Baby Basics & Breastfeeding

A ball of stress, a worry wart, a nervous nelly. These are all names that I have been called at some point of my life. These traits are starting to manifest as we get closer to the delivery date. I am realizing that 10 weeks will fly by...then what?

My anxieties are starting to keep me up at night (along with my heavy weight boxing champion of the world rocking my belly). My life is about to change, and I don't think I have fully understood that. I am so excited for the change, but I am nervous. Will I be a good mommy? Will I know what decisions to make? Will my baby girl sleep and eat? Will she be healthy? Will I nurse and for how long? What about right after she is born?

I have so many questions running through my head all day long. We decided to take a few classes to ease our worries. The first class we went to was Baby Basics. This was like infant care 101. There was a lot of information given, but most of it seemed like common sense. The most useful part was the information about the car seat, but I won't feel better about that until I figure out how to install the car seat safely!

The next class we went to was a breastfeeding class.

I don't even know what to say about this class. Remember how I said we went to these classes to feel better and ease our worries....ummm yea... well this class made it worse!

I left worrying about breast infections, mastitis, bloody nipples, blocked milk ducts, need I say more. Dobbie kept reminding me that those things are uncommon, but they have to give us all of the information. I felt like crying! What am I getting myself into?!?!?

How about the pressure to make sure the baby breastfeeds in the first hour after birth?!?! LIKE WHAT???

Being a first time mom is one of the scariest things I will do in my life. At the same time, it is one of the most exciting. I am terrified of the details, but I am not terrified of being a mom. I am excited beyond words. I already feel like I know my baby girl so well. I know her movements. I know that she likes when I have some sugary snack. I know that she doesn't like really loud noises!

Do you think she knows me? Do you think she knows how much I love her already?