What Having a Baby Does to You (Looking Back close to a decade later)

 I wrote this nearly ten years ago, when Miss C was a toddler and motherhood felt like it had completely taken over my life.

At that time, everything revolved around nap schedules, feeding times, diaper bags, nursery rhymes, and functioning on broken sleep. I genuinely believed life had permanently shifted into this new version.

Reading it now feels like looking at a snapshot of a very specific phase — intense, exhausting, overwhelming… and strangely beautiful.

Because slowly, over the years, many of those things changed again.

Sleep became more continuous. Outings became spontaneous again. Nursery rhymes quietly gave way to my older playlists. The diaper bag retired. And the messy house… well, that doesn’t change ever, does it? 😄

But that version of me was very real too.

So I’m leaving her thoughts here, just as they were lived and felt.

Recently I was penning down an article where I mentioned that even after close to 2 years post baby, I still feel the same way I did 10 years ago – the happy-go-lucky girl who got most of what she wanted.

I still have the same temper (or has it increased?), which is usually unleashed on my husband or poor mom. I still struggle to wake up in the middle of the night without being highly annoyed. I still tend to lose patience quickly (maybe even more nowadays).

So this got me thinking — does having a baby change everything?

Well… it does change quite a lot of things.

And then that thought led to another — what has actually changed?

I think the basic “me” remains the same. But one big thing motherhood has taught me is time management.

I can now plan each task very effectively around wake and nap times. Cooking, cleaning, sweeping, a quick shower — the list is never-ending — all happen within those precious sleep windows. My multitasking skills have definitely improved.

Which makes me wonder… what did I even do with all that time before the baby?

Earlier, I was quite an impulsive cook. I’d think of what to make, check groceries, and decide on the spot. If I felt lazy, we’d order in or eat out.

Now I plan meals in advance. Vegetables are chopped beforehand. Most meals are prepped the night before. Breakfast and lunch are often ready before she wakes up.

This is from someone who once woke up and just “figured out breakfast” — or happily survived on oats most days. That has changed completely.

I’ve always loved Bollywood songs. I may not know movie details, but my playlist was always up to date. My day would go by humming songs.

Now, the only tunes I find myself singing are nursery rhymes. The other day, I was humming “Ring around the rosy” at a shopping centre — and my daughter wasn’t even with me. That moment caught me off guard.

I used to hate mess. My husband can vouch for this. I hated things lying around, kitchen counters cluttered, or books left here and there. I loved spotless surfaces and vacuumed carpets.

Post-baby life changed that.

I still don’t like mess. I still run around cleaning, I still lose my temper sometimes, and I still insist toys be put away. But I can now walk past a living room full of scattered toys without feeling completely overwhelmed.

That feels like progress.

Earlier, I struggled carrying even a 2–3 kg grocery bag. Now I routinely lift a 10 kg child. Motherhood definitely makes you physically stronger too.

I never imagined I’d talk so openly about pee and poop. Now it’s a daily topic at home (hers, to be clear!).

Earlier, I needed a full 9-hour sleep to feel okay. Now a 4-hour stretch feels like a miracle.

Weekends used to mean sleeping in till 10 or 11 am. Now, the day starts when the baby is up. Weekends and weekdays don’t really feel different anymore.

Going out used to be simple — grab a bag and leave.

Now every outing starts with packing a diaper bag: water, milk, snacks, fruits, dry snacks, extra clothes… just in case she changes her mind about food (which she usually does).

Spontaneity gets replaced by planning.

And I think that’s motherhood in a nutshell.

This list could go on forever, but I’ll end with something I once read on a friend’s status:

“You know you’re a parent when the word ‘pamper’ makes you think of diapers instead of luxury.”

– The Mother Duck Says 🦆