I’ve been thinking a lot lately about all the weird things that have changed body now that I’m a mom. No one ever talks about this! Motherhood, although the best job ever, is pretty tough on your mind and body. Let’s make a list, shall we? I would LOVE for you to add to it in the comments!
1. My skin is super dry, especially my hands. When you think about it, your hands really take a beating! Lots of hand washing, washing bottles, washing dishes, extra loads of laundry, baby using your fingers as a teether, catching vomit in your hand…you name it!
2. When I was pregnant, my hair was even thicker than normal….but as soon as I had Hudson I started to shed like crazy. I think that lasted for at least 5 or 6 months. Then, after you loose all that hair it starts to grow back so you have teeny tiny fly-away baby hairs all over your head. Super glamorous. Don’t even get me started on the hairs lost to a baby ripping them out…..
3. My mind is complete mush about 80% of the time. At work I used to be able to remember all of the policies and procedures like it was my J.O.B….(well, it was!), but now I have to look them up every single time. Sometimes, the same one multiple times a day. As soon as I put it to use it’s like it disappears. And that paper I put away for safe keeping? Forget about it. It will never be found.
4. Also on the topic of loosing my mind, I have to be really mindful of every little thing I do, otherwise my keys will end up in the microwave, ice cream will be put away in the refrigerator, and I will never ever remember the name of the new neighbor down the street. During Christmas I replaced the photos in our gallery wall with our past Christmas cards (you can see it here). For most of them I left the original photo that went in each frame behind the Christmas card, so that it would be a simple switch when it was time to take them down……except one photo mysteriously was not in the frame. I searched all of my usual hiding places and it could not be found. Worst thing was, I had to go back to my blog and look at the photos of the gallery wall to even remember what photo I was searching for! Finally, a few days latter I just happened to find it. I would tell you where I found it, but of course I can’t remember.
5. My body will never be the same. Before I got pregnant I though that once I lost the baby weight, I would be back to normal. WRONG. The baby weight is gone but my abs will never look the same. And the crazy thing is I kind of don’t care.
6. I now obsess over safety. I literally wake up in the middle of the night and can’t get back to sleep because I worry about something bad happening to us, someone breaking in to our home, or our house catching on fire. So I finally bought some fire escape safety ladders for the two bedrooms on the back of our house (for the front two bedrooms the safety plan is to climb out on to the roof that’s above the porch and jump. I’m sure there is a word for this, but see item #3) and I slept much better last night. Up next on my list is to buy two more fire extinguishers and to make first aid kits for both of our cars. The worrying never ends.
7. I can function on way less sleep than before I was a mom. 5 hours? No problem. 6 hours? Totally normal. 7 hours? Died and gone to heaven.
What would you add to this list?
You took the words right out of my mouth. Seriously! It makes me feel better to know there are other smart, totally capable mamas out there who have become total airheads after baby. It's frustrating, but our babies are worth it!
haha amen & hallelujah! I have no brain left & my hair has taken on a dry yet ridiculously oily nature …explain that one? My hands are also dryer than a desert & I don't really know what sleep is anymore. BUT I'm not interested in changing a thing!!
We totally got an alarm system because I'd get so paranoid at night (we already have the ladders!). Between watching too much tv and being a mom I think I just went crazy… You know what else has changed? I can't remember the last time I got to potty BY MYSELF. Even if mikes home lex ends up in the bathroom.
I can relate to so many of these, especially 2, 3, and 7! I find myself not being able to form intelligent sentences sometimes! It's so embarassing when I can't find the word I was thinking of!
I can relate! I paid a fire protection company thousands to install heat sensors, smoke alarms, fire extinguishers, carbon detectors and fire ladders all for my own piece of mind! We already had 99% of them but they were replaced with the company that could give me a guarantee! Our front facing bedroom escape route is exactly the same as yours. Get to the front porch roof!
You nailed this and I couldn't agree more! Glad to know I'm not alone in what I'm experiencing! Thanks for sharing!
Oh, goodness, I didn't even think of the wispies when my hair grows back in! I'm too busy pulling strands of hair from tiny little fingers! And I'm with you on being paranoid. I recently added a pump session late at night, once my little one was sleeping through the night and since I am now up alone I am constantly turning off the pump because I always think I am hearing things. Then I plan out how fast I can run upstairs and grab her, even though I know that my husband and big dog are in the bedroom with her. Glad I'm not alone!
yep! This sums it up pretty well! đ It really is crazy how much our minds seem to cloud once they're born! And yeah, after dealing with pregnancy weight gain, engorgement initially, and all the other fun stuff that comes with breastfeeding (especially a now very active 14 months old)my boobs will never, ever be the same!
Oh, yes. To all of the above. I weigh at least 25 pounds less than I did when I got pregnant and somehow my stomach still looks to me like I'm 12 weeks pregnant. What the heck is that about? Another weird one for me was the lingering love of sweets. I was always a salty over sweet person. When I got pregnant I craved sweets and it's never really gone back. I'm much more a dessert person than I ever was before.
Johnson & Johnson makes a great little safety kit. I keep one in the car and one in our mudroom (quick for outdoor boo boos).i keep the one in my cat in a duffle with jumper cables, tools, a pair of sneakers, mittens, and hoodie. I added done diapers and wipes. My just in case bag.
