All moms have a preconceived notion of how they are "supposed to feel" when they meet their sweet baby for the first time. It's tough. Every birth story is different, every mama is unique. This is one of the reasons why we love Kim.
She is keepn' it real. Ok, in honesty, we also think her whole family is stink'n cute.
Kim, tell us about the new mama struggle.
The biggest struggle I’ve faced so far is the intense feelings of isolation. Looking forward to motherhood I pictured stroller walks in the mall, play dates, and picnics in the park. And while those activities are definitely sprinkled in, the majority of my days are spent at home alone with my daughter. For now our days still revolve around a constant cycle of eating and sleeping every few hours. The lack of adult interaction can be really tough for me, but I know this is the stage we are in now and I’m trying to drink up every moment I have to totally focus on her.
I hear ya. I have to remind myself- the days are long, but the years are short. Tell us what was the big surprise about motherhood.
I had always heard that the love you have for your children is unlike anything you’ve ever experienced, but still it completely caught me off guard. It wasn’t exactly this immediate all consuming love that I know some feel. Kennedy had to spend some time in the NICU and was whisked off pretty quickly. At that point, I was completely numb. After the numbness started to wear off it changed into sadness (I’m sure thanks in part to those wonderful hormones as well).
As the days went by I was able to hold her, change her, feed her, that love began to grow. It’s like my heart has opened up in a way I didn’t know was possible. The first time I picked her up and she laid her head on my shoulder and wrapped her little arms tight around my neck I think my heart actually burst!
Oh girl, the hormones. You think you know them, until you meet them after baby. But those tiny arms around the neck make it all worth it! When you're knee deep in the woods it seems like there is no end to it in sight, and then one day you can barely recall those difficult times.
Thank you for sharing your family with us!
Photo: Flashy Mama Photography
Venue: Deerfield Beach Arboretum