Babys First Year Blog
What Do You Mean She’s Not A Newborn?
When is a newborn no longer a newborn?
I’ve considered Kara a newborn for perhaps longer than I should have, but today marks her 8-week-birthday, and I suppose it is time to drop the newborn title.
The problem with that? I don’t want to drop the newborn title!
This isn’t my first parenting rodeo, so I know how fast they grow up, but I was still unprepared when I realized that Kara turned 8-weeks-old today. I think it is partly just the sadness in knowing that this is my last baby, and that I will never have another newborn of my own again. In fact, I probably won’t be involved in the care of another newborn until my own babies HAVE babies, and that thought is really just too much for me to handle.
I’m really struggling to accept the fact that I am done having children, and in essence, that I am getting older.
It is funny how the presence of babies in your life can suddenly set your own internal clock to tick at hyper-speed. I think about life and death far more than I ever did before I had children, and I find myself getting lost in my own thoughts about the past, present, and future.
These children of mine? They are growing. They are growing so fast, and so furiously that it makes my heart ache to think about it.
Saying goodbye forever to being the mother of a newborn just feels… strange. Painfully strange.
Moms, does this ever get any easier?
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7 Comments
Meagan commented on Feb 08 12 at 8:19 pmOfficially I think they are called newborns until they hit the three month mark, so you’re still golden!
Heather commented on Feb 08 12 at 11:58 pmThey are called newborns until 12 weeks! :) She is still a newborn, but even when she hits 12 weeks, your heart will still ache after that. I have a 10 week old and an almost 3 year old. So I understand, I don’t think it gets easier, you just learn how to let your heart walk outside of your body, just take as many pictures as you can and hold fast to your memories. Life is fleeting.
Kim Q commented on Feb 09 12 at 8:30 amI SO relate. We have 2 kids, and I wasn’t even sure I wanted a second child. But we decided to throw caution to the wind and see what happened. In lightning quick time, I was pregnant with #2. But a funny thing happened after #2 was born- though I was SURE I was done having kids, I got teary eyed with every little milestone knowing it would be the last time I experienced it. And now I forever am thinking, “I wonder if I will still be alive to see XXX, or XXX.” It is funny how that happens.
Sara commented on Feb 09 12 at 10:08 amI can definitely relate! My last baby is almost 7 months (on the 11th).
Sabrina commented on Feb 09 12 at 10:13 amMy heart hurts with each day that passes as my 11 week old gradually drops his “newborness”. I can’t accept that I will never again get to snuggle with a newborn on my chest or hear the sweet newborn sounds. Before he was born, I was SURE I would only have 2 children, now I’m praying I can convince my husband we need #3!
Lynn commented on Feb 19 12 at 2:02 pmA newborn is less than a month old. They are infants until they become a year old.
Hyman commented on Mar 03 12 at 10:44 pmI think it was official to me that my son was not a newborn at like … 4 maybe 5 months old. Lol. It took me a really really long time to accept :D and I accidentally called him my newborn baby the other day to my husband. Yes. I just admitted this. Lol. :) oops.
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