How long did it take you to adjust to mommyhood?

CheeksMcGee

I had a heavy bout with PPD, so I honestly think it took me 10 months to adjust and not freak out everytime I was alone with Web. It makes me sad to think that I wished away his newborn-ness but I did. I couldn't wait till he could walk and be independent. Now? I sneak in his room at night and rock him while he sleeps cause it's the only time he'll let me hold him (he's very independent now).

I just don't think I'm the type of mom who is a huge fan of the newborn phase.

Ivana_Stolichnaya

The newborn stage was exhausting but I knew that she would never be that tiny again and I cherished it as much as I could.  My husband was the one dealing with attachment issues in the beginning so I had to step it up and be there 110%. 

katie_cj

Honestly, it didn't take me long at all.

Not to say I wasn't overwhelmed at times, or it didn't take time to get used to the nights and all.

I think I got lucky too, Jake was a pretty easy going baby and I had a lot of support.

brideofscowboy

I wasn't a fan of the nb stage either. I also struggled with PPD. I didn't seek help until DS was 9 months old. I wish I would have sooner though. Now I find myself excited for the end of nap time or wanting to wake him up at night, just to play or give him a big squeeze.

If I knew that I could skip the nb stage, I'd probably have 12 kids by now...

macchiatto

The newborn stage for me with twins--twins who had reflux and never slept, and me with a wicked case of the baby blues (not quite PPD but bad enough that I looked up the criteria for both to see)--was overwhelming and exhausting. We also had no family in the area; we did get some help from church friends (meals, and two different women came over once a week for a couple hours to give me a hand). I would say it took me a good 5-6 months to adjust. (Though I remember at the 3-month mark, two of my friends both commented I was starting to seem like myself again.) It helped when they started STTN!

CheeksMcGee

brideofscowboy:

If I knew that I could skip the nb stage, I'd probably have 12 kids by now...

Amen, sister.

Cityplanner

What do you mean by adjust?  If it's just accepting the fact that I was a mom, then pretty quickly.  Adjusting as really loving it, I think around a year.  Part of it was going back to work and part of it is that I just really LOVE how she can now interact with me.  Not that I didn't love her dearly before, but it was just more work and less fun than it is now.

jbl126

Honestly, I think I am still adjusting.  I love being with my girls but there are times where I still get overwhelmed when they are both crying.  And trying to comfort them both at the same time doesnt always work. 

I was not a fan of the newborn stage at all.  Though i do miss the night time feedings where I could just hold them and rock.  They rarely sit still long enough now.  But this age is way better than the newborn stage.  they have these great personalities that I love seeing all the time.

katypresson

I would say 4 months.  The first 2 months were hard b/c I was home with him all day everyday and had mild PPD (in my opinion, I was never diagnosed).  The next 2 months I was back at work and adjusting to leaving him with FIL everyday.  Once he was 4 months old everything seemed to get easier. 

BlairWaldorf

still adjusting

Squishycheeks1

Probably about 8 months or so with me. I struggled during the nb phase, and in hindsight I wish I had spoken to someone about the possibility of PPD. I actually started to feel better after becoming pregnant again.

 

AfterAll

I had the baby blues... I think it took me a good 8-10 weeks to really start to enjoy being a mother.

macchiatto

jbl126:

Honestly, I think I am still adjusting.  I love being with my girls but there are times where I still get overwhelmed when they are both crying.  And trying to comfort them both at the same time doesnt always work. 

I hear ya! They got a lot more fun around 1 year but there are times when I still get really exhausted from having two the same age. I think my boys are on the clingier side, too, but they don't like sharing a lap. We go to someone's house and I'm stuck carrying two 26-lb toddlers up and down the stairs, around the house, running in opposite directions keeping them from destroying everything, cleaning up double the mess, etc.

chloephoebecali

Probably 11 months!  But honestly, I think some of it was adjusting to SAH and not being out and about like it was with my own job, and having to make new friends (none of my friends have kids).  It was also a year of challenges - undiagnosed reflux for 6 months, intolerances (adjusting my diet for almost a year), and allergies.  She is also a bit high needs on top of all this.  I will be thankful if my next is just the tiniest bit easier. 

haleymay18

Every time I think I have fully "adjusted" something changes. So, I will let you know when the adjustment sticks

Trixie6717

Everyday is something new. I am still adjusting.

monlyn9

I luckily didn't suffer any PPD but I didn't care for the nb stage. I am a teacher and had DS the week after school started. I decided to not go back until January but by late October I was wishing I could be back at work. I felt like such a bad mom when I got back to work in January and everyone just assumed that I hated leaving him at daycare to return to work. Especially in that first 4 months, I had no idea what to do with him. I feed him, I hold him, he sleeps, he makes cute faces, but he basically just lays there. I am dreading nb for the new baby. I am due in March and will not return to work until August. DS will stay in daycare until May and then will be home with me for the summer part time and still go to day care 2 days a week. I am scared to death of what I am going to do with a nb and a 20 month old at home all by myself!

ladysingstheblues

CheeksMcGee:

brideofscowboy:

If I knew that I could skip the nb stage, I'd probably have 12 kids by now...

