Things you never thought of until you have baby

There are certain moments that occur with a newborn baby that you are totally unprepared for. I am not talking about the sleep deprivation or the surprising range of a baby boy pee or just how much love you feel your baby. I am talking about the little things that affect your life in ways you didn’t expect.

The other day I was preparing to head out with Isaac to a shopping centre – just him and I. Suddenly I thought struck me – what was I going to do if I had to go the bathroom? In a panic I asked hubby for his advice. With a wry smile he suggested that I hang Isaac, baby carrier and all, on the hook they have on the back of toilets. Then came the slightly more sensible suggestion of using the disabled loo and taking the pram. However, for someone who is a very adamant about closing the bathroom door, this all seemed contrary to my nature. Instead I resolved that I just wouldn’t go to the bathroom when I was out with Isaac. I had flash backs to a trip to Africa we had a few years ago. The only bathroom option whilst driving out on the plains was, well, out on the plains. If I have strong pelvic floor muscles, it’s nothing to do with pregnancy exercise and everything to do with “holding on” whilst being bumped and jostled in a jeep over Africa.

I am lucky enough to live near a gorgeous group of women who have little children. The other night we all went out for a girls’ dinner, leaving our hubbies holding the babies. Of course the discussion was centred around our kids. I felt quite sorry for the only one of our number who doesn’t have a baby – I do remember being bored by conversations about other people’s offspring. However, as much as your promise “you won’t be that parent”, you end up that way. It wasn’t until I realised that we were quite happily discussing poo that I realised that I had turned into that mother.

Other things that have surprised me are: just how much you can get done with one hand whilst nursing a baby with the other, how fast little ones grow out of clothing, how long you can spend staring at them sleep and how much fun it is to be a mum.