To say that life changes after having a baby is quite a bit of an understatement. You are probably prepared for everything but the transition from your previous life to parenthood takes everyone by surprise. You can never be truly prepared for how you deal with everything that’s going on with you. During pregnancy, all you can think about is your baby and their safety. It is a surreal anticipatory experience. You are just worried about giving birth to your baby. Often, we think that just buying everything that we need and preparing the house for the baby’s arrival is all it takes. There is so much more to this.

Here are some ways your life will change once you have a baby:

#1 You start appreciating your mom so much more

Now, you have a much better idea of just how much they sacrificed for you. You find that you are way more respectful towards your mom and regret being annoyed with her when things were difficult. You empathize with your mom and all her frustrations. As a parent, you understand just how much your mother loves you when you hold your baby and feel the love that is radiating from you. It is such a beautiful bond and you cannot believe your mom loves you that much. You start to appreciate her more and include her more in your life so that she can be part of everything.

#2 Everything seems worth it

You barely get any sleep and the romance between you and your partner is almost dead. You knew that date nights would be a thing of the past for quite a while but every time things get harder and you have a tough day at work, you have something to look forward to that nobody can take away from you. When you go home and see that little face, everything else in your life seems bearable and all the struggles seem worth it. You never knew that you could be happy just looking at someone but there you are.

#3 Your thought process goes from every day to long-term

You subconsciously begin analyzing all your purchases and do not look for excuses to avoid doing your finances. Suddenly, saving money has become important as well as interesting. You are ready to do everything in your capacity to do the right thing and plan out the future such that your children have enough for college and other expenses throughout their life. In fact, you want them to have everything that you did not. Now that you are a parent, you also begin planning meticulously and enjoy doing it because you know that you are doing it for the person that you love the most.

#4 What is time anyway?

You realize that so many things used to take so much time before. As a parent, you also realize that some things are taking up too much of your time now. For instance, getting ready to leave is now a long process because you have to get your baby ready as well. It is not just your baby but all the things that need to be packed along with them wherever they go. On the other hand, you begin questioning whether you need to shower every day. Forget exfoliating, forget baths. Quick ten-minute showers are all you can afford and all you seem to need. You also realize that you don’t need an alarm clock anymore when you have a baby or a toddler who is surprisingly punctual at the most inconvenient times.

#5 Perspectives, Fears, and Wonders

It is a beautiful world out there filled with demons and monsters that you need to protect your child from. You are confused about the world which has not changed but your perspectives have. Every time you spend with your toddler, you are amazed at the beauty of the world that they see and begin to appreciate everything around you more. This is especially true if these things make them happy like flowers and butterflies. However, you realize just how many things you need to fear in the outside world. Strangers are not just passersby anymore. Your guards are up and you have never felt this protective about anything before. But you also begin to appreciate the small things and experience wonder for the first time since you were a child. Cherish this feeling before your baby grows up and loses their innocence.

#6 You and Your Partner are now a team!

If you have a supportive partner who has been with you throughout pregnancy and is now ready to get up at 3 am to change diapers, you know you have a friend for life. Parenthood will bring you both closer than ever because now you have a shared goal that no one else is part of. You begin appreciating each other more and supporting each other in everything. Next, you watch each other grow up and realize just how much you love and need one another. You begin taking up responsibilities together and embarking on this adventure feeling more confident because you trust your partner for real now.

#7 Your Priorities Change

You had your routines before. Your weekends were packed with chores that you felt were most important such as cleaning the house or doing the laundry. However, now you find yourself spending Sunday mornings watching cartoons with your children and enjoying every bit of it without any worry about having to put those socks to wash. Everything else can wait. Your priority is your child and nothing else. Everyone and everything have to take a step back now. You never expect yourself to change so much. You begin doing things for your children that you never thought you would and certainly did not do even for your partner.

Life changes for the better when you have children. Cherish the time that you spend together with them and watch yourself grow from being a person to a parent which is one of the most important professions in the world. There is so much to gain by getting to know your child better when they are young. Make every minute count.