You probably know this by now: Beyoncé and Jay-Z made their first public appearance with little Blue Ivy Carter at a New York City restaurant two weekends ago. Everyone seems to be in a tizzy over the fact that Beyoncé was wearing Isabel Marant Bekket High-Top Sneakers and leather leggings, including yours truly. I mean, what’s not to like? She’s comfortable and sexy! It’s a classic new mom look! But what Beyoncé wore is not really of importance here.
When I first saw the photos of the trio, I can see that Queen B is already playing the doting mother, holding baby Blue closely to her chest and covering her face with a blanket. And can you blame her? The first time I took my son Aiden out for fresh air, I did the exact same thing. Granted, I am not a celebrity mom and the paparazzi were never out to get a picture of my adorable son, but I remember my fears as a newbie mom, and can only imagine how Beyoncé must feel right now.
Aiden was born on October 28, and I brought him home from the hospital on October 30. He did not feel fresh air again until December 24 because I didn’t take him out of our apartment. Wait, no; that's not true—I took him to my cousin's place on Thanksgiving three weeks after he was born. I bundled him up—making sure to cover everything (including his face)—went straight from my apartment building into a car, and then straight from the car into my cousin's place. When it was time to go home, I repeated the entire process.
Friends and family members who knew I hadn’t left my apartment thought I'd gone crazy. Although I was suffering from cabin fever, I was too terrified to take my perfect newborn infant out into the dirty, disgusting world replete with germs. Dramatic, I know, but it’s how I felt at the time. And besides the germs, there were so many other things that I feared.
What if I tripped on one of the cracks in the sidewalk and dropped him? I can be a total klutz sometimes, you know. What if the loud noises of the streets of Brooklyn, NY scared him? It is the Concrete Jungle, you know.
Head over to REDBOOK Magazine to read the rest of my article.
Did you have any "New Mommy Fears," irrational or otherwise?
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I think I stayed in for 6 weeks (except for doctor appointments) before we went for a quick walk around the neighborhood. I was too scared. What is she cried? Threw up? Went poop? Caught a cold? As a first time mother, it's understandable for you (and me) to be cautious. - Bicultural Mama
ReplyDeleteI honestly think I will be the same way when I have my first child. Newborns are so precious and you don't want this brutal world to touch them. So, I can absolutely understand the fear you had the fear Beyonce probably has now. Can you imagine those paps screaming her name and getting too close with their cameras? Not cool at all.
ReplyDeleteYes! I did not leave the house with Nadia until Thanksgiving too besides the doctors visits. Our babies were born on the same day!!!
ReplyDeleteI didn't leave my house with my daughter until 6 weeks later. I was very paranoid.
ReplyDeleteI also didn't leave the house for almost 2 months (except doctor appointments and one or 2 family visits) when my son was born.
ReplyDeleteI think when you have your first child it's normal to be a little "paranoid" :)
Love your blog btw!
I was definitely a paranoid young mom. My fears were about things like him dying of SIDS though. Ugh, i worried about that a lot the first few months!
ReplyDeleteI meant new mom, not young mom (lol).
ReplyDeleteI can't say that I was a paranoid mom. We were out of the house and about within a two weeks. We went to some Christmas parties, shopping, etc. The Mr. had snagged one of those weather proof carseat covers and we went everywhere.
ReplyDeleteNow, I didn't let strangers touch her and I made my family bathe in germ gel before they could hold her until she was about three months old. I guess we all have adjust to being a new mom in different ways.
hilarious. it took me a while to leave the house too. mostly because I was sore from my c-section and exhausted!
ReplyDeleteHow is the sweet life over there in New York? It's a mad rush here in Paris. Had no idea re Beyonce first appearance but I love reading about it here;-)
ReplyDeletei think it's only natural that we would want to protect our little ones. in my African culture...you do not take the baby out for a month or more....you are thought irresponsible if you take the baby out too much!
ReplyDeleteWe protect our babies at all cause. Some of us are a little extreme but hey, lol, we do it for love.
ReplyDelete