New Motherhood: Birth of My First Child - Free Report Example

The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. Having a baby surely changes everything. The journey to becoming a new mother began when I first took a pregnancy test and later confirmed at the local Sanit Health Centre that I was expectant. The estimated due date was 28th June 2020. My husband and I were extremely excited at the thought of having a child, the first since we got married. I went through the pregnancy period and finally gave birth. The first time I held my daughter and gazed into her eyes, I felt a sense of hope and relief, and it was at that moment that I knew my perception of the world had changed completely. I have only been a mother for two months and about a half months but being a mother, in my opinion, is a learning experience equal to no other.

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My pregnancy experience was fair. Long before I became pregnant, I had already begun taking my prenatal vitamins. "You do not take chances, do you?" My husband, David, would say on several occasions when he saw me taking the pills. As a result of the vitamin pills, I only threw up about three times during my entire pregnancy which happened in the first trimester. However, I was always tired. To me, the most accessible and most relaxing time during the pregnancy was the second trimester. I did not experience many of the symptoms such as bloating that is experienced by an average woman. I had frequent heartburns during the third trimester and constant muscle pains. Towards the end of the pregnancy, I had sleepless nights. The third trimester was the most dreaded time of my pregnancy.

My daughter, Terry, was born on 20th June 2020. The delivery was about a week earlier than the due date. Being my first experience, I was too nervous and wondered if I would give birth to an underdeveloped baby, and I honestly cringed at the thought of the complications that accompanied premature babies. I heaved a sigh of relief when I was notified by the doctor in charge that the baby was perfect and weighed seven pounds four ounces. The first day in the hospital went well. Terry slept a lot and woke up every two to three hours to be fed. Waking up often was a significant change, as I had been accustomed to sleeping continuously. I could not believe that my daughter was breastfeeding. I felt a strong connection each time Terry breastfed.

My husband and I took Terry home on 25th November. I could not keep my eyes off her as she slept the whole way home. I took three months off work to take care of my daughter. The first month of Terry's life was so hard on me. I barely got any sleep as I had to wake up and breastfeed her any time she was hungry. I almost resorted to giving her formula so that my husband could feed her while I slept. Nevertheless, I wanted to give him breast milk exclusively, as instructed by the doctor. I wanted my son to get the best of everything from the beginning, so I never gave him any formula. My daughter's smile each time I teased her gave me hope, and I felt the challenges of first-time motherhood easier to handle. I woke up each day intending to give her the very best I could get.

My baby has changed my life in ways more than one. Even though I have been a mother for slightly more than two months, I feel like this is the most outstanding achievement that I have ever had in my entire life. Before becoming a mother, I had no motivation to succeed in life. All I could think about was living each day as it came. I had no hope for the future. I was slowly progressing to go nowhere and do nothing with my life. My daughter made me develop a new sense and perspective about life that there is hope and a future in life and that one must withstand all present challenges to get to the future. There are days when I feel exhausted and want to quit from the everyday motherhood challenges. However, the genuine smile from my daughter brightens my mood and motivates me to keep going.

Since becoming a mother, I have had a considerable change of heart. Before I became a mother, I used to be self-centered, continually thinking about myself, "What do I need to buy in my house? What do I do for my birthday? What gifts should I get myself this summer? I need to get a promotion at work". I never thought about anyone else unless the person was connected to or affected me in some way. My daughter has made me realize that it is not only about yourself but the people around you as well. It is no longer about my wants and needs first. I have to prioritize my daughter's needs as she is wholly dependent on me. Every decision I make, whether big or small, seems to be centered on my daughter. "How does moving to a new place affect the baby? Is this practice the best for the baby?" I constantly ask myself such questions.

Planning has become critical in my life. Before becoming a mother, I used to eat any time I felt hungry, attend impromptu events, and randomly hang out with friends. Because of my daughter, I have to plan for every single detail in my life. Taking care of my daughter is time-consuming as I have to be with her during most parts of the day. Thus, it requires planning to fit any other activity into my busy schedule. I only tend to essential matters unlike before when I was present at practically any function. As such, I have to keep dates to avoid missing important events, keep a diary and clear records of all upcoming activities, and arrange the activities in their order of priority.

Children make lives more hectic, busy, and a little complicated. More importantly, they make our lives better in more ways than one count, as a new mother, life changes but in the best ways possible. Not only do children cultivate selflessness and perseverance, but they are also a hope and a future.