Nothing makes me happier than being a mother… But let’s be real, ladies, there are those distant memories that come to mind of what I used to do before becoming a mom. Life changes when you become a mother. It changes you as a person. You know it pretty well. But guess what? We all have different experiences (barring a few common ones), given that our personalities are all different.
In retrospect, I very well know how I changed after becoming a mother. Looking back, I do wish I could go back to the days when there were no cares on earth. But it’s only motherhood that gives a much larger meaning to your life. A few changes have been positive; others I wish I could change. They are there for a reason, some for none at all. But sure, I stopped doing a lot of things after I had my first child. Here are 5 things you stopped doing after becoming a mom:
1. I Stopped Daydreaming:
I was a dreamer. Quite much. But the birth of my child taught me to be more grounded and practical. Of course, marriage makes a person somewhat responsible. But motherhood makes a woman perfectly sane (barring the constant running around that you have come to accept as a part of your life now). The fleeting thoughts are taken over by worries and practical solutions. Every day brings a new challenge, with key takeaways that you will pass on to your child as he or she grows. I would, however, not stop recommending daydreaming. Sometimes it’s good to be your own little Alice in Wonderland.
2. I Stopped Eating Because Of One:
Yes, you heard it right. I couldn’t finish my meal after giving birth. I got so stuck in the habit of interrupted meal times, let alone timely meals, that it began to interfere with my routine. My appetite was in a slump. While I needed more nourishment to replenish the lost nutrients, I was eating less than I would normally do. Thanks to the supplements that might have helped me (which were also pretty sparsely used, though).
3. I Stopped Looking After Myself:
I will be surprised if a mother of a toddler and a primary school student can come up flawlessly to you in her beautifully draped saree and stilettos, her hair French-braided neatly. How on earth did she have the time to wear those matching accessories and that lipstick? I would rather stick to a universal color and hairstyle that would go with just about anything because I know I will have to slip out at any given time, no matter how I look.
4. I Stopped Going to the Movies:
Every Friday used to be a routine movie day. Nope, nobody stops you from watching a movie when your baby is so tiny because it keeps sleeping most of the time in there. But I detested the idea of taking this tiny being into an enclosure of hundreds of people breathing stale air. As I waited a few more months, my baby grew into a toddler who would never sit still for more than a few seconds, always wanting to go down the aisle or explore something more interesting while I pleaded with him. I thought the 3D Jungle Book was going to capture some attention, but it was the same with Kung Fu Panda as well—the magic worked only momentarily on my child, who wanted to see stuff that was more real.
5. I Stopped Being the Rockstar People Once Knew:
There was a time when my house shook like a dance floor. From classics to contemporary music, every bit of the music would be booming from the stereo as I hoovered the house or cooked. Music was (and inherently still is) my oxygen. That’s how charged I will be when the postpartum period arrives. The typical outrageous decibels would go down to as low as mellow whispers for fear that we would wake the baby up. It’s not just the music; the pin-ups of my favorite musicians and rock stars were replaced by baby posters. And guess what happened to the mommy? She soon had to shun her Madonna-like disposition and all the preening for that of a brazen mommy all in love with her newborn.
Despite facing many challenges, motherhood can still be fun. The whole picture of womanhood is hidden beneath what appear to be shards of broken pleasures.
