So I joined this new mothers group. If you hear a sigh in this sentence, you are not mistaken. It seems the cliche thing to do and it is what I wasn't going to do but facts tend to turn upside down when that baby arrives.
The note at the messageboard at Van Vorst park caught my eye. The group is led by a psychotherapist, a mom of two herself. A theme will be addressed each week I read on the website later. I'll quickly realize that there is actually no need to bring up a theme to get a bunch a women with newborns to talk.
I walk in late because Neel had one of his shit-on-the-commode episodes and I had to do a last minute change. After introducing myself I see a bunch of questioning eyes still staring my way. Should I have mentioned my marital status? Annual salary? Explain where my accent is from? My mind races until I realize they want to know the name of the little creature sleeping on my arm.
"And this is Neel" I say, "He is 9 weeks." That is about the order of questioning. Name? Date? and than I learn what is the most important one: "How is he sleeping?"
Sleeping seems to be a big and important theme amongst new mothers. Comparisons are being made and jealous smiles exchanged if there is a deficit on the other end. It is no wonder really because "how is he sleeping" really means "how are you sleeping?"
So we sit, we chat and exchange birth experiences while the babies do their usual thing (sleep, poop, eat, burp, spit, not necessarily in that order). Breastfeeding doesn't have to be excused. Diapers are changed on the floor or on the changing pad available.
As comfortable as I felt in the group, I held of the changing until I got home. Result: the walls next to the changing table are still pristine and what they take away from Neel is that he slept six hours last night.
Now if only I could get myself get used to going to bed at 9pm.
The note at the messageboard at Van Vorst park caught my eye. The group is led by a psychotherapist, a mom of two herself. A theme will be addressed each week I read on the website later. I'll quickly realize that there is actually no need to bring up a theme to get a bunch a women with newborns to talk.
I walk in late because Neel had one of his shit-on-the-commode episodes and I had to do a last minute change. After introducing myself I see a bunch of questioning eyes still staring my way. Should I have mentioned my marital status? Annual salary? Explain where my accent is from? My mind races until I realize they want to know the name of the little creature sleeping on my arm.
"And this is Neel" I say, "He is 9 weeks." That is about the order of questioning. Name? Date? and than I learn what is the most important one: "How is he sleeping?"
Sleeping seems to be a big and important theme amongst new mothers. Comparisons are being made and jealous smiles exchanged if there is a deficit on the other end. It is no wonder really because "how is he sleeping" really means "how are you sleeping?"
So we sit, we chat and exchange birth experiences while the babies do their usual thing (sleep, poop, eat, burp, spit, not necessarily in that order). Breastfeeding doesn't have to be excused. Diapers are changed on the floor or on the changing pad available.
As comfortable as I felt in the group, I held of the changing until I got home. Result: the walls next to the changing table are still pristine and what they take away from Neel is that he slept six hours last night.
Now if only I could get myself get used to going to bed at 9pm.
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