As 2023 draws to a close, I wanted to take a moment to share how my year went by as a new mom. Resuming office in January 2023 after a 6-month maternity break, my little one is now 17 months old. I have a few honest confessions to make and my take on ‘what they say’ vs ‘reality’.
- ‘Main apni favourite hoon’ is no longer true! I have a new little bae as my favorite human now. For those who can’t relate, this is a famous dialogue by Kareena Kapoor’s iconic character Geet in the bollywood movie ‘Jab We Met’ which translates to ‘I am my favourite/ I love myself the most’.
- No one wants you as much as the baby. The baby needs you and wants you at the same time which would no longer be the case as years pass by. So, just LIVE these moments while you have them.
- You experience LOVE in it’s true sense. The one in any other relationship is not the same! No matter how much you say that you love another adult but there are expectations and under the line it’s a give and take relationship. There is a blissful feeling in being a mom, at least the few initial years I believe.
- Working mom as a concept is chaotic! I have a huge respect for women who decided to quit their jobs and also the ones who continue to work, it’s just a choice and nothing beyond that. No one has it figured out yet, everyone is just trying to make a balance.
- Packing your bag for a travel is no longer the same. Most of the space in the bag would be taken up by the diapers and other baby stuff. Meh, I don’t get to carry 10 outfits for a 3 days trip now, there is space for only 3 now! 😆
- The expectations conundrum: Ah! you can’t beat this one between you and your spouse. As a mother, you have the baby as your new priority which feels different to your spouse a 100% (just to put it out in the most subtle words). The rest is a story in every house!
- Nothing can beat the joy when you see the first smile and when you hear the first ‘Mumma’ / ‘Papa’. And, also all the other firsts. The feeling is surreal. But honestly, it comes at a cost. Parenthood is work 24*7 and there are equal moments of frustration in between.
- There is negligible time for yourself, no ‘me time’ to put it out straight. I honestly miss the carefree outings. Now, you need to consider multiple parameters before you step out with or without the baby. 😉
- It’s true when they say ‘it’s hard to leave your baby behind’. Leaving your baby behind and going to work everyday is easier said than done. Kudos to all the women who do this everyday. It’s just the trust in your head which makes it work.
- This is a funny one from this morning itself, I never peeled a pomegranate until it was for my bae! It’s such a tedious and time consuming fruit, ah. 🍌
Can’t beat the respect you ‘ll have for your own parents when you become a parent and the realization why parents called out all the time ‘you ‘ll know when you become a parent!’ 😆
Another honest one, there are moments when you are like “ye kaha fas gae adulting and parenthood ke bich, I so want to go back to those carefree days!”. But, in all sanity like I’ve said before, “Age is not just a number, it’s real! It’s about the changing roles and responsibilities as you grow older.” Just live, love, laugh!
What are your honest confessions about being a mom? Share in the comments below and leave a clap if you enjoyed reading. 🙂 You can also checkout my YouTube playlist for more insights.
Anisha Narang 