The Frontline. Week One.

New Mamahood. 

Hi All!

I'm Maegen. I' m a new mom. I live in one of the most rapidly growing metropolitan regions in the country: the Washington DC Metro, more specifically, Northern VA.While trying to navigate "new parenthood" I found I needed some real talk. Not only needed, I required it. I just kept thinking, I CAN'T be the only one. I found a few blogs/pages which helped me along particularly Clemmie Hooper's " Mother of Daughters." Praise Jesus for her. However, she is from the UK. I needed something US. I needed someone who would tell me it was ok to dread the sleep training, to pray for nap time and most importantly: that it was OK to be a working mom. And not only that, but a mom who still was willing to chase her dreams.

I thought about how I should start this blog. With pregnancy? With delivery? Nah. Those are blogs in and of themselves. I decided to start with that glorious first week at home and all the tips I used to get through it.

Week One and Two. 

I wish someone had told me during all the shopping trips to Pottery Barn Kids and all that pining over a Silver Cross Pram that its not the labor part that is rough. Its those first two weeks. 

Sleeping: yea don't even begin to count on it. The dreaded Moro reflex is to blame for that. Who the hell knows what that even is when you are a first time Mom?! The first night home I limped over the my beautiful Pottery Barn Bassinet placed my daughter in it and limped back to bed. (I had a really rough delivery.) I had soothed her to sleep. Success. This wasn't so hard! WRONG. My child woke up every twenty minutes. EVERY TWENTY MINUTES. She would fall asleep startle herself and go right back to crying. It was at the end of week two I found myself on my friend Marissa's floor crying. "I can't even think. I hate maternity leave" were my exact words. Amelia hated her bassinet but I was so terrified of any other sleep setting that that was all I had tried. So finally I posted on facebook thinking someone HAS to have an answer for this. 

I got a gizillion comments about the Fisher Price Rock and Play and one about the Halo Sleep Swaddle. I drove myself to Target that Sunday savoring the twenty minute drive ( yea I totally went to the farthest Target from me.) I would have bought that Rock and Play if it cost 5,000 dollars. Luckily it was 30.00. And just in case I picked up the swaddle. I will always remember Brent putting the Rock and Play together at 10:00 pm and it not having a newborn insert. I broke. Full fledged panic attack. I just couldn't do another night. B took the weekends and I took the week so I was staring at another four sleepless nights. On a whim I said "what the hell! Put on the damn swaddle." Four hours straight she slept. For any mamas of newborns you know that is a god damn miracle. So saying I HIGHLY recommend that product would be an understatement. And I am an unknown blogger so I swear I'm not just endorsing a product.

YOU: My mom was everything those first two weeks. She came and got my baby first thing in the morning so I could pass out for at least three hours. She made me eat, shower and change out of my pajamas. When she left, I cried like a baby. Having your Mom six hours away is a reality that weighs on you like no other. Within hours I was on the phone with my Dad begging him to come down sooner. He gave me the best advice I could ever receive: I needed to do something for myself. In another post I'll go into my dance teacher life, but I am one. Two weeks post partum I hobbled into the studio just to watch for an hour. It was like for a second I remembered I was a person. Within two weeks I was teaching dance a couple hours a week. And it was OK. I left for a few hours and came back refreshed. 

What Do You Really Need? - I'll stop the rambling now. But for those of you need to must haves, here's my take, excluding the obvious items:

Don't buy that 400.00 Mamaroo, the much cheaper Fisher Price Snug Puppy is the baby whisperer.  

Halo Sleep Swaddle. For your sanity. 

White Onsies. They go under everything. 

Tommy Tippee bottles. My child hated any other kind of nipple. 

Boppy Lounger. Amelia still loves this thing. 

Granny Panties. Because you aren't wearing those cute Victorias Secret undergarments for quite some time. 

Yoga Pants. Because obviously.