7 Unexpected Ways Motherhood Changes You
You’re not the same girl you were nine months ago. Oh, those pre-baby days: How you really… don’t miss them. You thought you’d totally crave girls’ night out every Friday after work, but then you realized that snuggling with your little one is so much better than guzzling margaritas. Motherhood changes you — it just does. Whether it’s on day 1, day 1,215, or 18 years down the road, check out some of the ways your attitudes and beliefs transform after your baby’s big birth day.
1. You’re more nutritionally conscious. There once was a time when two saltines topped with some sort of cheese “product” made a pretty rad meal. You grabbed a slice of pizza for lunch, sometimes had a chocolate-chip scone for dinner, and snacked on dry cereal straight from the box. Now that you’re a mama, these so-called meals just won’t do. You’re reading nutrition labels, avoiding anything with high-fructose corn syrup, and opting for “real” foods that are free from preservatives, antibiotics, and other not-so-healthy ingredients. Oh, and not just for your kiddo. You’re going totally healthy for yourself too.
2. You really value sleep. That well-rested woman who once resided in your body used to stay out until 2am whenever she could. She couldn’t have cared less about a “reasonable bedtime” way back when. Of course those late nights didn’t matter — she could sleep until noon on any given Sunday. Now that you’re on baby duty 24/7, sleep is a valuable commodity. Sure, you’re still up at 2am: But now it’s for breastfeeding, changing diapers, and rocking baby back to dreamland.
3. You’ve relaxed about the small things. The old uptight you is totally gone now. In your pre-baby days, you constantly worried about teeny-tiny things that really didn’t matter. At least, not compared to the grand scheme of motherhood. Yes, you still worry about the big things — sometimes a lot. You worry whether your baby will meet their developmental milestones, you worry if you’re choosing the “right” parenting philosophy, and you worry about ever having enough money saved to send your child to college someday. But you’re totally relaxed when it comes to just about everything else in your life.
4. You’re now an organizational genius. Toss a tampon, a bottle of nail polish, and some dry shampoo into your purse, and you’re ready to go. Well, that was back in the pre-mommyhood days. As a mother, you’d never leave the house without a full diaper bag that’s stocked and loaded. Your changing table shelves have a buffet of diaper sizes stashed underneath, and your baby’s closet looks like something out of a movie. You went from chaos and clutter to complete and total organization. You’re the mama maven, and you love it!
5. You feel more pride. Ah, pride. You used to reserve it for that rare standout report your boss praised at work or the Pinterest-worthy dinner you actually created on your own. Now you’re feeling pride just about every other moment: when your child rolls over for the first time, sits up without your help, or finally eats all of the mashed carrots. Pride takes on a whole new role (and brings on a new set of feelings) now that you’re a mother.
6. You’ve become a soft speaker. You’ve gone from loud and out-there to soft and serene. Your speech used to attract listeners from across the room; now it soothes your baby’s fussiness. The way you talk has completely changed now that you’re a mommy. Not only is it softer, but it’s a higher pitch as well. And then there are the cutesy little words that you kind of make up, such as “paci-waci” and “milkikins.”
7. You no longer think of yourself first. Those shoes are entirely awesome. You saw them online and you have to have them — that is, until you saw the price tag. One pair of fab shoes could buy you something like 30 packs of diapers. So you skip the shoes and save for the baby. The days of “me, me, me” are gone. In your new mommy-ing life the kiddo comes first. Always.
How has motherhood changed you? Tweet us your experiences @BritandCo!
(Photos via Getty)