Tracy-First Time Mom Friend

I just got back from Washington state where I spent a week visiting one of my best friends from college. She had a beautiful baby girl, Piper and I went to give her some moral support and hopefully, a little time for herself.

Not having children of my own, I was a little hesitant what to expect living in a house with a one month old, two dogs, a cat my friend and her husband. Would there be incessant crying? How would I know what to say if the baby didn’t gain the right amount of weight at the doctor’s visit? What advice could I possibly have to offer this first time mom?

When Leslie and Piper picked me up at the airport, Leslie asked me to drive the hour and a half back to their house since it was so late. Normally, I would have no hesitation to drive, but this time was different. One, I had just flown across the United States and had been traveling for 8 hours. Two, her car is a stick shift and I hadn’t driven stick in about five years. And three, there is a one-month old in the car! Ok, no pressure here or anything. Just drive, on a dark, unknown highway with your best friend and her most precious gift in the back seat, an hour and a half, jetlagged. Sure, I can do that. Press in the clutch, feel the bite, don’t stop on any hills, sip the gas station coffee without jolting forward or stalling out. And, don’t wake the baby.

Well, we made it home safe and sound and I went right to bed. In a deep slumber, I heard nothing over night. Of course, Leslie and Piper were up multiple times throughout the night. I really had no right to complain and we soon were off walking a four-mile trail on the coastline of Washington, with the San Juan Islands in the distance. Halfway through the walk, we came upon a small town, with an outdoor plaza. Fairly secluded, Leslie wanted to try breast feeding in public for the first time. She told me she needed me there as support to know that she could do this. Again, not having children, I never took the time to think about what a big deal this must be in a mother’s life. It’s natural, yet feels unnatural to be doing this in public. Using a little apron-like coverup, Leslie as able to maneuver herself and the baby so there was no public viewing and all went well. I was so proud of her and glad that I was the one that gave her the confidence to be able to get past this difficult hurdle.

Throughout the week, there were so many firsts it was amazing to think that at age 37, you can still be a neophyte in so many areas. From Kenmore the dog ripping through the diaper genie to learning how to use the exercise ball as a bouncy chair to soothe a crying baby, a first time mom has much to learn. A first time mom friend must also learn as she goes. I wouldn’t have it any other way and am counting the days until I can see this new little family again. In the meantime, I’ll be practicing driving stick!