Friday, September 02, 2011

Guest Post: Kelly-Marie

Becoming a mummy


Hello, It's Kelly here from Our Footprints On The World in the UK and yes I would love for you all to visit me on my blog. I just wanna say thanks to the lovely Amy for letting me guest post on her blog while she is busy getting married and having fun on her honeymoon. I'm also getting ready to marry my fiance Matt in just a few days, I can't wait it's all so exciting.


Anyway the reason I'm here is I wanna tell you all about the biggest most special part of my life is my little boy Joshua, I'm totally new to this mummy thing and although sometimes it's hard work and I don't know what I'm doing half the time, i'm absolutly loving it!

We tried for quite a while to have a baby and when I finally did fall pregnant it still felt like such a shock to me and then I suddenly had to think to myself "well, what do we do now ?!" It was all so scary and I tried to prepare myself for being a mum by reading so many things on the internet, in magazines and watching programmes on the telly but honestly nothing can prepare you at all, even talking to others that had been there before didn't really help as everyone's experience and feelings are different.

From the moment he was born though I just couldn't believe how perfect he was and how much I loved him and wanted to protect him from everything bad in the world. When Matthew and I got him home and were left to look after this tiny little person who depended on us completely 100%, instincts just kicked in and we got on with it all as if we had been doing it for years. Okay so we had the basics covered, changing nappies and making up bottles to feed him, everything else you just sort of pick up as time goes on and you learn along with baby, like I've now learnt which cries mean he's hungry, tired, needing a change, bored or just that he needs a mummy cuddle and I may know most of the time what he wants, there are still times that I dont and I have to just let him cry for a bit.

It can be such an emotional rollarcoaster, as sometimes I feel really great and get loads done during the day like all the cleaning and washing, or we go out for the day and get some good old fashioned fresh air as that always helps us to feel great. Then other days when I'm stuck in doors because of the good old British rain, I can just sit there and cry and sometimes it's for no reason at all other then the fact i'm tired because I do feel so tired most of the time even though baby sleeps really well. I hardly get time for a shower anymore and spend probly two days of the week in my PJ's, which also means the way I feel about myself has taken a knock. I feel a mess with spots on my face, stretch marks all across my belly, dirty from not getting up, ready and showered. I don't wanna put any one off as it is the best thing in the world because even if i'm having the most rubbish day, Joshua only has to smile up at me and it makes it all better.

I was definatly not prepared for all this, and no one ever is even if they think they are. So you can listen to what other people say when they give you advise on how to bring up a baby but at the end of the day your the mummy and you know whats best for your own little one.

Here's a few helpful tips for all new mummy's to be;
  • Get as much sleep as you can before the baby comes and when the baby arrives sleep when baby sleeps, trust me you'll need it.
  • Stock up on several boxes of nappies, this really helped us as we didn't realise how fast he would go through them.
  • When packing for the hospital pack as if your gonna be in there for 2-3 days as I only packed for one but ended up staying 2 night so Matt had to bring extra in the next day.
  • When in labour try and stay calm and relaxed and you'll get through it alot easier. Get your birth partner to massage your feet as this really helped and I hate people touching my feet so that's saying something.
  • If anyone offers to help with any thing like watching baby for a while you sleep, washing up or cooking for you let them do it or even ask them to, they will understand and i'm sure will be glad to help.
  • When you need to go out for an appointment always try make it for the afternoon because where it used to take an hour or so to get ready and leave the house, it will now take you 2-3 hours.

I hope I haven't rambled on too much.
Thank you for reading
x x x x


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