Any other mamas out there feeling a bit of cabin fever these days? And when I say a bit I actually mean a whole flippin' lot.
I'm not sure if it's a stay-at-home mom thing, or a living-with-a-newborn-during-a-pandemic thing... but all I know is I need to get the heck out of this house!
My little family & I went on our first road trip down to Sarasota & Miami to visit family last week, and it was absolutely wonderful (and yet so so exhausting). Aside from my little one being on a sleeping strike & teething like crazy, it was great to have James with Benjamin & I almost 24/7 - as opposed to barely getting to see him most days. However, I think going on that trip really made me realize how much I miss socializing with other human beings.
At the start of this pandemic last March, we all felt the effects of not being able to go out with friends or even hug our loved ones due to fear of getting sick (or making those around us sick). But after a few months, the majority of us adjusted to the new "normal" and found ways to make it work while still being safe. For us pregnant mamas, that included not being able to have our significant others/spouses at important doctor's appointments.
But once I delivered my baby & started working from home, my human interaction count went from at least 60-80 people a day to only seeing a baby & occasionally my fiancé. Oh and sometimes my OB or the technician at Labcorp. Yippie! It can make a person go a little crazy, if you know what I mean (see below image).
Do I love being a stay-at-home mom? Without a doubt.
But does it get lonely? Oh yes.
In our old "normal", I'd be taking him out to stores and play dates. But with a pandemic that we still know so little about, that's not reality. We don't know the effect it has on our little ones... and I have nightmares about testing positive and having to isolate from my baby boy for two weeks. We don't even go outside much because I don't want him to catch a chill & have to risk exposure at a doctor's office. So... at home we stay. The poor kid has never even seen another baby before. Just stuck at home with a crazy mama all day long.
Now, I will say every now and then I do bring him by my job to say hi to daddy and to pick up some paperwork. And there has been a time or two where we load up the van just to take a trip to Starbucks for the sake of getting out of the house (sorry baby, I know I don't really need to buy all those frappuccinos). But at least 95% of my time involves me sitting at home with my beautiful almost three-month-old who loves his mama so much that he needs to be needed by her all the time.
My fellow new parents (whether you're mama or dada) - and I know there's at least a handful out there right now - please know that while we can't really interact much in person, the support is still out there! I can't count the amount of times I've texted a fellow mama just to vent about my baby boy's sleeping and eating habits changing more than I change my clothes (which, let's be honest is not as frequent as it used to be). We may be hiding behind the safety of our front doors, but thanks to social media and technology, we can still lean on each other!
I know I'm still figuring this whole how-to-be-a-parent thing, but if there's anything I can do to help you - even if it's just lending an ear - please let me know! I'm just an email/text/DM away. These days this mama is getting very little sleep so chances are I'll be awake regardless the time!
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