Ten Things I Wish I Knew Before Becoming A Parent

Some things that I’ve learnt would of been so helpful if I knew them beforehand. Having a baby is hard work. Yes, they are cute, cuddly and the most amazing thing that you can bring into the world. But it is still hard when you start out. You feel like you’ve just be thrown into this new life once you leave the hospital and over think everything.

I really wish someone sat me down and told me the real stuff. Most of the stuff I was told was, say goodbye to sleep, which is irrelevant because Lily has slept through the night from 2 weeks and is now on 10 or 11 hours sleep each night plus 2 or 3 naps in the day. The only other thing was how much they cost. Which I very much expected. Below is a few things that would of really helped me beforehand and hopefully will help any mums to be or new mums.

One of the main issues I had was forgetting to eat. I would be so focused on feeding Lily, making sure her bottles were ready and timing when I would need to feed her. I would often forget to feed myself in the day. Now I’ve gotten into the swing of things I prepare lunches and maybe overnight oats for breakfast, something easy to grab and eat. I wish I got some microwave meals or cooked some lunches in bulk when she was first born.

I didn’t buy that many clothes but I did buy a few dresses and things for her to wear if we went out. Now I went to primark but a lot of other people will buy branded and expensive clothes. Majority of the time you are in the house and they are constantly spitting up, or pooing/weeing all over themselves. If you dress them up everyday they you will have a never ending laundry pile. Most days lily is in a long sleeve vest and leggings now, it’s comfortable and if we aren’t going out it’s easy to change her. Also, there are a lot of things she has never worn but grown out of the size!

I was sitting at the bus stop, minding my own business and Lily was upset so I gave her a dummy. She likes them, they settle her. No problem. However, as most people find you get a lot of ‘advice’. The old man sitting next to me went on a rant about how he didn’t have dummies in his day and it was just big business trying to make money. I listened, nodded my head and just forgot what he said. Always trust your own mummy instincts. You are with your baby 24/7. You know them best.

Yes, babies cry, they can’t interact any other way. I don’t know if I’m different but with Lily, she will only cry for a reason. She’s five months old and there hasn’t been one time she has cried without an underlying cause. When your out and about, or on a bus and your baby cries, you will get looks. Those people need to get over it. Don’t worry about what other people think, just focus on working out what is wrong and cheer your baby up.

Bit of dribble, just wipe it on your top. Bit of sick around their mouth, wipe it on your top. If your going to be in all day, don’t bother getting dressed up either, you will end up covered in some form of fluid that come out of them.

It’s inevitable, we are not born with the what to expect when your expecting drilled into your head. Also, every baby is different and respond differently to things. Lily overfed and made herself projectile vomit, but she just kept on wanting more and more food to help her poorly tummy. Now I know, I will give her a dummy after feeding incase she just wants the comfort of it. In one way or another, you will mess up. Don’t worry about it, learn from it and move on.

As I said before every baby is different. You don’t look at a work colleague and think, well, I walked 3 months before you did. They will get there at their own pace. They all learn different things at different times. Lily sits up really well for her age, but still isn’t weaned yet when I know a lot of babies at her age are on puree’s and things. It will all happen when it happens.

Your not alone when you feel free that a trip to Aldi is liberating. You may even go to the toilet more to get a chance to sit and play on your phone. We all do it.

Lily is only 5 months but unless she’s really really tired she doesn’t like just laying having cuddles anymore. Appreciate it, don’t worry about them getting to attached. They are your baby. There has never been anyone who regretting how much they cuddled their baby.

Make time for yourself, have a pamper or a girls night out. But it is good to be you and not just mum. It’s easy to get wrapped up and worried about her being looked after. There is people you trust them with, enjoy yourself and make sure you still have your own life.

What things do you wish you knew? Let me know in the comments below.