The Joy of Newborn Motherhood

BY NICOLE IRVING, PHOTOS BY JIMMY HO PHOTOGRAPHY, MAKEUP BY KARA WINSLOW

Five Gainesville moms share their stories and experiences of what it's like to raise a newborn baby.

Wea and Eliza Jean Sto Domingo

BABY’S AGE/BIRTHDAY: 4 months old / 11-27-19

SPOUSE NAME: Benjo Sto Domingo

“Challenging but rewarding” is how mom of two Wea Sto Domingo describes her adventures in parenting now that 3-month-old Eliza has joined her 5-year-old brother Eliseo “Eli” James. According to Sto Domingo, “Having a new baby and a 5-year-old boy plus having to find time to complete an 8-hour job requires a lot of juggling.”

“I am just blessed to have a husband who is very supportive and does not mind doing the cooking,” said Sto Domingo. In addition, she has a supportive employer who allows her to work from home and according to her, even with all the juggling, “it brings so much joy and pride to be able to raise these two kids who mean the world to us.”

With Eliza being her second child, Sto Domingo learned a lot of what motherhood and having a newborn was like from her first go around. However, even with that, all babies and experiences are different. Even though both babies were delivered by c-sections in the hospital Sto Domingo said, “The second delivery was way different from my first. They are both c-sections, but the first was an emergency one and I was out the entire time. This time it was scheduled. It was so weird that you knew you were being cut. A lot of apprehensions. And when I heard that cry for the first time, it was so moving!”

When asked what advice she has for other new moms, she said “Breastfeeding may be hard, but do not give up whether there’s not much supply or because there’s too much work involved in it. It is very rewarding to watch your little one getting all the nutrition from that gold milk!”

HER TOP 3 MUST HAVES: Nursing cover, Breast pump, Pacifier

DESCRIBE MOTHERHOOD IN ONE WORD: Fulfilling

Brittany Lee and Emily Brown

BABY’S AGE/BIRTHDAY: 3 months / 12-31-19

SPOUSE NAME: Ryan Brown

When she and husband Ryan Brown thought about having a second child they thought they wouldn’t miss a beat. However, Brittany Lee, mom to 3-year-old Jeb and baby Emily soon discovered this wasn’t the case. “Everyone said the second is harder, and even though Emily is a wonderful baby, everything is definitely harder! My c-section was harder. Keeping two kids alive at once is harder! Operating on little to no sleep with two kids is harder. Getting to work, accomplishing anything, and making it back home at a reasonable hour is harder.”

And, as the saying goes, it takes a village. Lee admits that she is very lucky that her village is large. Her village includes her pediatrician, Dr. Mary Grooms, who gave her advice when she was worried about how her family would adjust from a family of three to a new unit of four. She shared that Dr. Grooms told her “in order to ease the adjustment of the older sibling(s) to a new baby in the home, it is best to carve out one-onone time with each child, away from the new baby, every day. The key here is quality time—not quantity—so 5-10 minutes of dedicated time each day will suffice. These moments affirm for the older child(ren) that they are still important and special to you. Making time to spend these special moments with them each day will go a long way towards heading off any negative behaviors or jealousy at the pass.” According to Lee, “we made sure Jeb had his own time from both of us each day and never had any issues with jealousy. Dr. Grooms is a magician!”

As a seasoned mom of two, Lee’s advice to other new moms is to sleep when the baby sleeps and to “identify your children’s strengths and nurture them.”

HER TOP 3 MUST HAVES: Dry Shampoo, Baby Brezza, Café Bustelo

DESCRIBE MOTHERHOOD IN ONE WORD: Consuming... in the best way!

Alisha and Kamry Berry

BABY’S AGE/BIRTHDAY: 1 year / 4-5-19

SPOUSE NAME: Brandon Berry

Kamry Rose made her entrance into the world at 37 weeks after a rollercoaster delivery and a little visit in the NICU due to her high heart rate. Because none of this was planned, of course, mom Alisha Berry said that her delivery was a bit terrifying, especially after being put on bed rest for a month prior to delivery due to preeclampsia. However, despite the whirlwind surrounding her birth, Berry said that the first year of motherhood with Kamry has been “absolutely amazing! I never knew that I could love someone so much.”

