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HAVING BABY | 10 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE HAVING A BABY

 


Having baby is such a massive life change that I’m hoping that these tips can provide some information for any new mothers or pregnant people out there.

In today’s article, I’m going to be sharing with you 10 things that I wish I’d known before having a baby.

1 IT’S MASSIVE CHANGE BUT SO WORTH IT

You cannot imagine how much life is about to change, but it is for the better and it will all be worth it.

But when I had my first baby, I think I found it quite hard that things like my social life and my career were kind of put on hold.

Things completely changed. I had a new set of mommy friends, and I wasn’t at work every day. And I ended up completely changing what I do for a living.

But I did wanna say, you will find the balance. After about 12 weeks, you will get there, you’ll be in a flow with things, and it will all calm down.

The second thing that I wish I’d known, and probably my most important point in this article,

is that there is no expert on your baby except for you.

What I mean by that is, when I was pregnant with my first son, I read so many parenting books.

I like to have a bit of control by preparing myself and getting lots of information.

But over the years, I’ve learned that there is no book on your baby. You are the only expert.

2 YOU KNOW YOUR BABY BEST

You know them better than anyone. And you need to trust your instincts and your gut feeling, there is so much to be said for mothers’ instincts.

If something feels wrong, it probably is. And doctors even take mothers’ instincts into consideration.

If you take your baby to the doctor and you’re like “I just feel like something’s wrong,” they will actually do something about it.

They’ll trust you, because it’s a real thing. And I also wanted to say that every baby is so different.

I have three boys, and even though they were born looking identical to each other, they are so different.

So just embrace their quirks, learn who they are, and accept them for it. The third thing is to get your partner on board with family rules.

3 BE UNITED WITH YOUR PARTNER

We naturally are very similar in our parenting styles. But if you’re not, it is well worth sitting down, talking about what you’re happy with, what you’re not happy with, because you really need to be a united front in front of your children.

You need to come across as a team, and rules are so much stronger if you and your partner are on the same page.

The fourth thing is to get your baby into a routine or schedule as soon as you possibly can.

4 ROUTINE

When we have a baby, we normally start the routine at about eight weeks old.

And that just means that we can sleep, we have a little bit of sanity, and I guess I like to feel a little bit in control.

I really liked being able to look at the clock and think, “Okay, in an hour they’re gonna need a feed, and then they’re gonna need to sleep, and then they’re gonna need to change.”

In my head, I just really liked knowing what was happening that day. And I have made lots of baby routine videos in the past, so I will link them down below, ’cause it might help you guys.

I’ve done it for all different ages, and you might be interested to see what our routine is.

But honestly, if you want to have a good night’s sleep, a routine is so important.

5 DON’T OBSESS OVER NAPS

So when we had our first son, I was obsessed with his naps. He had to self-settle in his crib, in his dark room, on his own.

We would miss days out and things like that because I wanted to stick to his naps so much.

And while that was great, I got loads done, as soon as he turned three, he stopped napping.

And I was like, “Oh, I did all that work and he doesn’t even nap anymore?”

So they do end, so I would say when it comes to naps, just do what works for you.

With my youngest, I have had him nap at home, because I work from home so I kind of need that.

But if we’re out one day and they fall asleep in the buggy or they fall asleep in the baby carrier, it’s not a massive deal because naps are gonna end when they’re about three years old.

6 CHANGING A HAPPY IS NO BIG DEAL

So many people crack jokes about whose turn it is to change a diaper, or how smelly their baby is.

But I actually love it. It’s a really nice time to chat to your baby, blow raspberries on their tummy, tickle their feet.

It’s a really nice time to bond. So don’t even worry about it. And you will come to realize that poo, wee, vomit, it’s no big deal.

7 DON’T BE TOO HARD ON YOURSELF

Parenting is really hard. It’s emotionally draining. It’s also exhausting. And you can’t do it all.

Sometimes, you will need a break, a 10-minute shower can make all the difference,a date night out with your husband can get you guys to connect again.

So sometimes, you will need a little break. So don’t be afraid to accept help, and don’t try to be Superwoman.

I think I tried to do that, and you don’t get a medal for it. I should have three medals by now. I don’t have any.

So don’t worry about the housework so much. If you have a baby that’s not very well, you’re gonna let the housework pile up because they’re more important now.

Lower your standards. You’re not gonna be the same as you were before you had a baby, and a massive tip on that is get a cleaner.

I didn’t get a cleaner until we had our third child, and I think “Why didn’t I do this sooner?”

It’s the best money I ever spent. But I think I wanted to be like, “I can keep it all up. I can do it all.

I can juggle all of these things.” But you know, you don’t have to do that.

8 HAVE A FIRST AID KIT

In my experience, my children can be absolutely fine all day long, but then in the middle of the night, an illness will strike.

And if I’m out of anything, it’s very stressful. So just get things like a thermometer, something to bring down a fever or to help them with pain, and teething products as well.

And on that, don’t ever be afraid to call the emergency services if you think you need to.

9 DON’T OBSESS OVER NANS

When I was pregnant I was like, “I’m gonna have a baby and I’m gonna breastfeed.” And when it came to it, it is actually quite difficult.

I was able to breastfeed for quite a long time, but I know how very lucky I am that that worked out for me.

Look into it, get information. Also get help as soon as you can. Don’t be afraid to get help, because it isn’t a very simple, natural thing that you think it might be.

And the last thing I wish I’d known before I had a baby is just how much love you would feel when you had a baby.

10 ALL THE LOVE

It’s hard to explain if you’re not a parent. It’s all-consuming. I think about them all of the time.

I wanna protect them fiercely. There’s just such a huge amount of love. They’ve actually made me a little bit insane because I love them so, so much.

I have separation anxiety, I hate being away from them. They have made me a little bit crazy. But you will just feel so much love.

And just enjoy it. I know this is really cliche, and I know if you’re just about to have a baby you may not appreciate this, but it goes so quickly.

Take too many photos, video them all the time. They change so, so much,and those early photos and videos are just so, so precious.

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