Feminism and the new baby narcotic

The article My Baby is Like a Narcotic by Katie Roiphe is one definitely worth reading. Katie Roiphe, a writer and professor at New York University writes about her experience as a new mother only weeks after she gave birth.

As I read this article I both related to aspects of her experience, appreciated her personal perspective and contemplated points I both agreed and disagreed with. As unique as each baby and mother is a unique experience for each. Roiphe questions the Feminist approach to baby's the opinions of mothers and the amazing narcotic that a newborn baby can be to his or her parents.

I relate to this concept of a new baby being something like a narcotic. Sarah has given me such a strange new mixture of super human confidants and weakened ability to function all at the same time. My whole way of thinking, what matters to me, my confidants, my very core was altered as if some sort of molecular change had taken place in my personality, my character my everything. I forget how many scoops of formula I just put in her bottle if I'm talking at the same time. I forget dates with friends, barely visit my facebook, write the same thing on my blog two or three times because I forgot I wrote it.

The most amazing transformation to me is that I was once a very stylish person. I had flip flops that matched shirts. I knew to coordinate, not match, my eyeshadow to the colors in my outfit (purple shirt = greens or golds eyeshadow not purple eyeshadow). I wore red strappy heals. Now I wear t-shirts permenently stained with spit up, the same dirty green pair of flip flops 'cause they are comfortable. I rarely go out of the house with anything but a bit of concealer under my eyes. White Tea Verbana was once the perfume I love. Now I share Baby Magic with my daughter. My roots are showing, my breath most likely stinks and my sweats are stretched out and yet I've never been more confident in my life. I step out of the house as if I were carrying a Coach purse only it's not a purse but an adorable little six month old girl I like to refer to as Miss Wiggles.

On a different note, I admit I gush here but I really try not to gush to people in person. It isn't easy I admit and I fail often but I do this because I've lost two babies and gushing parents made me want to gush vomit. At least here hurting mommies with empty arms can see the title and skip on to someone elses blog while mommies with empty arms in person have no such luck. I laugh just 'cause I think about my hubby talking on the phone when he is taking care of Sarah. He talks in baby talk to her while he is on the phone. I've had to remind him (and him, me) to talk like a grown up to the grown up and wait until after he gets off the phone to talk to Sarah. Niether of us always remember. Yeah, she's a narcotic like that.