Up until roughly three weeks ago, when my son was born, I would quite honestly tell people I “don’t like babies”. The baby stage was something to survive, not something to enjoy.
With my lack of maternal instincts (something I worked on developing during pregnancy, you can read more about that over at From Clueless to Developing Nurturing Instincts) and not having been around babies hardly at all, babies were scary, unfamiliar, and would change everything. That much, I did know.
Then, my son was born.
And yes, it was scary, unfamiliar, and changed everything (already!).
One of the biggest things I’ve learned recently, however, is that I actually love the baby stage. I haven’t learned about the next few stages yet, but so far, despite the sleep deprivation, the baby stage is something I’m savoring.
Enjoying the Baby Stage
Wondering what changed?
A big factor is experience, I’m sure. Before my son, I had only been around two babies, and only rarely. Now, I’m constantly listening, watching, and caring for my own baby.
Another factor is maternal instincts.
Severely lacking before, they have now developed (at least somewhat, it’s still a work in progress) and I feel love towards this (not so tiny) infant who will someday call me mommy.
Yes, the baby stage is full of long, exhausting hours and more crying (from both of us) than I would like, but it’s a stage I’m happily enjoying. A stage I will miss when it’s over.
(The poopy diapers are definitely a chore, though!!)
It truly depends on the baby, I’m sure, but do you like the baby stage? Is it a stage of tears and upset, or a stage of cuddles and love for you? Maybe it’s a mix of both? Let me know in the comments below.
Christian, wife, “hybrid” mama, I run the site All Behind A Smile to help others like me.
[…] learned to love this stage of my son’s life – see Changing Your Mind About the Baby Stage – but loving babies and caring for your budding family is not the same as being fulfilled by […]