When I was pregnant I was surprised at how many mothers were unable to recall what early motherhood was like. I thought they were simple things I was requesting information about; like how many times they were milk fed a day, when they started solids, when they introduced certain foods, how many times they woke in the night, when they started sleeping through, how old they were when they cut their first tooth…

It wasn’t until I visited a girlfriend and her one week old baby that I realised I had become one of those vague mothers too.
It was pure bliss holding this gorgeous 2.5kg baby in my arms, smelling that newborn smell and watching him sleep peacefully. I was then asked questions regarding certain aspects of life with Milla as a newborn, and I went blank.
What times did Milla wake in the night? How many night feeds did you do? When did she start pooing only once a day? All of my replies began with, “Umm…I think it was….”

I’m wondering how this is possible when I have only been a mother for 11.5months!
Some explanations did come to mind eventually. Perhaps it was the sleep deprivation making that critical time seem like a blur. Maybe it was my subconcious trying to block out the screaming reflux baby I had. Or perhaps it could be that my mind acted like a filter keeping what was important and discarding the rest.

I now realise how important it is to write these details down.
I am grateful to my mother who wrote a journal and was sentimental enough to have hoarded loads of keepsake items. And, I am relieved that I too have made the effort to do this for Milla, so that even though some details are collecting dust in the back of my mind, she will be able to get out her books one day and discover for herself.

Filed under:
mums life, Uncategorized by amy