It has been twenty years since I was first pregnant. I can hardly believe that! I was 27 yesterday, right? The mom years will never add up in my brain. After having three (very large) babies, I will never physically be the same. I will never be the same mentally. And that’s ok. My postpartum body and mind hung around all these years.
I’ve realized postpartum is forever, and here are the reasons why:
- The extra stomach skin will be there no matter how many sit-ups I do or what variety of stomach workouts I attempt. (I’ve tried!)
- I’ll never have a full head of hair again.
- Breastfeeding, while blissful after the routine got going, wrecked my chest. Sucked me dry and the perky girls checked out.
- I’ll jump up from slumber at the slightest noise, no matter who made it or why.
- Crying is to be expected at any time. Perimenopause has changed this a bit, but I’ll forever be extra emotional.
- Worrying about my kids hasn’t taken a back seat. Based on how my mom is with me, I suspect this never ends.
- Pregnancy brain, postpartum brain, mommy brain, whatever you want to call it, this is just me now. Please don’t take it personally if I don’t remember your exact birthday, I know the general time of when it is. (I lost a friend because of this.)
- Parts of me that I thought I had lost after having children never came back. I still miss young Janice on some days, but I’m happy with who I am now. We cannot be who we were; it’s just not possible.
- Lastly, I am Mom forever now. To me, being called ‘Mom’ now is the best part. Mom identity forever.
