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Are you planning your first kid? If your answer is yes, then do read this article because you may not know the repercussions of your decision. No, my intention is not to scare you but to prepare you to be stronger for your new journey. Do tick-off the below-mentioned pointers and ‘Brace Yourself’ for the new mommy’s role. 🙂

1. Leave Job: The day you enter your third trimester of pregnancy, it becomes very difficult to manage the work-pressure. However, I left my job in the six-month only, for me, long travel was a pain. Also, post-pregnancy I became less-aggressive on the work front. Each day at work seemed very boring; I longed for being with family and just relax, mentally and physically both. Whether you love your job or hate it, it hurts to be known as ‘Jobless’.
2. No Movies, No Shopping, No Dressing up: I am not a movie-buff before Shona I used to watch select movies but since she’s born, have watched only one (she’s 10-month old now). When you become a mother, everything is planned around your new-born. You prefer asking someone to shop for things for you. In my case, everyone from my parents to my in-laws’ side has been my ‘pillars of support’. They supported me through everything. And lady… when you can’t go out, why would you dress-up?
3. Forget hangout with girlfriends: You can’t think of going out with your friends leaving your child behind and even you manage going out without her, you will constantly think of her. Things change drastically when you become ‘Maa’.
4. Weight gain: That’s something that has to happen. Remember, Aishwarya’s post-pregnancy weight gain? It became a piece of international news (I love this lady for flaunting her post-delivery weight gain). To provide good milk to your baby, you eat a lot… ghee, ladoos, dry-fruits and what not… anything is known for good nutritional value. I gained 14 kgs. So, if you are a size-zero, think twice before having a kid. You’ll have to compromise with your size-zero figure (for some time though).
5. No eating-out and ban spices from the menu: That’s my biggest craving. I love spices and eating out but now whenever I do this my baby suffers… her stomach gets upset. Till the time you’re breastfeeding home-made less spicy food is suggested. So until I am breast-feeding her, I have said bye-bye to my favorite food.
6. 24/7 available for that new-member: You are on 24/7 duty after you become a mother. You are the only one who can best take care of your child. She needs you all the time, for feeding, pooing, massaging, etc. etc. Yes, you have elder people who are there to take care of your child but they are here only for some time… it is only ‘You’ who have to look-after her in future.
7. Always sleep-deprived: As soon as you become a mother, you also become ‘insomniac’. Things are very difficult during the initial days. I used to put an alarm on the phone as I had to get up after every two hours to express milk and then feed the baby. Not only this, I used to eat fruits in the night to get more milk for her, in starting I wasn’t able to provide sufficient milk for my baby due to cesarean. Post operation, they put you on liquid-diet for some days, consequently less supply of milk for the baby. It was after a few days of heavy diet that I used to express sufficient milk for her. Really those days were very difficult, I felt like a ‘Mother Dairy’.
8. Forget ‘Me’ time: Do I need to explain this point… now you must have understood after reading the aforementioned pointers that there’s no ‘Me’ time post becoming a mommy. But if you choose to leave your baby with someone else for any reason, the case may be different. But, I just can’t put her in someone else’s care. I am just not that bold. When it comes to my daughter, I am very protective. I love embracing her in my arms, caressing her head and kissing her hands. Yes, sometimes I miss my freedom but it’s momentary. I feel this is the best job that a lady can do. You can refocus on your career once your baby starts going to a kindergarten.
9. Cuddling hours with partner switches to cuddling hours with baby: Your relationship with your partner goes through an overhauling phase since the day you get to know that you’re pregnant. You get frequent mood-swings, you don’t feel like getting close to your hubby. Once the baby is out it becomes more severe, neither you get time nor energy to feel each other. Your attention shifts to the newborn, she sleeps between the two of you as she needs your love and warmth.
10. Unsolicited advice This is the biggest side-effect of being a mother, you get unwanted advices from everyone. Although people will share their knowledge and experience for your benefit only but listening to same thing again and again surely gonna annoy you big time. Just follow ‘Go in and out the other’ rule because you know what suits your baby best.

Now that we are done discussing the immediate side-effects of becoming a first-time mommy, you know what’s the distant side-effect of it? People and even your parents ask you this question- WHEN ARE YOU PLANNING YOUR SECOND BABY? (a big LOL)