What nobody tells you about new baby maintenance

Here are some truths about baby that no one tells you ahead of time. Send this to your pregnant friends so they aren't surprised by these little realities of baby maintenance.

1. Breastfeeding is time consuming and can be exhausting. The truth is that in the beginning you will have a baby attached to you every two hours for 20 minutes at a time. Sit down for 20 minutes every two hours and don't move. Not even to go to the bathroom. Now get up every two hours at night and do the same. I wouldn't trade my experience breastfeeding, it is so sweet and special. But having baby dependent on mommy only for food is a lot of work for mommy. Oh! and the breast pump really sucks.

Liam's first time in overalls!

2. Cloth diapers are gross and a pain in the butt. If baby goes poo poo, you are washing the cloth diaper. Immediately. While your baby fusses you are washing poo out in your sink or toilet or wherever. Then you get to do laundry every day or every other day you use them. The outer part of the diaper can't be put in the dryer, so you get to line dry that part. Because you don't have enough to do. We use them occasionally and I dread hearing the toot sound when he has them on.

Liam's first high chair!

3. Babies change fast and just when you get used to one thing, baby does another. This is charming but if you like having a schedule you are going to be on your toes with a baby. When I wake up in the morning, I have no idea if baby will keep sleeping so I can get dressed for work and eat breakfast or if he'll wake up 5 minutes into my shower. What works to stop fussing one day doesn't work ever again after that. Liam used to cry when I changed his diaper, now he smiles and coos at me. That is a nice change!

Liam's first baby toy he can hold!

4. Babies are hard on relationships. There isn't a lot of time to connect when you have 5 minutes to chow down on dinner before baby starts screaming. Once baby goes down for sleep at night, the clock is ticking down until he wakes up again. Everyone is sleep deprived and stressed so it's easy to snap at your partner over nothing. What was once easy takes work. More work! But you have a common bond that holds everything together.

I love life with baby but boy howdy! Someone should have given me the scoop so I knew what to expect. Not that I would have believed them. Experienced moms, what do I have to look forward to?

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