35 Milestones I Navigated During My First Year of Motherhood

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As my child approaches their first birthday, it’s time to reflect on the myriad of challenges I’ve overcome—this first year isn’t just a celebration for them, but a significant milestone for me as well. It represents a journey of survival through sleepless nights and chaotic days. Here’s a look at the trials I’ve faced and conquered in this incredible year:

1. I successfully spent countless hours alone with my infant and our two sleepy pets.
2. I became adept at texting on my phone while breastfeeding—especially impressive in dim lighting.
3. By week three, I stopped being embarrassed that my nursing experiences were known to every server in town.
4. I managed to hold back tears for just five minutes when I leaked milk all over the floor of a local store.
5. My child didn’t ingest anything that required a trip to the emergency room.
6. I limited my late-night Amazon orders to only twice a week.
7. I learned to prepare baby food without any mishaps that could harm my child.
8. I occasionally opted for non-organic groceries and still kept my child safe.
9. I attended several baby yoga classes mainly for the complimentary babysitting.
10. I only fell asleep while nursing a few times and miraculously never dropped my baby.
11. My child only peed on me twice—thankfully, it was a minor inconvenience.
12. There were no incidents of poop in the bath.
13. My little one only bumped into the tablet screen once during our binge-watching sessions.
14. I accepted that diaper blowouts and laundry replaced my previous evenings of wine and cheese with friends.
15. It took seven attempts to master using the baby carrier.
16. We only experienced one episode of projectile vomiting.
17. I shed a tear once in Target while checking out.
18. I never forgot my baby in a public location.
19. I wore mismatched shoes to work just one time.
20. My partner and I are still together (even though a few challenging moments had me considering otherwise).
21. My child did not consume any cat litter.
22. My little one avoided eating any pet waste.
23. I accepted that my pre-pregnancy wardrobe may no longer fit.
24. I smiled and pretended it was adorable when my child was the only one making noise in Gymboree class.
25. I panicked just a few times and googled “why isn’t my baby crawling?” when they didn’t start until almost a year.
26. My child never fell from the bucket swing.
27. My little one only bit one other child at the park.
28. Thankfully, my child never choked—or learned to cough up any food before it became critical.
29. I managed to enjoy a day at the beach without my baby getting sunburned.
30. I retained my job despite spending the last three weeks planning a birthday celebration during work hours.
31. I didn’t smother my partner in his sleep despite his obliviousness during our child’s midnight cries.
32. I held back my frustration the next morning when he mentioned he didn’t hear anything the night before.
33. I refrained from reacting negatively to inquiries about my child’s crawling progress when they were still stationary.
34. My child never fell off the changing table, even without using the safety straps.
35. I’ve accepted that changes to my body are a reasonable trade-off for the joy of being a mother.

So, cheers to me and my little one as we celebrate this significant first year!

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Summary: The first year of motherhood is a unique journey filled with challenges and milestones. Reflecting on the past year reveals a mix of experiences, from sleepless nights to mastering parenting tasks, all while maintaining a sense of humor and resilience. Resources for those looking to start their family are readily available.