I read so much when I was pregnant about pregnancy. I knew almost everything that was going on in my growing belly week to week. Ask me how big my baby was and I could tell you he was the size of a cauliflower (week 27). I knew which items would be on my registry before it was time to register. Throughout my whole pregnancy, I felt well informed and confident. I knew exactly how I would raise my child, or at least I thought I knew.
Here is my Know It All things that my pregnant self told my current self. (I would like to slap my pregnant self and tell her to relax).
1. I will never keep my baby in my bedroom… How did I ever think I could be further than 10 feet away from my precious angel? I had to check and make sure everything was perfect for him. Swaddle in place, binkie in his mouth, was he still breathing? I did this song and dance on repeat all night and into the early morning well beyond the newborn stage. My son didn’t move into his own room until he was four months old.
2. I will never feed my baby store bought food…I made baby food. I had all the gear to do so. I bought all the organic fruit and veggies, did all the prep work and it was exhausting. Between the mess I made and the overwhelming smell of sweet potatoes, I only lasted a month or two until I saw a friend give her son a store bought pouch of baby food. It looked so effortless. The next day I immediately bought almost all of the organic baby food pouches Target had to offer. I never had to curse at the mess I made with the Baby Bullet again.
3. I will never allow my son to watch tv/use my phone, etc… Sometimes, I just want to finish my lunch in peace. Maybe I want to actually try on the clothes in the dressing room. Whatever the reason may be, I give in and I don’t feel bad. Daniel Tiger is teaching social and emotional awareness one episode at a time, right?
4. I will never let my son Cry It Out… Six months in and I was still getting up multiple times waiting for the 4 month sleep regression to fix itself. After advice from many moms and our pediatrician I realized I had a strong-willed kid and CIO was the only way to go. And I am so glad, this worked and my son is such a good sleeper.
5. I will never have an unfinished baby book… My mom gave me my baby book was I was pregnant. I couldn’t believe she didn’t finish it! But here I am with a toddler trying to remember the details of my sons first weeks so I can fill in the blank pages of his baby book before he sees it.
My parenting style has evolved to a “go with the flow” strategy. I have a roadmap in place but if I stray, thats what is meant to be. I don’t have it all figured out and I don’t beat myself up about the mishaps I have while navigating parenthood. All I know is I now Never Say Never!
xo,
Heather