Motherhood is full of things you don’t expect. For Berry, she wasn’t expecting time to go by so quickly. “Seems like yesterday, that we were bringing her home from the hospital and now she is soon to be one.” She also shares that after she delivered she wasn’t prepared for postpartum depression. “Postpartum depression is a real thing. More people deal with this than we think. I though it was just me. This was the one thing no one told me to prepare for.”

As Kamry is nearing her first birthday, Berry shares advice for new moms and that is “YOU are an amazing mom. Don’t get caught up in comparing yourself to other moms. The best mom your baby knows is YOU!”

HER TOP 4 MUST HAVES: Diaper Genie, NoseFrida, Baby Carrier, Infant CPR class

DESCRIBE MOTHERHOOD IN ONE WORD: LOVE!

Jamie and Elise valentine

BABY’S AGE/BIRTHDAY: 2 months / 1-28-20

SPOUSE NAME: Jon Valentine

Jamie Valentine and her husband Jon started their journey to having a baby with completing genetic testing based on DNA results out of concerns of conceiving due to family history. “We were told there was a high chance of miscarriage due to a genetic mutation that I had,” Valentine said. But, as luck would have it, they conceived on their first try, during a vacation trip to Vegas to celebrate Jamie’s 30th birthday.

All was progressing like clockwork with her pregnancy, however when she entered her third trimester her blood pressure spiked and at 36 weeks, her doctor sent her to the hospital. “I spent the next three weeks in and out of the doctors office and hospital checking my BP and was placed on bed rest,” Valentine said. “I had all the signs of preeclampsia as well, but was not 100% diagnosed, so I was pre preeclampsia. Each doctor visit I wouldn't know if I was being sent home or to be induced.” Although not her plan, Valentine was induced at 39 weeks and Elise Jamie was welcomed into the world.

“The past 9 weeks have been overwhelming!! From bed rest for three weeks to delivering, and now motherhood of six weeks. The love and support from our friends, family and coworkers have overwhelmed us and made us feel so lucky to have our community and network of love,” Valentine said.

Her advice to new moms “Do what feels right to you... you know your baby best and can make informed decisions. Babies [are] eat, sleep, poop and repeat machines! Gas is no fun and neither is a crying baby. If the baby is crying, check diaper, feed and then burp. If this doesn’t soothe the baby try all of that again and don’t give up. Babies don't always know what's bothering them and only have one way to alert you to their needs, which is the same cry for everything.

HER TOP 3 MUST HAVES: Gas drops, the Baby Shusher, bouncy seat

DESCRIBE MOTHERHOOD IN ONE WORD: Love!

Nichole Rivera and Yair Garcia

BABY’S AGE/BIRTHDAY: 3 months/ 1-13-20

SPOUSE NAME: Enrique Garcia

Nichole Rivera is now the proud mommy to three children and shares that each baby and pregnancy was quite different. “Even though we think we might know everything, especially when we have multiple kids, I now know every birth and experience is different. A new baby at home brings all sorts of emotions. Including the other kids and still being a good wife was or is extremely challenging some days.”

Since welcoming Yair to the world in January, Rivera is surprised that this time around she isn’t anxious to return back to work. “I love my job and when I had my other kids I was ready to get back to work. But with my new little one I find myself not wanting to do anything but spend time with him.” For Rivera, this time in motherhood has been wonderful and she enjoys the time that she has watching him grow and discover himself and his family have been a treat.

Her advice for new moms? “If you have friends and family willing to help, let them. Take a rest while you can. Even do house work, spend time with your kids or spouse while everyone is willing to help. Hold your baby, don’t let anyone tell you that you’re holding him too much or let that baby cry. They just came out of a world where they were warm and didn’t need to cry to ask for anything. Be his comfort even if it spoils him a bit.”

DESCRIBE MOTHERHOOD IN ONE WORD: A Blessing