Today I Stopped Wearing Diapers

By Laura Kate Whitney:

Recently I stopped wearing diapers.  And by diapers I mean the post-maternity padding that serves as a constant reminder that you just accomplished the seemingly impossible feat of giving birth.  I still have a few left, actually, which I’m sure I’ll keep for a while to continue to remind me of that incredible healing period our bodies endure weeks after we welcome our little bundles into the world.

Three months ago I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, my second.  He made his grand entrance just an hour shy of Mother’s Day.  Other than the hesitation I sometimes feel in offering up my sore, swollen breasts yet again in the same hour, we get along smashingly.  He’s already so much bigger than his brother was (who, oddly enough, prefers to be called “the little brother” because, you see, he’s not big yet).  Little “Big” brother also bears a much different ball of yarn than my first – his DNA might have the same recipe, you see, but he’s definitely not a reflection of his brother, if you know what I mean.  Little Big can barely hold a rattle and already I see the remarkable differences between my two young sons.

And speaking of reflections, I’ve been considering these twelve weeks of tremendous change, growth, and recovery.  Sure, I’ve been to this party before, but for so many reasons it seems like a different crowd.  And it is different, because I’m older, I’m wiser, I’m a bit more weathered …experienced …heavier …well, you get the picture.

Here’s what I’ve been jotting down as my mind catalogs this list of childbearing realizations:

1 – They (the little ones) may use simple words, but they see so much more than we do.

2 – “Ice diapers” made with mesh panties are The Best.  (I recommend these to any new mother who delivered without cesarean section.)  If your nurse doesn’t know what you’re talking about (mine didn’t), get me on the phone.  I’ll explain, they will oblige, and you will know a whole new kind of relief.

3 – Motherhood, above all (the pain/the grit/the grime affixed to your kitchen cabinets), is a miracle.

4 –My husband was so bad at meeting my needs with our first child because he just didn’t know any better.  He’s so much better with our second.  And, so am I.

5 – The dishes can wait.  (Deeper meaning:  Let go. Give in. Be.)

6 – Routines are underrated.  I got away without having a routine for my first child – he somehow just adjusted to our schedules.  (I’ve been known to be selfish with my time.)  I may not be so lucky this time around.  Surprisingly, the goodness that is our ritual Saturday morning pancake breakfast far surpasses any standing date I ever had prior to having a family.  It’s the little things.

7 – It is so incredibly important to hold on to Me.  I can be a better mom.  A better wife.  A better friend. A better everything.

8 – I once had a great body… even though I thought the opposite for twenty-eight years.  (Deeper meaning:  Enjoy what you have, while you have it.)

9 – Life is simpler now.  Sure, the clutter is borderline taking over and I can’t hear myself think most of the time, but motherhood has forced me to live simpler.  I don’t have time for false eyelashes or my (much-loved) ceramic straightening iron.  Rather, I have to cut coupons.  And it’s actually calming.  So there.

10 – Changing diapers (even my own) will be something I miss one day.  (I don’t really believe this, but I’ve been told.  Time will tell.)

What are some realizations that you’ve had as a mother?  What great life lessons are your children teaching you about the world you live in?  What will you be able to teach your family as a result of the impact they’ve had on your life?

About Laura Kate:

Magic City maven Laura Kate Whitney is a full-blooded Southerner who’s found herself planting roots in Sweet Home Alabama. Life circumstances have brought her to Birmingham, along with husband, two young sons, and grumpy old cat. In her “free time” she enjoys long walks, long showers, lots of yoga, Birmingham history, culinary programming, and date night. You can follow Laura Kate’s adventures on Magic City Manifesto and also on Twitter.