Sleep deprivation is just the beginning….
A chorus of complaint generally follows the announcement of a pregnancy, shortly after “Congratulations”. Before I had children I repeatedly heard parents lament their former lives. “Your life will never be the same again,” and “I don’t do anything for myself anymore,” were common refrains. I had also read articles proposing that childless people were happiest, and that the joys of parenthood were fleeting at best. Surely, this couldn’t be true I thought as I fantasised at what motherhood would look like for me – leisurely strolls with my baby, baking cakes with my toddlers, baby chinos at the cafe and catching up with girlfriends over lunch. Fast-forward three years and life is far from this fantasy……