by Kathleen Cvitkovic

Having your first baby is by far the biggest blessing that one can experience. However, it is also the scariest thing that will ever happen to you. So how is it possible that you can go through both emotions at the same time? It comes down to one thing and one thing only.

There’s no manual!

How do you know what to do? Why can’t the nurse from the hospital come home with you? Did the baby classes teach you enough? What if you don’t have all the answers?

These are some of the tough questions that I asked myself as I placed my beautiful baby girl into her carrier to leave the hospital. To say the least, it was the scariest few moments in my life. I even went as far to ask if the nurse could come home with me (Seriously!).

What made me feel better was that I wasn’t alone. The nurse said that every new mom goes through the same feelings when leaving the hospital. Totally normal! So as we left, I was excited to bring our daughter home but also a bit nervous about what would lie ahead for me in the upcoming days.

What I found out is that my “mommy instincts” kicked in right when we walked into our home. It was the most overwhelming feeling of comfortableness that I have ever experienced. We were home and I just knew what to do.

After the first week, I began the learning process of understanding the different sounds and cries that she made and how to react to them quickly. I also had a support system of family and friends that guided me along the way. But by far, my husband proved to be the most helpful person. He took on most of the normal responsibilities in the house and then some. Trust me, it wasn’t always easy (the lack of sleep was terrible and the healing process of a c-section was long) but my new role as mommy couldn’t have been a better fit!

To help me along the way, I found a great deal of insight and guidance in reading books. They helped me grasp the understanding of my baby’s needs and also how to take care of myself during the sleepless nights. Although there are many books out there that I found helpful, I really enjoyed reading two in particular that I would like to share with everyone! They proved to be a great guide in my new journey as a mommy!

• “Secrets of the Baby Whisperer: How to Calm, Connect, and Communicate with Your Baby” by Tracy Hogg with Melinda Blau

• Chicken Soup for the Expectant Mother’s Soul: 101 Stories to Inspire and Warm the Hearts of Soon-to-Be Mothers by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Patty Aubery

Filed under: Mom-Me?