Two years ago, I was fixated on all things baby, despite the fact I was not even pregnant yet. Knowing what I know now, there is so much I would like to tell myself about life on the other side of those two pink lines:
Dear Pre-Baby Self,
First, let’s relax a little bit. Your baby is coming, and I can assure you: the timing will be perfect, and she will be worth the wait. (Oh, spoiler alert, it’s a girl!) Motherhood will be marvelous, yet challenging, so learning to relax and be patient will be extremely advantageous.
Love, love, love your husband. Take special care of him and your relationship. Having a child will produce the greatest memories and the most trying times for the two of you. Be kind to each other. You will both adjust to becoming a parent in your own way and in your own time. He will never just be a husband again. While you are busy becoming a mom, don’t forget he is becoming a dad. You will go through uncharted territory and, I promise, it’s so much better together. Carve out special time for just the two of you. You will miss the simple life and his undivided attention. When you have a baby, you think, “This is the greatest gift ever!”, but that is not the case. It will rival your strong marriage and endless love. (Ok, we’ll call it a tie.)
It is imperative that you take care of your body, Pre-Baby Self. It is your greatest tool for motherhood. Your incredible (whether you see it that way or not) body will grow a tiny human with no instructions whatsoever. After your baby arrives, your body is equipped with everything you need to nourish her. Your arms will be the perfect fit for snuggling. Your brain will never shut off. You will stare for hours at your beautiful creation, memorizing and falling in love with her every inch. Your ears will be able to differentiate between a hunger and a sleepy cry. With a touch of your hand, you will be able to tell if your baby has even the slightest fever. Your body may not return to pre-baby condition, but nothing else will, either. Love your body; it will transform you to your Post-Baby Self.
Now, I am not going to lie, you are going to miss your pre-baby life. In particular, you will miss going to the movies and eating dinner in a restaurant past 5:30 p.m. You will miss the days filled with work meetings and evenings filled with happy hours. Oh, and you will miss sleep. And your purse. No matter how hard you try, a diaper bag does not look like a purse. You will miss being carefree and guilt-free.
Which brings me to my next piece of insight: know you are enough. You will question everything you do, over-analyze every decision you make, and Google all day long…but when it comes down to taking care of your daughter, you’ve got this. Call it what you want, maternal instinct or your gut, you are exactly what your baby needs. Believe in yourself.
The next two years are going to fly by. Before you know it, you will be planning your daughter’s first birthday party. Enjoy your pre-baby time and I can assure you, you will relish your post-baby time too.
All my love,
Your Post-Baby Self
