April 29, 2007
My Advice for the Mommies
There’s a baby shower going on, in honor of Christina from A Mommy Story, T B of Soul Gardening and Liz of Mom-101. To celebrate I am offering the best and worse advice I ever received when I became a mother.
Since I’m all for saving the best for last, here is the worst “ass-vice” given to me by my very own mother.
Dawson was born in mid-September, and the weather outside was fairly warm when I brought my precious baby home from the hospital. My mom was available to hand down all the excellent parenting tidbits she received some 25 years prior when I was just an infant.
Since my mother had given birth to four beautiful children, I assumed she knew what she was talking about when she told me to dress Dawson as warm as possible because a newborn’s body temperature was “significantly lower” (her exact words) than an adult’s. I put Dawson in a one piece sleeping gown and socks, yet my mom demanded that I put a hat on his head and then wrap my child in a blanket.
Needless to say, my child was sweating and crying for the first ten minutes of the drive home. I made Doug stop the car just so I could undress him from his pre-winter wear. I was completely pissed and I wondered how I managed to live as long as I did.
Mothers. They think they know everything. Myself included.
The best piece of advice I’ve ever received regarding parenthood came from my father. He offered his wisdom after watching me suffer through my mother’s ruthless attempts at showing, telling, screaming, NAGGING me on motherhood.
Dad sat down next to me and said, “You know…it is okay to ignore her when she thinks she know’s what she’s talking about right? Because it is.”
I’ve never forgotten those words. Now when Mom is telling me Dawson is too skinny, not warm enough, not tall enough and not eating enough, I just roll my eyes, smile and nod. She eventually stops her incessant lecturing when she realizes I’m just trying to appease her.
Congratulations Christina, Liz and T.B. on the very near arrivals of your little ones!
Posted by Dana @ 1:38 pm • Uncategorized
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April 29th, 2007 at 5:06 pm, Mom101 Says:
Thanks Dana! I love how I can hardly remember squat from my daughter’s early weeks, less than 2 years ago, but our parents seem to remember eeeeeverything. How is that possible?
April 29th, 2007 at 8:54 pm, Christina Says:
Thanks for the advice! This will be an interesting switch for me this time: Cordy was born in the fall, so it got cold quickly, but this one will be born in May, when it will be getting warmer. It’ll be odd to have to make sure she isn’t getting too hot.
April 30th, 2007 at 8:11 am, Dana Says:
Liz, sometimes I think I’ve forgotten what it was like when Dawson was a newborn. Then I go back and look at his baby album and all those photos I took (too many, really). All the memories keep coming back. I miss that tiny baby. Maybe I need another one? Heh.
Christina, at least you aren’t pregnant in the summer again. I hated that! All that hot weather made my ankles swell up! Cordy and Dawson are just a few days apart, right? Sept 16 and Sept 23? (My memory is sooo bad).