Maternity Leave... Third Time's a Charm

I've heard the saying before- "Third time's a charm." Now I get it. This time around, maternity leave just hits a little different.

First time came with a traumatic birth, lots of PPA and fears that I would fail as a mom. There were the changes to my daily life that I knew would happen but hit harder than I had expected. Lots of prayers to Mama Mary and good friends checking in got me through those first especially tough, sleep-deprived weeks.

Then it was time to leave my baby boy to return to work. I wasn't ready. 12 weeks had flown by and felt like forever all at the same time. We finally had the nursing thing down pat. The thought of leaving him made me sick, but I felt there was no choice. We had just bought our first home shortly before he was born, and we had bills to pay and a new little person to provide for. So, I packed up my pump, found some stretchy-waisted work pants, and cried all the way to school. It was by far the toughest time of my life, but I made it through, and before I knew it, the warm, wonderful days of summer were near. Being a working mom had become my new normal, and I felt like I had things under control as best as I could. (Let's face it though, we all know I wasn't really the one in control!)

All of a sudden, it was time to do it again. We were ready for our baby boy to become a big brother. So we had our second, a chunky 9 pound 2 ounce baby boy. This time around came with an easy birth, an easy baby, and an easy transition back to work when he was almost 5 months old. I had truly acclimated to working mom life, and went through the motions day in and day out, knowing pretty much what to expect.

I entered my thirties, and life continued until the world stopped in March 2020. I was suddenly out of my classroom and home with my boys each day. I got a taste of life as a SAHM. It gave me a chance to slow down, to savor their giggles and cute little interactions. It was this time that made me start to think it wouldn't be so bad if another little one joined our crew.

I guess God agreed because in August 2020, we got pregnant with our third baby, and after an especially rough pregnancy, we welcomed our first girl in May 2021. I can honestly say that I ate up every moment of wonder that only comes with the miracle of a newborn. It wasn't all smiles; baby girl had a lip and tongue tie that made nursing painful, which had to be corrected. Once fixed, she became a champion nurser and overall happy baby.

Now, she is almost 9 months old and thanks to some smart planning, I won't be back to work until she is almost 11 months old. In the middle of having a baby, we also sold our home and bought our second home, which we are in the middle of fixing up while we live with my parents. It's been a wild ride, but I am trying to savor each moment and not let the stress of moving and remodeling take away from the joy of this beautiful stage of life.

The transition from no kids to one was hands down the most difficult. I was terrified that I would never be able to leave my home alone again and that days of solo errands and nights out with friends were over forever. The second time, I knew that wasn't true, but I was certainly looking forward to life going back to "normal". This time, I can honestly say I am in no rush. Give me all the days of leggings and nursing tanks and diapers and spit up.

Some people would look at my life and words like "boring", "lonely" and "monotonous" might come to mind. Not every day is a walk in the park, but watching our little girl grow and change each day is a blessing that I don't take for granted.