Amen, sister.

This.  I was in a fog until about 3-4 months.  I feel bad that I didn't get to be happy during that time.

fairychick77

Probably a good 8 or 9 mos. J had an undiagnosed milk protein allergy until he was almost 4 mos old. He cried and was upset all.the.time. It was exhausting and pretty much made me feel like I was doing something wrong as a mother. Then going back to work was another adjustment, so settling into that routine took awhile.

CheeksMcGee

ladysingstheblues:

CheeksMcGee:

brideofscowboy:

If I knew that I could skip the nb stage, I'd probably have 12 kids by now...

Amen, sister.

This.  I was in a fog until about 3-4 months.  I feel bad that I didn't get to be happy during that time.

I'm right there with you. I always thought something was wrong with me.

Lucky428

Not long at all.  There were a few times where we panicked, and DS had reflux, but we both adjusted really well.

I would guess a week or two - we just needed to learn what worked for us.  

We were lucky though, DS was a really good baby. 

cbwm

The kid is over 2 and I'm still adjusting.

TarheelsInNJ

I didn't have PPD (bless you for dealing with it!) but I understand what you mean about not being a fan of the newborn phase. I don't think I was a great newborn mom. Granted, I was new at it myself... but I just think I am a better mom now that he's interacting a lot more. I do sometimes get sad that I can hardly remember him being so tiny though. We'll see what it's like with my second, now that I feel a little more confident.

BitterOldHag

jbl126:

Honestly, I think I am still adjusting.  I love being with my girls but there are times where I still get overwhelmed when they are both crying.  And trying to comfort them both at the same time doesnt always work. 

I was not a fan of the newborn stage at all.  Though i do miss the night time feedings where I could just hold them and rock.  They rarely sit still long enough now.  But this age is way better than the newborn stage.  they have these great personalities that I love seeing all the time.

 

THIS x 1,000,000

LynnJones

Probably 2 months.  After I got the breastfeeding routine down I settled in. 

T&BMay142005

I think I am still adjusting. DD is not walking yet, so when that happens everything will change again. I wasn't a fan of the newborn stage either. I think if I didn't have to go back to work life would be easier and I might be adjusting to things better. I am just exhausted all the time!

blushingbrideoct07

I didn't start feeling normal and happy until G was about 4 months old.  Up until then I was so tired and just wishing time away.  

Quiksilver620

I would say a good 4 - 6 months before I was totally comfortable and had confidance taking DD out on my own

raisbaib

I will let you know when it happens.

lwrigley2000

CheeksMcGee:

ladysingstheblues:

CheeksMcGee:

brideofscowboy:

If I knew that I could skip the nb stage, I'd probably have 12 kids by now...

Amen, sister.

This.  I was in a fog until about 3-4 months.  I feel bad that I didn't get to be happy during that time.

I'm right there with you. I always thought something was wrong with me.

Me too. I feel like I am still adjusting but overall by the time he turned a year I was feeling a lot better and more confident.

AMYfromKY

I think I'm still adjusting.  I am really starting to enjoy it now that he can walk around and kind of get what I'm saying to him.  Before it was a lot of work without a lot of reward in the sense of him interacting with me.

Now he's like my little friend vs my baby.  I like it that way.

erino&chrish

I'd say about 9-10 months also.  I did really well the first two weeks he was home because I was nursing and loving every minute of it.  Then at 3 weeks I had to start pumping, work started calling, and I got very overwhelmed.  I was getting up a few times a night to pump while DH was bottle-feeding LO.  It was very dis-connecting and I pumped until 10 months.  When I stopped stressing about my milk output and started enjoying my LO I got much better.  I also had PPA and insomnia from about 2 months PP-8 months pp which did a number on me-I was so exhausted and overwhelmed in general.

DEBBIE33CASEY

I think it was easier to be adjusting when DD started STTN at 1 year old.  But I am still adjusting with other things. It makes it easier when you can sleep yourself

hisaak

brideofscowboy:

If I knew that I could skip the nb stage, I'd probably have 12 kids by now...

Me exactly.  I loved DS to death, but really didn't enjoy caring for him until he was about 4 months old - I just found the nb stage hard.  It probably didn't help that I BF DS because I thought it was right, and because it was easy ... not because I enjoyed it.  Honestly, I think that was probably one of the biggest struggles.

NatPhoto09

I haven't posted over here in a long time! It took me a good 9 months to get in the groove.  Once DS started STTN consistently, I started jogging again, I found a hobby (photography) and stopped worrying about my milk supply, I started really enjoying him.   I start getting anxious just thinking about it.  I'm pretty sure I had a mild form of PPD but dealt with it by myself.  So I'm a little nervous about having any more kids. If we don't have anymore kids it is b/c I'm so scared of the NB stage.