5 Big Adjustments You'll Make For Your First Child

5 Big Adjustments You'll Make For Your First Child

by Janice Hill 

A dedicated mom who is determined to find her way without losing her hair :)

You've heard it a million times before, but what you may not know is that it's entirely true; having a child completely changes your life. More love pours out of you than you would have ever thought possible. Your instincts sharpen. Your senses become attuned to the smallest of changes. You are suddenly accountable not only for yourself, but for another human life. The months approaching your due date may leave you with an overwhelming feeling of trepidation because of the level of responsibility, but the second you hold that beautiful new baby in your arms, all of your apprehension melts away. Beyond the mental and physical adjustments, what else should you expect?
1. Say goodbye to the coupe. That cute little two-door car that you’re used to cruising in is not car seat friendly. You are welcome to give it a try, but a couple times of attempting to position a rear-facing infant seat in such a small area will have you shopping for an SUV or minivan in no time. Add a diaper bag, a toy and your purse to the already too small car and you've got little space left for groceries—much less another person.
2. No more sleeping sprees. Sorry Mom and Dad, but baby is not going to let you laze around for hours on end. A growing baby will be hungry every couple of hours. By the time she finishes nursing, takes a nap and then has a diaper change, it will be time to feed again. Babies sleep a lot, but they do it in small doses. Take your Mom's advice and nap when the baby does, even if it's only for 20 minutes at a time. The laundry can wait!
3. Speaking of laundry, give up on the idea of a perfect house. It's not doable. Sure, you can spend all of your time cleaning—only to have to clean again. You can also spend that time enjoying your new bundle. They don't stay little for long, so cuddle her while you can. Sure, run the vacuum and make sure the dishes are clean, but perfection is not required.
4. Showering is overrated. Seriously, remember those luxurious hour-long baths where you took the time to shave, exfoliate, deep condition and apply a facial mask? That won’t be happening for a long time. After you have a baby, time goes faster than ever before. A shower that enables you to wash both your hair AND your body starts to seem like a luxury.
5. Lunch dates with your girlfriends are now playdates with the Tiny Tots group; child development outshines girl-gossip. Nights out will dwindle and spontaneous weekend getaways...not likely to happen.
With all of this being said, the positives will completely outweigh any of the changes you will have to make. You may be sitting there shaking your head, thinking, "Oh no, not me," but the changes will inevitably come. Remember thinking, "I'll never make my kids eat vegetables!" back when your Mom was telling you to eat yours? You guessed it; that will change, too.

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**Disclaimer: this post was not written by Over Thirty Mommy, it was a guest post written by Janice Hill***