It is weird. I had wanted to be a mom for most of my life and on the outside, everything looked great, but inwardly I was scared of losing (giving up) everything for this baby I knew was coming. Stay at home moms have the hardest job. No one really understands what that means until they become a mom.
Stay at home moms
My son Luke arrived, through an induced and super long labor that I didn’t want. I had been planning a natural birth and right away I felt like I had failed at motherhood because this didn’t happen. I had failed to be an advocate for my son and didn’t have the start I was hoping for. When he was born there wasn’t the instant love people had talked about. More like a numb heart, I was emotionally and physically exhausted from labor and afraid of where things were headed. While at the hospital my mom asked if I was okay and I always would say something like “I have been to Afghanistan” in my mind having a baby and being a mom should be easy. Labor was hard, but I had survived everything would just get better from here on out.
The Rough Transition
The first six months of being a mom were probably the hardest six months of my life. The military didn’t make it any easier by having my husband leave for 2 months of training when Luke was two months old. I cried almost every day the first two weeks he was gone. It was so hard. Luke went from sleeping great up until the day my husband left and the day he left he became a horrible sleeper. He would sleep a few hours to start off and then wake up almost every hour. Every day I would countdown to bath time so I could put him to bed so I could have one to two hours of being alone.
One day I felt like all he was doing was crying so I pulled out his roar onesie, took a picture of him screaming, and sent it to my parents. Trying to be optimistic and silly, but hurting so much inside. My husband returned home from training when Luke was four months old. I thought life would go back to normal, instead Luke continued to struggle with sleep and I continued to struggle with transitioning to stay-at-home mom.
Learning so much
The two months alone with a little baby taught me so many things. It forced me to rely on God because I did not have the strength to get through so many of those early days. I was forced to quickly realized how much I needed God each and every day in parenting. Being a mom brought me to my knees. Worship songs and Christian blogs were the lifelines I clung to. Luke and I would dance around the house to Overcomer and the Good Morning song. We had some special moments that I now realize only happened for such a short time. But it was still a struggle and a huge transition. I continued to feel pretty certain I was failing at being a mom. And sometimes felt like I should pack up my bags and run from being a mom.
Life continued and things got better. Luke started sleeping more and my husband and I found a new normal. I still had a lot of doubts that I was doing a good job, but there really was no turning back. We moved from Ohio to California (my husband is still in the military). I was really excited to be closer to family and ready for a new adventure. My husband and I prayed for God to help us find a new community. He showed up in a major way. I was led to an amazing church and then connected to a great Bible study that gave me the community I had desperately needed when Luke was born.
Baby Number 2
Then we got pregnant with Jacob. We had been trying for months and then finally we got a positive test. Jacob changed everything. I don’t know how a baby growing inside you can teach you so much, but Jacob did. The amount of love I had for Jacob from the moment I saw the positive test showed me how much love I had for Luke. This love thing changed everything, for the first time I was beginning to realize I actually was a good mom. I really wasn’t failing. My pregnancy was one filled with hope and anticipation, instead of fear of the unknown.
Jacob was special to me before he was born because he truly saved me from the pit I was digging. He changed my failures into successes and most of it happened before he was born. And then with his arrival being the natural birth, I had dreamed of (well it was a lot more painful than I imagined). It has changed everything.
Everything Changed
The fear and resentment I once had with Luke are gone. It has been replaced with such peace and joy that only comes from God. For a time, all I could see was huge FAILURE signs over so many parts of my life. It hurt so much to try and be a good mom. Because each time I did I would just see a sign at the end of the day that said FAIL. God has changed me so much in the last three years. I don’t see those signs anymore.
Motherhood is still hard, like really hard. We have good days and bad ones, but through it all, I know how much I love my boys, how much God loves me and my boys and that has changed everything for me.
Before I shared this on my blog I shared at my local MOPS meeting. If you want to see the live version check it out here.
Stay at home moms have such an interesting perspective of life. Share your story below.
Amanda, this is beautiful! I can’t imagine being deployed in a war zone. That must have been hard, but I know God was with you. Motherhood is a different kind of hard but so rewarding. I’m so glad you realized you were not a failure. I’m glad you found the community you needed.
Thank you so much for sharing your story with us. That was quite a big transition. Many blessings to you! xo Hugs!
Somehow the training I got for the deployment made it easier to deal with everything, but the training for being a mom was not as good at preparing me for what was coming. 🙂
What an honest and lovely story. I admire you so much.
Thank you Susan. I appreciate your encouragement.
Thank you for living this, and then for sharing it here!
Thanks for reading.
I enjoyed your post and your honest feelings about how hard it was. Thank you!
#InspireMeMondays
Julie
Thanks for coming over and reading my story.
You are the first person I know that has experienced the “instant love” that wasn’t there when our boys were born. I was so exhausted from the labor and prior to being admitted, they prescribed me with a sleeping aid because my contractions hadn’t gone anywhere and I hadn’t slept much in 48 hours. During delivery, I was falling asleep between pushes, and when My son arrived, I didn’t know how to feel. I didn’t know how to respond. I was so scared about motherhood.
Thank you for sharing this ?.
Thanks for reading. I think a lot of people talk about how you instantly love your baby so when it doesn’t go that way you feel like there is something wrong with you. I know I didn’t share my lack of love for Luke until long after he was born. I had a really long labor too and when they finally gave me the epidural, I passed out for at least two hours. If I hadn’t had that break I don’t think I would have been able to push him out. 🙂