My life won't change with a new baby.

Remember saying this?  I do.  I remember thinking it.  I remember 
looking at my friends with babies and kids and wondering what happened 
to them.  Why couldn’t they just meet for a movie. Babies sleep right? 
They always seem to be sleeping, there’s lots of time to get stuff done.

I see my patients come in during their pregnancies with lots of ideas 
about what their lives will be like after their first baby arrives. 
Some have an idea that life will be turned upside down.  Many don’t 
and lay out for me how they’ll manage to continue their lifestyle with 
the new baby.  They have lots of great and reasonable plans.

What’s fun, is the first visit at 4 weeks after delivery.  My first 
question is:  What surprises you about being a new mom? This is where 
the real insights pour out.  I hear a lot of this:

I had no idea

I can’t do anything, all he/she wants to do is eat

I’m not sleeping, I’m not able to do anything

Of course, I hear lots of other responses too.  What’s amazing, is how 
completely different everything becomes once this precious baby arrives.

Moms are in transition, adjusting to their new roles and it takes 
awhile to figure out how to make the changes and still have their new 
life with a baby.

(This blog was originally published in 2010)