36 Things I’ve Learned In Motherhood

Well, I’ve been around the sun 36 times. I’m not sure how it happened so fast, but here we are. Not too long ago, I was 34, in a labor and delivery room, enduring yet another earth-shattering contraction, when after a harrowing 48 hours, the Doctor plopped a little, naked baby on my chest and changed my life forever. It’s been 21 months with my little girl and wow, life looks really different these days. In honor of my 36th year of life, I’ve decided to list a few of the things I maybe, sort of, kind of have learned on this motherhood journey, even though, I really have no idea what I’m doing at all most days.

1. “Sleep training” is not all or nothing. There is a whole spectrum of sleep training and there are many different methods, and some kids don’t even need to be sleep trained. Sleep is a very unique thing for every family. There is no one size fits all.
2. Also, if you go the sleep training route, you will have to sleep train more than once. This was a huge shock for me.
3. The infant phase is really hard. This is more of an opinion statement. Sure, the toddler phase has it’s challenges, but right now, I can say I definitely prefer it to the non-walking, non-solid-food, non-sleeping phase.
4. Breastfeeding is definitely a journey. And it will be ok no matter how your journey ends. Motherhood is so much more than breastfeeding.
5. In continuation of number four, breastfeeding is super hard for everyone. I seriously don’t know anyone who didn’t struggle.
6. Motherhood will change you to your core.
7. Motherhood will stretch you in more ways than one.
8. Motherhood is boring sometimes.
9. You will look forward to 7pm (or whenever bedtime is) more than you ever did before.
10. Your heart will flutter like never before when your baby reaches out for you, or puts their little arms around your neck.
11. 90% of your phone’s photos will now be of your child.
12. Always factor in an extra 30 minutes when estimating how long it will take you to leave the house.
13. Pack the diaper bag the night before.
14. Always have snacks on hand.
15. Your house will be overrun with toys and clutter. Just accept it. You will have a beautiful, organized house again someday but probably not today.
16. If you’re an introvert, you will probably leave the house way more post-kid than you did pre-kid (I know I do, because hello, I run out of things to do at like 9:30am).
17. You will develop a newfound respect and extreme appreciation for your own mother.
18. Some days you will feel like you have it all together and some days you will feel like you have no idea what you’re doing.
19. Motherhood is a sisterhood. We’re all in this together.
20. The exhaustion, the mundane, the monotony, the hard may not feel important but it is SO important, maybe the most important work we will do.
21. Pacifiers are complicated. I have a love/hate relationship with them.
22. You will love this little person more than you ever thought you could love anyone.
23. There are no parenting “hacks”.
24. Get outside as much as possible. The fresh air and sunshine really knocks those kiddos out.
25. Kids find it fascinating to transfer items from one container to another. Save empty coffee canisters, pretzel containers, etc.
26. I think you can love your child but sometimes hate parenting.
27. You are the perfect mom for your child.
28. It truly does take a village. You cannot do it all on your own, or at least I cannot do it all on my own.
29. Baby laughter is the most magical sound.
30. Motherhood has shown me some of my own self-centeredness and it’s made me appreciate God’s unconditional love for me.
31. You will find yourself doing things as a parent you swore you’d never do.
32. You’ll count down the minutes until bed time, but then, once it finally comes, you’ll scroll through your phone looking at photos and videos of your baby.
33. I don’t hate diapers as much as I thought I would?
34. There will be really hard days, but you will get through them.
35. Sleep regressions are the worst.
36. Motherhood is the most challenging, taxing, exhausting thing ever. Motherhood is also the most beautiful, magical, miraculous thing ever.