Taking a shower when you have a newborn baby in the house isn’t as simple as it seems. Between fatigue and phantom cries, it's any wonder that any new parents get anything more than the occasional birdbath.
Here's how it goes:
MINUTE ONE:
Your newborn dozes off and you decide this is the perfect time to take a shower. You go to the bathroom and undress.
MINUTE TWO:
You worry that you forgot to close the door to your bedroom so the dog doesn't go in. You run back out of the bathroom (fully naked, I should mention) and close the door.
MINUTE THREE:
You get in the shower. You allow yourself to appreciate the warm, cleansing water.
MINUTE FOUR:
The baby starts crying. Wait. Is that crying? You aren’t sure. You stick your head out of the shower and listen intently. You might be imagining it. You shampoo as quickly as possible just in case. You wash your body at lightning speed. The baby’s cries get louder. Yes, that is definitely crying now. What about conditioner? Do you have time for conditioner?? You must get out as soon as possible. Wait! Have you shampooed yet? YOU CAN’T REMEMBER!!!
MINUTE FIVE:
The baby’s cries escalate to unbearable levels. OH MY GOD, THE BABY MUST THINK SHE HAS BEEN TOTALLY ABANDONED AND THIS TEN-MINUTE SHOWER IS GOING TO RUIN HER FOR LIFE!!!
MINUTE SIX:
You turn the water off. There is complete silence. Did the baby stop crying or was she never crying to begin with? No matter. Time to condition. You turn the water back on.
MINUTE SEVEN:
Why is the baby being so quiet??? Something must be wrong. You stick your head out of the shower and shout in the baby’s direction. “BABY!!!!!! ARE YOU OKAY?????” The baby doesn’t answer you. OH MY GOD, SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED TO MY BABY!!!!
MINUTE EIGHT:
The baby starts crying again. OH THANK GOD.
MINUTE NINE:
You emerge from the shower, naked and wet. You run to the baby, nearly slipping on the bathroom floor. You scoop her up in your arms. “OH, SWEETIE! I’M SO SORRY!!!!!! I’LL NEVER SHOWER AGAIN!!!!!”
MINUTE TEN:
Shit. Is that still conditioner in my hair?
You can find this post and more brilliance in Ilana’s book The Mommy Shorts Guide to Remarkably Average Parenting.
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