a letter to another me

I've been thinking a lot lately
about how much has changed in a year.
I guess it's natural
with a certain little boy fast approaching his first birthday.

It's so hard now to imagine my life before him.
Or even to imagine my life before I was pregnant with him.
She seems like a different girl some how.

So what would l tell her
if I could explain to her all that I know now. . .




Dear 25-Year-Old Lucy,

You're about to turn 26 
and you've just found out that your pregnant. 
25 was a pretty good year for you wasn't it? 
You married your dream man, 
bought your first home 
and now you've got a baby on the way.

Becoming a mummy is absolutely everything that everybody tells you it will be.

It is just so incredible that you can't imagine it or describe it.

I think until you actually are a mummy

you just can't comprehend it.

You don't realise what you've been missing out on until they are here 
and you hold them in your arms

and suddenly everything else disappears 
because you would do anything it took to keep that little person safe and happy.

Labour will also be just as everyone tells you.
Except your mum,
just because she popped out her babies within a couple of hours
DOES NOT mean that you will.

Don't get too excited when your waters break because you still have a long way to go.

Don't try and be a hero - once that baby is here, no one will really care how it got here and what drugs you did or didn't have.

Listen to all the advice you are given, but follow your gut. 
You already know what you want to do, so do it.

You are going to really surprise yourself

when in the not too distant future

you are still breastfeeding your eleven month old.

Yes, eleven months.

Forget aiming for six weeks, aim high

because you can do it

and you will feel so proud of yourself because of it.

Don't worry about work,

finances will be tight but you're going to find a way to stay at home with your baby

just like you always wanted to.

And that job you love and enjoy so much,

believe it or not, you won't miss it.

Lots of your relationships will change.

Some friends will drop away,

other friendships will blossom

and you'll make some lovely new ones too.

You'll find a new appreciation of everything that your parents have done for you

and watching them with their first grandchild will be one of your favourite things to do.

You and Rich will bicker more than you ever have

but you'll also feel closer and stronger than ever.

Having a baby won't complicate things,

if anything life will be simpler

because its all focused on a tiny human

who wants for nothing more than food, warmth and love.

And that is really all that any of you need.

Take pictures of your bump

because you'll miss it

and you'll quickly forget how big it was.

I know that you'll feel fat and won't really want your picture taken

but you'll regret it when your baby is here

and you haven't got a single picture of what you looked like when that baby was still in your tummy.

The same goes for pictures of you straight after the birth.

You'll be going through an awkward transition stage with your hair

and you'll think you look tired and pale and flabby.

All these things will be true

but they will be part of the charm of those pictures

because they will capture a moment in time that you will never get again.

Enjoy every single second.
Forget about the other things you are supposed to be doing
and have lots of cuddles.
Breathe in that baby smell.
Kiss that kid until you don't think you can do it any more.
Love, love, LOVE being a mummy.
It is the best thing you will ever do.


Love


27-Year-Old Lucy
also known as
Mummy
x