It Turns Out That Being Physically Incompetent Is a Big Problem When You Become a Mom

I know, I know. Everyone claims to be uncoordinated. But here’s how bad it is with me: not only was in remedial gym class as a kid, but as an adult, I regularly injure myself by tripping up the stairs.

It doesn’t help that I wear glasses and have flat feet and hip dysplasia (yes, like a Golden Retriever). But the real problem is that I’m just not a person who feels terribly at home in the physical world. If I could make myself into a brain in a jar, I probably would. For one thing, I’m guessing my back pain would disappear.

Yesterday, I went to my weekly moms’ group — a sanity saver that I’d recommend to anyone who’s becoming a parent for the first time. When the subject of baby-wearing came up, I confessed that I’d never been able to figure out my baby carrier. Adam used it, before Baboo was old enough to fit into his carrier, but I tried it twice and quit when I couldn’t figure out the straps.

The good news is that I definitely made the brand-new mom who was having trouble with baby-wearing feel better. The bad news is that then I felt worse.

But here’s another reason why these groups are so valuable: I got home and immediately started working on figuring out how to use my baby carrier. It took a YouTube video, Adam’s help, and about 20 minutes of practice. But we did it.