I thought it would be fun to find out what shocked women the most about becoming a mother. So, I asked my fellow bloggers and friends what their experiences were. See if you agree with their answers or share one of your own!
- “I was surprised at how I breezed through childbirth. Other moms had told me horror stories. The reality was much different.”
- “I was surprised at how hard childbirth was. I had a high pain tolerance and didn’t expect any complications. I was shocked when it didn’t turn out that way.”
- “I couldn’t believe how sore I was for weeks after. I thought the pain would end as soon as the baby was born.”
- “The exhaustion surprised me. Before kids, I took sleeping through the night for granted. After the birth, I never slept more than a few hours at a time.”
- “I brought my regular sized clothes to the hospital. I thought my stomach would go down as soon as the baby was born. I was so wrong!”
- “I was shocked by the constant nature of being a mom. I was never ‘off duty’. I was always on guard.”
- “I found motherhood to be much harder than I thought. I had wanted to be a mom for so long, so why wasn’t it easy?”
- “I was shocked at how fast my entire life changed, like every single aspect of it.”
- “I never expected to feel like such a failure. It felt like I was doing everything wrong.”
- “I thought each baby was a lump of clay to be molded into whatever the parents made of it. Ha, ha, ha, ha.”
- “I did not expect the boredom or the fact that I actually missed my job.”
- “I was surprised at how crazy my hormones would be even after pregnancy, or how emotional I would be for months after childbirth.”
- “I did not expect to lose so many friendships. I suddenly had nothing in common with childless friends anymore.”
- “I was shocked at the immediate, intense love I felt. It was almost primal, like a lioness would feel for her cub.”
- “I was surprised at how competitive motherhood can be. I was constantly comparing and judging other moms to make myself feel better about my own mothering skills.”
And, this from a mom of boys:
- “I didn’t expect to spend so much time in the ER with injuries and illnesses!”
I will leave you with this beautiful thought from a dad (my friend, Wes):
- “I don’t think it was a shock, but more of a revelation; that God gave us everything we needed to raise our children. Yes, we did refer to experts and seasoned parents from time to time, but He really does give us what we need to raise OUR children.”
RELATED:
Top Ten Delivery Day & Postpartum Lifesavers
Postpartum Depression: It’s Not Your Fault
Yeah, Postpartum Anxiety is a Thing
Read more of Ann’s contributions to allmomdoes here.
