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Your life is nothing like it was before after a baby arrives. You won’t understand until you’re finally a parent. Having a baby has its own set of pros and cons. When you later think about how your life has remarkably shifted post-childbirth, you’ll be appalled. A baby is more than just an addition to the family. Yes, it’s both: the good and the bad, and, to sum it up, no aspect of your life remains untouched.
Nobody will warn you about the surprises a baby will bring into your life. If you’re a new parent or a parent-to-be, here’s what we would like to share with you. This is all the changes you can expect in your life once your bundle of joy arrives:
1. You’ll Devote All Your Time To Your Baby
Since your baby is dependent on you for everything, you’ll find yourself managing your schedule to meet theirs. Newborns need to be fed, changed, bathed, held, swayed, or rocked to sleep. Plus, all their behaviors are so unpredictable that you’ll struggle to decipher what they want. Figuring out all of this will consume most of your time, and you’ll be left with little for your own.
2. People Are Suddenly Involved In Your Life
The birth of a baby can bring people closer to you. Suddenly, people are asking you questions and bombarding you with advice. You’ll make new friends who’ll pour in to meet your baby, mothers at the grocery store, or the church would want you to join them and bring the baby along. Your colleagues and friends would want to know what your baby is up to and how they’re doing. Also, when they fall sick, almost everyone around is curious about their health and wellbeing. Enjoy this camaraderie while it lasts!
3. Your Marriage Changes
There’s little time for romance in marriage. Lack of sleep can impact your day-to-day schedule, which hugely affects your marital bliss. You’ll struggle to manage quality time with each other or take care of each other’s needs. Often, one of you will complain of being taken for granted, or there could be some blame game at play 24/7. On the other hand, it could also bring you closer as a couple. You may start to notice your partner’s efforts to ensure things go smoothly, their involvement in raising the child, and the little sacrifices they make for your happiness.
4. You No Longer Make Choices For Yourself
There’s no “I” anymore. It’s all about “us” and “we”. All your decisions will be impacted by how it reflects on your baby and the family. You’ll have to let go of your selfish interests and think of the greater good. For example, on the mundane level, you might need to give up on lip-smacking but unhealthy foods so that it doesn’t affect the quality of your breastmilk. Or bid a final goodbye to your favorite pair of heels so that you can walk comfortably in flats and move around with the baby. In short, your baby will rule your universe. Everything else comes later.
5. You Become More Organized
With the baby throwing fits or demanding to be fed and played with, you’ll soon know the power of having a plan. So, your weekends will involve chopping veggies so that you can dish out food on time during the weekdays. If you lack organization, take-aways are the only option you’re left with than trying to mince chicken with the baby on your hip. You’ll figure out the quickest ways to finish your makeup routine since the baby on the bed won’t allow you to go through an elaborate one. Worse, you may give all that up altogether until the baby no longer needs to be constantly monitored.
6. You’ll Be Crazily Focused On Your Financial Health
We know how expensive it is to raise a kid. And with the skyrocketing prices, all you’ll think of is to save a little extra so that your baby’s needs aren’t compromised. You’ll probably say “no” to things you hold so close to your heart, like expensive clothing or fancy dinners just so that you can manage a sustainable supply of high-end baby products. Because all that you’ll want after you have a baby is to ensure they get the best, even if that means you let go of things you previously didn’t think you could live without.
7. Your Idea Of Entertainment Is No Longer The Same
Do you like watching movies or reading? Or did you enjoy swimming, going out to shop with your friends, or partying every night? These could soon become a thing of the past, experiences that you no longer make sense of. Instead, you’ll be drawn to conversing with your baby in weird ways, cooing, mimicking them, making funny sounds to keep them distracted while you prepare their bed, or pump out your breast milk. You’ll also begin laughing back at yourself because you didn’t know such simple things could even be a matter of such joy and contentment!
Yes, life changes when you have a baby. It will cause you distress, but it will also bring you so much joy like you could have never imagined before. But do you know what the best thing is? You’ll be overwhelmed with the love your bundle of joy will shower you with. You’ll find yourself wiping off your tears unexpectedly because you didn’t know that you would feel so deeply for someone. Most importantly, you’ll realize that you can never love someone so much. How did your baby change your life? What surprises did they bring? Do share your experiences with us in the comments below!
