You know the typical movie scene when first time parents bring their baby home for the first time and they look at each other and are both like “now what?”, that was us. Since our daughter got sent to the Children’s Hospital and I spent the first two nights away from her, we really didn’t get to experience much of the usual education from the healthcare team that normally first-time parents receive (I think). I got 10 minutes with the lactation specialist for some tips on breast feeding and the nurse watched me change one diaper before we took our baby home. She was already three days old, but I was with her for probably less than eight hours at that time. 

Now the next eight weeks are somewhat of a blur, there are a few things I hold with me as key takeaways, especially after being able to reflect on this time. First of all, I have come to understand that no parent really knows what they are doing, whether you’re a first-time parent or seasoned pro. I also stand by the fact that “fed is best” but I had a hard time accepting that my breast-feeding journey was not going as I planned. Additionally, I learned that if you have expectations, they will most likely not be met. Also, parenting changes your perspective on everything. To finish my list, now that I have been a mom for a few months, I will stand by the fact that there is no real concept of time. Babies grow so fast and there is no way to stop it, it is already one of the most difficult things for me to accept. 

Between the hormones and extreme lack of sleep at the early stage of our parenting, I am not certain how we got through it, but I am certain of one thing and that is that I could not have done it without my husband. I thoroughly have enjoyed watching my husband become a “dada”, at times we have felt far away from one another but overall, I find that our relationship has strengthened. I look forward to each day together as we figure it out as we go!