So you are pregnant and completely frightened for the dreaded experience of (dun dun dun) labor.
Some women compare how long they went through labor.
“I labored for 72 hours.”
“Well, I labored for 73.”
We get it. It sucked.
Other women say they don’t remember the pain at all! That once that bouncing bundle of joy (their words not mine) comes out, you forget all about it.
Yeah, right. I wish. Then again tried to remember it just because of this common statement.
Once the baby was out, I was overjoyed. Not at the sight of my baby, but at the fact I could finally get some sleep. That 5 minute power nap felt like 8 hours and it was miraculous.
Then you bring the baby home and you realize that now this little human is a permanent fixture in your household. Don’t get me wrong. They are so totally precious, but so was the time you used to get to yourself.
During the newborn stage I was exhausted, wondering if I was doing things correctly, hoping that my son would quickly get over eating every hour. Yes, every hour. Not 2-4 like they tell you. Every. Hour.
Diapers aren’t nearly as bad as I expected. That was the easiest part of taking care of him. Didn’t take any thought.
The tough part is trying to make your baby happy and trying to make yourself happy. That includes trying to avoid Cabin Fever.
So no. Labor isn’t the worst part. The months following are so much harder and last so much longer. It is a battle to juggle life when a little human gets thrown into a mix. Especially a little human that cannot feed themselves or entertain themselves.
Have no fear. They are 3 months old before you know it and then they will laugh and play and your worries wash away. They are the cutest thing and you can’t help but love them through all the tears.
It is still all TOTALLY worth it. Just know what you are getting into and you have better odds at facing it positively.
I’m sure I will update this when my son becomes a toddler… maybe the title will be: “Newborns aren’t the Worst”
Do you agree that labor isn’t all that bad in the big scheme of things? Comment below.