Deshaun1

 

It’s Friday night, and I’m home alone, eating Thai takeout and watching TLC.  A decade ago, I would have went crazy sitting in the house on a weekend.  Today, I am content on the couch. My dinner club plans were postponed due to a snowstorm.  Someone also asked me out on a date, but I asked for a rain check.  It was nothing personal.  I just wanted to spend the evening in my fuzzy red robe with Mr. Remote Control.

 

When I became a stay-at-home mom, nothing differentiated my Fridays from my Mondays. I smile remember the words to a song that said, “The weekends were made for Michelob.”  I would remix the words and say the weekends are made for naps.  My close friend and former clubbing partner told me that being a mom is exhausting.  She now naps to become tired.  Oh what a difference a decade makes! We talked about how our children changed, but didn’t take away our sense of humor. I’m sure you’ll giggle DeShaun Donaldson’s answers to her Mom of the Week interview, especially her story about using a maxi pad for a diaper!

 

What surprised you the most about being a new mom?

What surprised me the most was how my feelings on things changed.  There were things pre-baby that would have had me in full on melt down mode, but I learned to put things into perspective and realized there are some things that are not that important.  Also I didn’t realize how tired I would be.  Sometimes I’d be so exhausted I would sleep just to get to tired!  I never knew how expensive kids really were either.  I feel like every week I’m spending money on something.  I look at my parents in a whole different light now.

 

What new talent have you discovered as a new mommy?

I’m super crafty now and I can make all kinds of things, play dough, toys, blankets!

 

Have you changed your appearance as a mom? Did you buy a pair of mom jeans?

I sure did I got fat as all get out!  LOL I went natural after I had Maddy and I much more of a sweat pants or jeans and a wrinkle free top.

 

How have your spending habits changed?

I spend much more on the kids then I ever thought I would.  I use coupons/coupon codes etc all the time and I only buy something at retail price if (clothes) if I really want them.

 

What’s your funniest mommy story thus far? Could be a mommy brain moment.

When I was nursing Gabby I had to pump at work and take the milk to the daycare the next day.  Well I guess we were really tired that night, because we labeled all the bottles “Beast Milk” instead of Breast milk.

 

What advice would you give new moms? 

Make sure to take time out for yourself.  It may be just sitting and watching a television show, going to get your nails done, etc.  But do something for you every once in a while!  It’s easy to get sucked into feeling like super mom and putting yourself last.  However, you can’t be the best mother you can be if you don’t take care of yourself too.

Were you obsessed, paranoid or possessive (or all three!) with your baby? 

I didn’t like other children touching them or asking to hold them.  Get your germy hands away from here!

 

What’s the craziest question you ever asked your pediatrician?

My labia looks swollen does that mean I might go into labor soon?  I read this on a blog so I had my husband shave me and I used to look at it everyday to see if it looked any bigger!  LOL  He said it wasn’t true. 

What questions should people never ask a new mom? What should you never say to a new mom?

I hated when people used to ask me about breastfeeding: Why are you doing that, does it hurt can you just giver her some formula so that I can feed her.  Drove me nuts!

 

What bandwagon did you jump on and later fell off?

No pacifier.  I tried it for like 3 mos but then I just gave her one, and she went right to sleep!
I vowed to go green, bought organic diapers, and then experienced multiple leaks a day! My family members with kids laughed at me, then I switched to sensitive.

 

What things would you do differently from your parents when it comes to raising children? What would you do the same?

I think I’m much more lenient with my kids.  I’ve been known to follow-up breakfast with a cupcake. I don’t always mind if they jump off the couch.  I understand that they’re only kids once.

 

What’s the grossest thing that has happened to you as a mother?

I had a hair appointment, and I had to take Gabby with me because I was nursing and hadn’t introduced her to the bottle yet .  Well, my husband had used all the diapers and the wipes in the diaper bad and didn’t replace them (Grrr!) Gabby had a full on blow out.  Poop up and down her back and legs it was on her neck.  I t was terrible!  I had to strip her down, wipe her off with some towels that my stylist gave me, and because there were no diapers I put a pad on her while I  ran to the grocery store to get more diapers.

 

Hey DFTM family–How did your life change when you became a mom?

 

 

 

About The Author

Vlog Mom/DFTM Creator

Not long ago, Heather Hopson hosted a television show in the Cayman Islands. Today, she's back home writing a different kind of story as a new mom. In her 15 years working as a professional journalist, this by far is her best assignment! Growing up, she dreamed of becoming Oprah Winfrey. She was the features editor for her school’s newspaper and a teen talk show host for her city’s most popular radio station. She went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Michigan State University. After graduation, she worked as a television producer and reporter at CBS, NBC and Fox affiliates throughout the U.S. Instead of heading to Chicago to join Ms. Winfrey on her set, she bought a plane ticket to the Cayman Islands instead. She arrived five days before a category five hurricane! She lived in paradise for seven years, hosted an award-winning television show and traveled the globe with a government delegation. She also served on the board of directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters and spearheaded a Send a Kid to Camp campaign. Then, she relocated to Washington, D.C. to obtain a teaching certification and instruct 8th grade reading at a high needs middle school. She later returned to her hometown of Pittsburgh, PA to raise her daughter Caitlynn, now 4-years-old. During her 10-month-stint as a stay-at-home mom, Caitlynn inspired her to create this blog, and Diary of a First Time Mom was born on Mother’s Day 2012. Two years later, she expanded the family to include 20+ writers. Currently, Heather serves as the communications director at Allies for Children. In addition, she is the owner of Motor Mouth Multimedia, which ranked #49 in Startup Nation’s Home-Based 100 Competition sponsored by Discover Card and Sam’s Club. Recently, The Pittsburgh Foundation and The Heinz Endowments selected Heather to receive an Emerging Black Artist award to develop Diary of a First Time Mom.

12 Responses

  1. MELISASource

    Great interview! And I love what you said about the weekends — that was my biggest change for me when I became a Mom. Weekends are now definitely time for catching up on sleep!! 🙂

    Reply
    • newmom0608

      Yes Melisa! I also have to not make myself feel guilty when I get absolutely NOTHING down on the weekend. I don’t miss going to the club/bar, since I had a full social life in my twenties, but every once in a while, I can catch with friends and remember that I am still a woman and not just a mom:)

      Reply
  3. Rachee

    My biggest change as a mom was realizing that all of those things I *thought* I knew about being a mother could, did and was changing.

    Reply
  4. Caroll

    Great questions, nice interview. I especially liked the last question. I had something almost like that happen to me, it truly was a nightmare.

    Reply
  5. Tomika B

    Great interview. My life drastically changed because everything became about the baby. I did at some point gain a little sanity and started creating mommy time.

    Reply
  7. Hanifah Munadi

    When u enjoy ur family nothing else really matters. Like Heather said, u get things out of ur system and u have no desire to do them anymore. I just wish i could have been an at home mom for all of my children instead of a few. Makes a big difference. Realizing the fact that u do whatcha gotta do, I wanted nothing more than being surrounded by my babies and hubby.

    Reply
    • newmom0608

      So true Joyce. My daughter confirms your sentiment by saying, “mine, mine” all the time! lol

      Reply

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