With each day of your pregnancy, you're one step closer to bringing your baby into the world. Life is about to change, you know that of course. But how much of your day-to-day routine will you send to the chopping block when your little one arrives? Read on for a peek at your future.
You become a morning person: Who knew that sweet bundle in your arms could have the internal clock of a barnyard rooster? Babies are up at the crack of dawn, so unfortunately you will be too. The other side to this story is that you'll also be a night person – nursing, rocking and doing everything within your power to lull your little one to sleep. Are we scaring you yet? Never fear, there's hope: You'll be amazed at how little sleep you need to function in those first few months. When you finally get a full night's rest, you'll feel like you won the lottery, promise.
You become obsessed with poop: Yes, it's really true. In those first few weeks, you and your partner will devote most of your conversation time to the baby's output: the frequency, consistency, color – it's all a bit disgusting to consider, but our advice on the subject? Just roll with it. What you find in your little one's diaper is a pretty good predictor of his or her health, so it's normal to pay good attention to it.
A movie becomes a marathon: Long gone are the days of luxuriating in front of the TV with your sweetheart. Sure, you can pop in a movie here and there, but chances are it will take you a week to finish it. The good news here is that once baby is old enough for you to go out on your own, hitting up the theater will be a serious treat.
You won't need a gym membership: Like you have time to visit the gym anyway! You'll get plenty of cardio bouncing, lunging, swaying and jogging in place while clutching your newborn to your chest in a desperate attempt to help him or her sleep. You'll find that any way you can contort your body to satisfy baby's whims and wishes, you're on it.
You'll always have an audience: Until your little one starts school, you can expect he or she's going to be right there with you – even in the bathroom.
Some days you're going to feel like Super Woman: Sure, there will be days when the trauma of new parenthood gets the best of you. But on the flip side, there will also be days when you feel like an Olympic champion. That moment when you're shampooing your hair and balancing in the shower on one leg while rocking the baby in the bassinet with the other – yeah, you're going to realize how amazing you are.
Motherhood is a big adjustment and it's not always easy. How are you feeling about making the transition? Share with us in the comments below.