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Starting The New Year As A New Mom

This year the stroke of midnight isn’t just ringing in the New Year for me — it begins the final countdown of my last month of pregnancy. This moment seemed so far off in the future and almost unreachable as I think back to laying out on the beach this past summer, four months pregnant and wondering if anyone could notice my new, tiny tummy. Fast forward four more months and I shamelessly balance bowls and snacks upon my seriously protruding baby bump.

Last year at this time I remember making a New Years resolution list (you can find that post right here!). Just your typical wake up on time (failed), drink plenty of water (failed until pregnant),  be more thankful (success!), make more time for self-care (somewhat a success!). I have no idea what this new year truly has in store for me. I can submerge myself in countless mom stories and be given endless amounts of advice, but I really have no idea until I live it myself.

This year I am not creating some resolutions list for a year that I can’t predict whatsoever. Instead, I’m making a wish-list for myself as a new mom.

Less Comparing

It’s inevitable, I know I am going to do it: I’m going to compare myself to other moms. Why is it that we are always comparing ourselves to everyone else? We compare our relationships, our work success, education, physical looks, food choices, EVERYTHING!

All during this pregnancy, I found myself comparing other pregnancies to mine. “What is she wearing that I don’t have, how much did she gain vs me, what is she eating that I am not…” Sometimes it can be really hard to just let go of comparing. I’m realistic, I know I am still going to do it, which is why I wish for myself to do it less — especially at such a delicate time in my new life.

Ask For Help

I can be really stubborn. I don’t like asking for help, even when I desperately need it. I’ll struggle and make more errors than necessary had I just asked for help. Being pregnant has been such a mental struggle for me in this aspect. I HAVE to ask for help. There are so many things I can’t do that frustrate me to no end. More specifically, I am talking about moving and lifting things. I wanted to put the nursery together ASAP (paint, build furniture, rearrange furniture, etc…) but I had to ask for help and wait until I had the help to do pretty much anything.

Being a mom is going to be the most intense challenge I’ve ever faced. I need to accept the fact that I should and can ask for help.

Continue Date Nights

Having a baby will completely change the dynamic in my home. My husband and I have always had the luxury of being able to drop anything we were doing to go out on a date. In a months time, that will not be the case. There will need to be more planning involved. Can the baby come, can someone babysit for us, should we leave the house or stay in?

Regardless of the additional planning, I know it is going to be so important that my husband and I continue our date nights to keep our relationship just as strong as it’s always been. Pregnancy has already altered our date nights — there are many more at home dates than out of the home these days. I’m sure the in-home date nights will only continue to increase with a little one around, and I am perfectly OK with that.

Remember Me, Myself and I

You make so many sacrifices being pregnant for the health and safety of your unborn child (don’t eat certain foods, don’t have too much caffeine, no heavy lifting or sports with contact, don’t sunbathe too long, etc… the list goes on and on). I’ve never really complained, though like I mentioned before I can get frustrated (no lifting objects). I always told myself, it’s only 9 months. I can live without coffee and lunchmeat subs for 9 months. Easy.

With being pregnant I had to change some of my daily routines to accommodate all these new regulations I was being told to stick to. Making sacrifices and changes for your kids obviously starts at pregnancy and will only continue (again, in ways I have yet to understand) even more once they are born.

Remembering to take care of myself and continuing to pursue the things that I like to do will be important. I’ve already had moments towards my husband where I tell him I don’t think I’ll ever want to leave the house once he’s [the baby] born! And he has assured me that he will lovingly force me out of the house.

I have no idea what this new year will entail for me. It’s going to be an adventure like no other I have experienced. Eight months of pregnancy in the books, one more month to go! It’s surreal to think about, but I am so ready for this new and exciting chapter in my life. I hope to look back on this wishlist any time I feel I am completely faltering from it and remember that I am human and I will compare myself to others and will continue to be stubborn — but my wish is that I do both less. In addition, I hope that I can continue to make time for date nights and me time.

Happy New Years, everyone!