Mother’s Day is just around the corner, and, yeeey, it’s my very first. Thinking about this special day made me reflect on the past nine months since I became a mum myself. What a life-changing experience it’s been? And where’s the time actually gone? It seems just like yesterday when we brought our little girl home from the hospital. Oh boy, how much has happened since then?
The last nine months have been the most challenging but also the most beautiful of my life so far. There have been highs and lows, laughter and cry, moments of pure joy and moments of desperation. But one thing is for sure. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Being a new mum means your whole life as you knew it before you had your baby is turned completely upside down. Your entire life suddenly revolves around this tiny human being who becomes the centre of your universe and totally depends on you. Everything you do on a day to day basis, everywhere you go, literally, is dictated by your baby’s needs. Even simple things like going to the supermarket have to be planned around your baby’s feeding and nap times.
Sometimes, it still feels surreal that I am a mum now. I have this huge responsibility of raising my baby the best way I can and sometimes I can’t help it but wonder whether I’m doing a good job.
So, with Mother’s day fast approaching, how do I really feel about being a mum?
I feel so very proud of my baby’s achievements
Looking at Little E now, trying so hard to master this new skill of crawling, it’s hard to believe she was once (and it’s not so long ago) a newborn baby. All these new skills she has already picked up in such a short space of time makes being a mum so worthwhile. It’s not just Mother’s day that’s a special day. Every single day is a special day when you are a mum. It’s the simple things like watching her stare at her hands in such an amazement when she first discovered them. Or when she rolled over for the first time with this bewildered look on her face of what’s just happened. Or the first time she said ba ba ba ba ba or ma ma ma ma ma.
I feel she is growing up way too fast
It is amazing how the time flies when you have a baby, even though, there are days when you think they go on forever. You wake up at six, and for the next twelve hours, you need to come up with different ways how to keep your baby entertained. Ok, so there are those much-anticipated nap times, but if you take into account that your baby gets bored after no more than 5 – 10 minutes spent with each activity, it’s still a looong day, and sometimes you are about ready to pull your hair out from boredom and frustration.
But then, there are moments like your baby’s first smile and laugh, and these moments just melt your heart instantly. When you watch them discovering the world around them, and you realise that every day there is a new sound they make, new skill they learn, you really start to understand that they won’t be babies forever and begin to appreciate these special moments you have together,
I feel unconditional love
The love you feel for your baby is something truly amazing. The love between a parent and a baby has no boundaries, no limits, no conditions. It’s so different and unique to anything you’ve ever experienced before. No matter how hard your day has been, with your baby’s crying testing you to your limits, you just keep going. And it’s the love you feel for your little one that’s pushing you forward. You would do anything to protect them, anything to make them happy and smiley.
I feel that I’m finally getting comfortable with this new job role I found myself in.
Oh yes, I’m getting there. I’m doing it; I’m a Mum. It’s been a tough nine months, being on standby 24/7. A constant rollercoaster of feeding, nappy changes, playing and comforting can be very exhausting, but you come out of it a stronger person.
Things get a lot easier over time when you start to understand your baby better and can read her cues. Having a full nights sleep still remains only a distant dream, but you slowly get used to it. Creating a special bond with your baby is an undeniable sign that you are doing a good job.
It’s still a learning curve, but with each day passing, I feel that looking after my baby becomes just a tiny bit easier and manageable.
And last but not least, I feel very lucky
No, not because I have the most beautiful, gorgeous little girl; this goes without saying.
On top of that, I get to celebrate Mother’s day twice every year. How’s that, you may wonder? Let me explain.
Another advantage of raising your child abroad. Here in the UK, Mother’s day is always on the fourth Sunday of Lent, while in Slovakia it’s on the second Sunday in May. How great is that?
For now, though, Mother’s day is about celebrating this new life we have created for ourselves. It’s about my daughter. She is too little to understand what’s going on, but she’s given me a new purpose in life. Thanks to her, I can call myself a Mum.
Happy Mother’s Day to all Mamas out there.
Zuzana
