Mommies Turning into Ghosts and Zombies

Boo!!! Did I scare you??? I am the ghost of the future here to give you a heads up on what you can most likely expect in your life as a mommy dear. 

All mommies turn into ghosts and zombies. You will hear often that everyone’s situation and experience is different, but THIS is universal. Of course, you are not really going to begin floating and swaying from side to side. And you will not morph into a zombie while chanting, “I want your brain!”. However, all mommies especially in the beginning fall into the ghost and zombie category.

Pregnant? Girl, it’s all about you. Gave birth? It’s all about the baby. So enjoy the attention while you’re pregnant because 9 month later, you’re going to be yesterday’s news. Once your precious bundle of joy enters the world, you really don’t even exist anymore. You no longer have a name. You become ________’s mom. It’s not like no one cares. Many people care, it’s just that they care about the baby more. Who wouldn’t want to be engrossed with your little cutie pie? Their smile, smell, the way they stare at you with their cute black pearl eyes. Your little baby will put anyone into a trance and draw all the attention toward them. You will discover how swift people will run pass you to greet your baby and later realize that you are standing there. Twenty minutes later, “Oh… hi to you too”. It’s not personal, it’s just something that happens, so embrace it and have fun with it. And remember while people are marveling over your little precious, you can use that time to sneak away and catch up on some much needed Zzzz’s.

A Zombie Mommy is something that is inevitable. For the first few months you will find yourself going through the same routine day after day. You will have loss of energy, be sleep deprived, and don’t know if you’re coming or going. While your baby is just a few months old, he/she will go through approximately 10 diapers a day. That’s normal. And guess who has to change them? Hmmm, I give you one guess. 

Most of your life will be filled with changing diapers, feeding baby, cleaning baby, and putting baby to sleep over and over again, many times within one day. Your baby will sleep every 2 hours, unless you are one of the lucky few. Which basically means 2 hours sleep, 2 hours up, another 2 hours sleep, and 2 hours up most likely crying. Which means that you and/or  your partner will be up every 2 hours catering to your little prince/princess. When my daughter was just a few months old and she would wake up many times in the early morning me and hubby decided to take shifts. First time I dealt with her, then him, we kept going like that until he had to get ready for work. When she would cry in the morning because she was hungry, one thing that helped me was just to feed her in the bed and all 3 of us went to sleep and we were all happy. Yes they do cry for other reasons- like crying because they are tired. I still don’t understand that one, but whatever- it is what it is.

Going through the same routine every day, all day long can make you feel like a zombie because you have to complete your responsibilities while you are beyond exhausted. I have never felt exhaustion until I experienced those first few months of being a mom. I remember changing diaper number 9 and literally 10 minutes later pulling out the wipes and diapers and thinking to myself, ‘Did I change her already? I don’t know!’ At a certain point you just go through the motions.

But don’t fret, there is light at the end of the tunnel. There are many things you can do to survive:

1-Keep a sound mind:

   Talk yourself through it all. Remember many women have gone through this before you and they have succeeded, so give yourself some credit. The only way to get good at something is through practice.

2-Tag-Team It:

Don’t take on all the responsibilities. It took 2 to make your baby and it will take 2 to raise your baby. Share the tasks. It’s very helpful for you and the father to discuss what each other is going to contribute in regards to your baby and share the responsibilities. For example, if I cooked my husband did the dishes. If my husband was rocking our baby to sleep, I was cleaning the house. You two have to agree on it and be consistent. It will make all your lives better.

3-Have a solid support system:

Families and close friends are really good for this. Sometimes you may need someone to watch your baby because you simply need a break. That is okay. Actually getting some rest and some personal time is beneficial because it allows you to re-energize yourself to tackle your responsibilities for another day.

4-Play music:

Put on Pandora, hit play on your playlist, or make up your own songs. Your baby won’t mind that you’re out of tune. They actually love to hear their mommy’s and daddy’s voice. So belt it out, singing your favorite tunes and dance with your little baby. This keeps everyone calm and is great for bonding.

What are some ways you got through the first few months?