Mommy Memoirs - Things You Don't Want To But Have To Hear

As a new mum, there are a hundred strange, new and unexpected things that you can experience. I wonder if any of the mums I know managed to handle these, all by themselves. Each of us turn to someone close for all those queries, frights and fears that cross our minds. Thankfully for me I have my mum and sister to handle the silliest of questions that I may have.

To add to that, thanks to WhatsApp, I have a set of 'new mommy' friends who double up as mommy-wiki's for me. They were literally a ping away right through my 9 month journey and continue to be so. Thank you my mommy friends :-)

Now apart from this set of your chosen advisors, you are most likely to come across a dozen relatives, friends or passersby who will chip in with their unwelcome comments, probings and much more. If you did not encounter such people, you are surely blessed. For the record, I have tried to collect all such questions/ comments that I had to, but didn't want to, hear during my pregnancy and after NiVi was born. I would have liked to add that all these characters are fictitious and do not resemble anyone living or dead. However, fortunately or otherwise, they are very much for real and living :-)

Here goes...

'Eat as much as you want and whatever you want before you deliver.'

... However genuine and well meant this statement may be, I doubt if you can really eat as much as you want and all that you want... Especially during the last couple of months with your little one cuddled inside and hardly any room left. Didn't work for me, not sure about the others.

'Oh!! You want to have a girl?!'

... YES!! And I will only prefer to reserve my reactions on this one... Lest I get violent with my vocabulary. We are proud to have NiVi in our lives!

'Congratulations! How does it feel.. (And then before you even smile and begin to say thanks)... Are you "able" to feed her??!!'

... Most irritatingly timed question when you are still in the hospital and recouping. Almost everyone seems to be curious and/or concerned about this. Depending on the age of your 'well wisher', this question will most likely be followed by a lecture to the effect of 'mother's feed is the best for your baby'. Every new mom knows this, people!! I think we should just let her and the baby be. Let them take their time and settle down... in what, I think, is nature's best example of human bonding :-)

'Does she sleep well at night??'

... Reflex response... Oh yes!!! My baby has super natural powers of sleeping through the night without wanting to be fed or cleaned!!! Such a painful question to pose to someone who is already zombified, displaying all signs of lack of sleep!

'... And you thought raising a child was easy??!!

...This statement will mark the end of a detailed discussion on all the challenges you are facing as a new mother. All through you would be made to believe that you have a very empathetic listener... And then this question pops up suddenly, leaving you saying 'hnmmm'... and thinking '@#$%'.

'Who does she look like??' 

... Now there's nothing really wrong with this question but I just find it too clichéd. And the irony here is that all my friends think she resembles me, all his friends think she resembles him and all our common friends think she resembles both of us :-D 

Am sure there will be many more such questions in the months ahead. Time for me to check with my mommy-wiki's... so that I can be better prepared ;-)

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Mommy Memoirs - Months 0 to 3

May 26, 2014 maybe just another hot summer day for most of you. For us, it meant the world. Our daughter was born on this day. Our little princess. Our true bundle of joy... NiVi :-)

I have decided to document this fulfilling and divine experience in our lives. Am sure the parent in each of you will relate to most of it. There are many bestsellers available off the shelf and off the web for parents to be. You can try and digest all of it. But do not be surprised if what actually happens is 'out of syllabus'! ;-)

The last few weeks of waiting for your baby to arrive is a true test of patience. During this time you will definitely hear one or all of this from people around.

'What do you think it will be... Girl or boy??'
... Guess this is expected to be our first mother's intuition :-)

'Eat whatever you want now. Once you deliver there will be a 100 restrictions.'
... Very true.

'Sleep as much as you can now. Once you deliver sleep deprivation is a sure thing!' 

... So so very true. The first few weeks (and the weeks ahead!!) can be quite overwhelming.

'Be prepared to deal with the shift in attention. Once the baby is around you will become a distant second.'
... Guess babies have it in them to grab attention. No complaints... But the new mother needs to be prepared for this.

******

Once your baby is born... Life changes instantly. I still get goose bumps while saying 'my daughter' :-).

All the challenges apart, it is indeed a blissful feeling...

• Each time I hold NiVi in my arms.

• When I see NiVi's little feet, little fingers, little nose, cute little smile and not so little ears :-)

• Calling her by a hundred cute names and watching her gurgle at each one of them.

• The truest sense of accomplishment when I rock her to sleep... So what if the sleep only lasts her journey from lap to bed :-)

• The secret sense of pride when am able to stop her from crying... Either by simply holding her or feeding her.

• The little thank you that she says with her sparkling eyes whilst she feeds.

• Adorning her with little bangles and traditional charms... and the joy to see them fit her.

• Weighing little NiVi and maintaining her weight tracker. Each gain in weight seems a milestone met... It also means she is likely to fit into the next set of her cute little outfits. Her wardrobe is stocked for the next 6 months already :-)

• Stealing NiVi's baby milk powder and feeling guilty about it. Never felt that way while secretly gulping my niece's milk powder ;-)

• Changing nappies, applying baby powder (and smelling her once in a while), decking her up and then smiling at her toothless smile :-)

• Tiptoeing around the room when she is sleeping and lecturing everyone else to do the same.

• Using all the special characters on the keyboard to form the choicest of adjectives for those insensitive drivers who go around honking on the streets outside.

• Watching NiVi smile and laugh at near and dear ones around.

• Planning and rehearsing for every outing with NiVi... Though it's been only doctor visits thus far.

• Every minute spent with her, actually :-)

Love you loads little munchkin. Stay blessed... always :-*

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