“How was your first experience as a mother [with] your first born?”

In 2000, Nancy Bernal became a mother at 18. Living in Los Angeles and just graduated from high school, she learns the basics of motherhood. 

How she learns to care for a baby. She keeps learning when she has her second, third and forth child, but taking care of children is not easy or cheap.

A working mother who doesn’t see her children all of the the time gets help from family like the father and grandparents. Though she didn’t spend all her time with her kids she is real proud of the way they are now and she  could not be happier.

Transcript:

00:04

Andrew Ayala:How was your first experience as a mother during your first born?

Nancy Bernal:It was a little bit scary because every thing was new to me especially because I  just had- um graduated-um high school ,so having my first baby after that I felt like I was still too young ,and I didn’t know certain things ,and – yea I didn’t – it was -it was scary ,and then had to learn things-uh.

AA:What were some things that you learned?

NB:Like how to feed.How to bathe it -um-have patience with the baby.

AA:What does it mean “patience”?

NB:When the baby was crying  sometimes  I didn’t know what to do ,and after a few days or weeks I knew what to do after cause being a first time mom I didn’t know if  “oh maybe if her stomach hurting” .Maybe something was wrong with the baby.

AA:Has anything like that happen.

NB:I remember when Wendy was little she would cry a lot ,and I didn’t know what was wrong with here so there’s a time where the baby’s-there stomachs hurt ,and why she was crying.

AA:With your experience with your first born ,and your last born.How would you compare?

NB:They were different because with – like I was telling you with the first baby I didn’t know what to expect, or what to do in certain situations and with the last one kind of  knew — more things because I already had experiences with babies  already, so I pretty much knew what to do and what to expect.

AA:What were somethings or who got you through our years as infants like something  that got you through the years when we were babies?

NB:Uh who helped me?

AA: Yea something like that.

NB:Like- uh- I feel like my parents-your grandma, your grandpa helped me, and your dad. Yea they basically did help me when you guys were little.

AA:In what ways?

NB:Sometimes taking care of you guys, or buying you little things, or making you guys smile, or making you guys happy.

AA:Was it hard being a working mother with kids at the time?

NB:Yes ,because I would go off to work and then sometimes I’ll be like “aw I wish I was with them[her kids], so I can spend more time with the kids,” but I knew that I had to go to work so we could like have  better- , so we can be better money wise.

AA:How does it feel to see your kids grow up right in front of you?

NB:Its kind of like uh- its kind of  like you see them little and then time goes and they’re all grown up and some times I wish like – I had more time with you guys to like have more fun instead of been working and now that your sister is old, and she’s off to college I was like damn I wish like -like I had more time.

AA:Are you happy with the way that we are right now?

NB:Yes I’m very happy because  I know you guys are really smart and you do good at school.

AA:If there was something you can do over with us as infants or us as toddlers what would you do ? What would you have done differently?

NB:Probably spend more time with you guys. That’s what probably done differently. Have more time with you guys spend more time with you guys. Yea .

AA:What types of fun would the five of us have of you didn’t work?

NB:We’ll probably go more out to new places. Yea pretty much like out more to different places to have fun or at least go to the movies more often -and spend the holidays doing big things during the  holidays because remember when I used to -when I was working I would just come have a little bit of a-um time with you guys like for example Easter. Remember Easter; I remember I would always be at work because I needed to be at work and I would rather  go take you guys to the park and go find eggs then – instead of being at work.

AA: I think I still remember some of them but I’m not sure.

NB: Yea.

AA:How would you say your motherhood experience in all?

NB:I think I did-I’m doing my best taking care of you guys telling you guys to respect each other, love each other [Laughs] yea.

AA:Okay thank you.

07:47