I agree with 100% of these…my hair is so much less curly than it was before I had Cam and I miss those curls. đ
I remember "pre-cam" when I would shudder at the thought of waking up at 5am to catch a flight, work out, etc…and physically not being able to do it. Now, it's a daily occurrence and I survive just fine. đ
Cam's new room will be on the 2nd floor…thanks for the heads up on the escape ladder!!! We will definitely have to get one!!
Great post!! I think we can all relate!!! đ
Oh the hair loss! And your body never being the same…so true! Last, the sleep (or the lack there of!)…oh how I miss it! But definitely all worth it! đ
This is the best post ever. My fly aways are at this in between stage where they are no longer fly away bit aren't regular length hair making my hair look SO AWKWARD. I also leave my kays in the door at least once a week and am famous for putting refrigerated food away in the cupboards.
Yes to all of these. The "mom brain" is the hardest for me. I hate feeling so disorganized and scatterbrained all the time! Other weird things: my poor boobs are the same size as pre-baby but in a totally different place, bigger feet post-pregnancy, now doing that "mom bounce" everytime you hear a crying baby and the total lack of shock at bodily functions.
The part about sleep so true!!! And the hair!! When does it end!?!?!?
I would always get annoyed of Mom's who couldn't carry on a normal conversation with another adult because the kid was kicking, screaming, pulling, etc. Now, I'm totally that Mom! I have THE hardest time carrying on a conversation if the babe is with me!! It's awful. Also, the hair sitch, I can't even. My hair is all kinds of crazy post-baby!
I love your blog and I love that you talk about all the stuff no one tells you about.
How quickly things change!! But all for the better, right? I know the sleep thing and the dry skin and etc isn't the greatest but I know you couldn't imagine life any other way!!
Haha this is a great post and I can relate to it all! The mint brain really is something I had no clue about. I forget things all the time, like my wallet (this happened yesterday and I had to turn back home), where I placed my keys, when a bill is due, yada yada! I can't tell you how many times I've had to go back into a store because I left the diaper bag inside the cart! It's crazy, I wasn't like this before! And the sleep…how I miss sleeping a full 8 hours straight! But of course, I wouldn't change anything for the world đ
All of this is SO TRUE! Every single one. I'm currently in the shedding phase and I want to cry because you just told me it's going to last that long! HAHAHA
I think one of the biggest weird things is, although I'd love more time to myself, I'm never sure what to do when I actually get it! I'm so used to taking care of baby all the time that when I don't have to I kind of am…bored?! What did we used to do with all that free time? Seriously?!
I've only been a mom for 7.5 months and this is all so true already.
I would add baby hairs. I have baby hairs growing (maybe I had some hair loss and it's growing back?) and they look like bangs. I hate it. I would also agree with Charlotte in her comment. I have little free time but when I do have it… I can't decide if I want to nap or tackle the laundry monster in my closet!
Love your honesty. Every momma needs to read this đ
I hate to admit it, but am SO glad I'm not the only one experiencing the mommy mush brain. I lose my train of thought half the time and sometimes cannot even remember words for things. It's CRAZY! I like to think that its because so much of my brain is now taken up with thinking about my precious little guy because if thats not the cause, well, I should probably be worried, lol1
Yes to ALL of these! The hair thing really freaked me out at first. Now I have 1 inch hairs all over my head that love to stick straight up, so there are a lot of hat days going on over here. And #6 – I'm right there with you. There have been quite a few nights of me cutting into precious sleep time imagining the best escape routes for various scenarios. Glad to hear this is somewhat "normal."
YES! I love this list and describes me to a tee. My 10 month old pulled strands out on the front of my face, so I have random flyaway bangs now and my hair is all over the house from shedding STILL!! Gross.
Fantastic list! My hair texture and color is not even close to what is was prior to kiddos. Also I am amazed at how long I can go without eating an actual meal. I feed the littles and forget about myself!
And love your blog!
Yep. I think you covered it all. I think the mommy brain has been the most difficult for me.
Nailed it!! My hands are so horribly dry sometimes my knuckles bleed and the mom brain is out of control- I cannot remember to do anything unless I have it written down in about 5 places and have a reminder for myself to do it.
You took the words right out of my mouth! The worst is mommy brain. I thought it was just pregnancy brain but it stays forever! Lol
The greatest changes are in you heartâŚ.did you ever imagine how much you could love your baby? Or how much joy you would feel when he giggles or smiles at you?
So true! Each and every one of them. #7! I noticed this and I told my friend about and she said she is the same way đ And little baby hairs growing, no more receding hairline yay! lol
I hear you on so much of that! However I have NO idea how you function on 5 hours of sleep! I've never really been able to do that and being a mom has made my need for sleep no different. I kinda WISH I could I would get so much more done if I didn't need 7-9hours of sleep!
Don't forget the total lack of caring if you have boogers or spit up on your cloths, handbag, in your hair, wherever. Also the night sweats, not sure if you went thru this when breastfeeding, but oh my, they are the worst.
Maybe you should have your thyroid checked. I was just reading up on this and the hair loss, skin dryness, weight issues, fatigue, among others are all symptoms. I'm going to ask my doctor about this. Apparently it goes undiagnosed in many women postpartum. Good luck!
OMG just stumbled across your blog. So, I totally had the couldn't sleep in the middle of the night because "what would we do if there was a fire" and ordered those same ladders! Something I would have NEVER done pre-pregnacy! Too funny đ