Here we go again.

So I’m a mom again. Just like that (well really it took 9 months, but when you’re in denial for 8.5 of them, it goes really quickly). There are a few things I forgot about having a newborn.

1. The craziness of milk hormones. I don’t know the real names of the hormones that are raging through my body at the moment, but I know that commercials and facebook posts are making me cry. Have you seen the coke commercial… the one about the new parents who then find out they’re pregnant again. All. Choked. Up.

Ask my doctor about when he checked on me the Friday morning I was in the hospital. I was slightly afraid he wouldn’t release me the next day based on mental health. He asked me how I was doing and I began sobbing. The poor little Indian man came to the side of my bed and gently spoke about pain, pain management, and postpartum depression. I explained I was in pain – a lot – but that I thought my real problem was that my milk was going to come in that day. Waaaaaa! (insert tears shooting out the sides of my eyes like in the cartoons). He changed my pain meds, my milk came in and VOILA! by that afternoon when his colleague, who was coming on for the weekend, came to check on me I was back to my old cheerful self. Stupid hormones.

2. Sleepless nights. I love my sleep. Like really love and really need it all at the same time. If I could sleep 9 hours a night I think I’d be golden. Instead I mostly get 7. And now with sweet little baby Piper, I’m getting an interrupted 5, if I’m lucky. This makes for one tired mommy and major dark circles.

3. And if that weren’t bad enough, here are my toes.

This is what happens when you get a pedicure when you’re 6 months pregnant and then can’t see your feet for 3 more months. Pretty, yes? And now you know what you can get me for Christmas.

4. Less time….  Okay so this one’s the doozy…. I forgot how much time is consumed just taking care of an infant. Do you know how often they eat? Piper eats every 3 hours during the day – some babies eat more often, and it takes a whopping 20 minutes at least to feed her. That’s a lot of sitting down doing nothing. However I’m not complaining. I’m actually enjoying having to sit a little and be quiet. I finished a great book and started another.

5. How much nursing hurts in the beginning. It’s been 7 years since I nursed a baby. I’m pretty tender these days. ‘Nuf said.

6. How much you love your baby. Even when it’s the middle of the night and I’ve been trying to get Piper to sleep for several hours, holding her against my shoulder, with her hair snuggled against my cheek is the best feeling ever. Sigh.