Today I made a meal for a new mom and had a chance to speak with her for a bit when we delivered it. She has been having a hard time since her baby was in the NICU for a week and an half, and they just came home a couple of days ago.
Being a new parent can be hard! During pregnancy, there is often a lot of excitement and anticipation, and very often, the challenges of being a parent to a new baby hit like a load of bricks. Crying babies, combined with a lack of sleep and the emotional pressure of feeling like you just don’t know what to do, leave moms feeling overwhelmed and stressed out. A bit of time and perspective can help a mom to recognize how very short this time in a child’s life is. It seems so all-consuming when you’re in the middle of it, but it is like a blip on the screen of life. Seeing how quickly babies grow up has helped me develop an attitude of ‘enjoy exactly the stage they are at now’. Colic, teething, non stop crying – it all passes. Along with the things you don’t miss are the things you will remember fondly –tiny bodies and wise newborn gazes, how totally dependent they were on you, how easy it was to express your love for them just by holding and feeding them frequently and regularly.
My baby just cut his first tooth – last week I was dealing with the exhaustion that comes with an infant waking up six times a night, crying and being hard to soothe for most of the day. In the middle of it all, I thought about what I am sharing with you, no matter how it feels in the moment (and it feels endless!), it all passes. And here I am, a week later, and he’s back to sleeping through most of the night, and is a pleasure during the day.
Someone told me years ago, “When my children were young, the days would drag on, but the years fly by.” When she told me that, I had four children under 5.5, and I couldn’t imagine time going quickly. Every day seemed to take sooo long, with everyone needing my help for everything; if I wasn’t changing a diaper, I was feeding or dressing someone, or reading a book to them, or keeping them entertained. But she was so right – now I often marvel how fast time goes. Every time I think about how fast the kids are growing up, I feel grateful that I am able to spend so much time being there with them and for them. I don’t have to wonder where all those years went, because I was there, and that is very precious to me.
Avivah
