Day 2 - 10 Moms. 10 Questions. 10 Honest Answers.

Thursday, March 08, 2018 8:00 AM | Christina (Administrator)
Life With A Baby is turning 10.  To celebrate, we are excited to share with you insights from 10 different Moms, answering 10 questions honestly.


Summer C
Summer is a first-time Mom from Niagara Falls to a beautiful, stubborn baby boy and is a Stepmom to an equally as beautiful, sweet girl. She is currently on maternity leave until September. She loves to curl up and browse through Amazon for great toys and baby things, while watching her guilty pleasure channel TLC.
 

1. How would you describe yourself before having a baby?
I was more spontaneous. I wanted to go and do so many things. Go out for drinks, go to the casino, go shopping. I had very different priorities. Get the renos done with our house. Go to work and have fun with my husband. Buy a bottle of wine after work and just chill out. Stay up until stupid times watching movies or drinking or talking.

2. How would you describe yourself after having a baby?

I'm more reserved now. I was orderly before, but now with my son, I have a schedule. Instead of drinks, its a coffee. Instead of the casino, it's baby talk groups. Instead of shopping for me, its diapers and wipes and baby food. My priorities are not renos. It's putting together the new exersaucer. Now I don't go to work. I go to a crib to work for the wonderful baby I've brought into this world. I still have fun with my husband, it's just spent together on the couch with two wonderful children between us instead of a pool table. And I do stay up, But I'm watching a baby monitor, drinking a big glass of water and talking about the newest struggle or newest skill baby James has acquired.


3. What is one thing you miss about your pre-baby life?
In a way, I miss not having someone depend on me and not having to worry about someone else's well-being but my own. Don't get me wrong. I love my son and I wouldn't change that for the world. But I do sometimes miss not having to do laundry every day so we both have clean clothes that aren't spit up on; being able to sleep for however long I wanted. 

4. What is one thing you wish someone prepared you for, when it comes to Motherhood?
The emotions. The baby blues were horrendous. Going from being excited, to depressed,  to angry,  to flat all in 10 minutes. I thought I was going crazy. And I wish someone prepared me for PPD. But There isn't much help or talk about that until, most times, it's too late and you think you're going crazy yelling at your husband and crying while you hold your baby at 3 in the morning. 

5. How has Motherhood changed you?
I'm more reliable now. I need to be reliable. I can't just flake or run away when there's a problem. More time oriented. I now truly see the meaning behind taking all the pictures. Wanting dinner time to be family time. I now know that its okay to ask for help. That I need it sometimes. Even if I don't want it. 


6. Do you feel like you have “balance” in your life and why?
HA! Balance? What's that? For me, since I chose to breastfeed, the scales all weigh closer in my son's direction. I do get loads of help from my family and especially my husband. But I don't feel like there's much balance for me and "me time". Unless I forfeit sleep or a shower (laughs). 


7. What helped get you through the postpartum transition into Motherhood?
My husband and my parents one hundred percent. Having them to help and talk to was my saving grace. I give kudos to all those women who are single moms who don't have the support that I did. 

8. Motherhood is hard. What gets you through each day, day after day?
Knowing I have a little person that I'm helping to mould into a human being. Hearing my husband say that he is proud of me for doing the things that I'm doing to get better. Seeing the amazing smile from my son next to me first thing in the morning. Hearing my stepdaughter giggle and coo over her little brother. There are so many things that get me through the daily struggles like no sleep, sore nipples, and dishes spilling out of the sink onto the counters.


9. What makes you grateful about motherhood?
I'm grateful that I get to watch my children grow. That I created that person or helped to raise that person. That I get to see their personalities develop. To see my son go from a helpless, tiny being to slowly becoming his own person. To see my stepdaughter go from a sweet little 4 year old who just started school and was so shy, to this wonderful first grader who is starting to open up to her surroundings and see the world differently every day. Watching my son learn to grab toys and trying to teach him to roll over.

I'm grateful that I get to call them mine. And that they will be able to say that's my mama/ stepmom. 

10. What is one thing you would tell a new or expecting Mother?
Don’t be scared. Even though it's easier said than done. When someone asks if you need help WITH ANYTHING! Take it and let them help! And if you ever feel like something is wrong, whether it is with you or baby, whether it's how you feel emotionally or physically. Talk to someone, anyone. You are not alone. There are others who understand you and love you. There are many people who know you're a wonderful mom or will be and they want to see you succeed and be happy. I want to see you succeed and be happy. 


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