Things I Swore I Wouldn’t Do As a New Mom

Dear Diary,

When I became a first time mom, I had a plan. A detailed plan. I planned to use organic only items. I planned to follow a somewhat strict schedule. I planned to always organize and never procrastinate. Then life happened. I pushed the plan aside and learned that I don’t have to be perfect to be a perfectly good mother.

Here are five things I swore I wouldn’t do as a new mom but do a year later.

Then: When I first brought my daughter home from the hospital, I only used brand name wipes stored in her wipe warmer.

Now: I realize that wipes are pretty much all the same. Perhaps some brands are more moist than others, but at the end of the day, most products produce the same result—a clean bottom. I make sure the wipes are unscented and hypoallergenic.

Then: I was scared to death—well not to death, but maybe a sick day—that my daughter would develop a diaper rash. I applied A&D ointment with every, single diaper change.

Now: I still use ointment on my daughter at night to keep her extra dry, but sometimes—ok, usually, skip that step during the day as we rush out the house to get to our destinations on time.

Then: Throughout the day, my daughter underwent more wardrobe changes than Beyoncé. I made sure she matched, even if she was only going to bed.

Now: Sleepwalking, I pull a top and a bottom from the closet. Sometimes it matches. Sometimes it fits. But it always fulfills its purpose. If my little girl falls asleep in her clothes, I let her be, as long as she’s not in jeans or tights.

Then: For the first ten months of my little one’s life, I was a stay-at-home mother. I tapped into my inner Paula Dean and whipped up gourmet meals in the blender, like butternut squash risotto and sweet pea puree.

Now: Sometimes I turn to pre-packaged meals as a time-saver. When my daughter doesn’t have an appetite, I give in and feed her French fries.

Then: I created a strict feeding and sleeping schedule to ensure my daughter received proper nourishment and rest. We followed the bath, book and bed routine.

Now: I make sure she gets three meals and several snacks a day, even if that happens at odd hours. She also sleeps in the bed with me most nights.

Hey DFTM Fam—What did you swear not to do when your baby was born but find yourself doing it a few months later?