm sure that by the end of this week the only thing I'll have to battle with is the extra 5 pounds I'd like to magically be rid of. I also promise to have more upbeat posts from here on out... like I said before... I needed to get it out there for other unsuspecting future mothers. Just looking at your baby will make it all worth it though... =)