Being a mother

Last month, we visited my sister and her family in Sydney to welcome my newborn niece. Staying with them for 2 weeks gave me a deeper insight into the struggles of a family with a newborn.

It is especially tough when they had to do it without a confinement nanny or grandparents help. From 2 hourly feedings to the melody of baby cries, it was a circus, except you aren’t laughing. Despite the tough times, there were plenty of good times too. A satisfied smile from the baby after feeding, tender moments between the siblings, etc.

There, my dad will help out with the cooking while I merely entertained my nephew. Once in awhile, I will pretend to be a car in an attempt to stop my niece from crying. Honestly, I wasn’t much help when it comes to a newborn. A typical scenario would be me carrying the baby, baby cries, I ask my nephew to smell the baby’s butt and tell me if she poo-ed. If no, I will carry on being a car, if yes, I will pass on the baby to someone who can deal with the shit. In my time there, the only ‘helpful’ thing I did was document my stay in photos for memories. It was a great gathering for the family, but also reminds us how fortunate we are to be surrounded my family and friends.

To all the mothers out there, Happy Mother’s Day.