Coming home with your first baby can be a very daunting, exciting, happy, overwhelming time! Your body feels like you've been hit by a truck, you're exhausted from labour and no sleep, you've got the post baby blues, and you're sent packing with this tiny human who needs you 24/7. You are their source of comfort, warmth, love, nourishment. You are their everything. The newborn stage is emotional to say the least! These are the two things I regret most about navigating life with a newborn for the very first time.
Going back to work too early. Having my own business and working from home, I felt like I could do it all, or probably more accurately, felt like I had to. I was getting emails from clients while I was still in hospital with my first born asking me to do work. And as soon as I got home, the computer was on. It was hard, draining and stressful.
Worrying about routine and sleep habits. I feel like I spent too much time worrying about whether my baby was sleeping enough, especially during the day. I mean, we can all write our nights off when we have a newborn…. But I just couldn’t get it out of my head that he was supposed to sleep for long periods during the day. Early childhood nurses handing out advice like he should only be awake for x number of minutes and then asleep for x. I was on forums (BAD IDEA!) and googling and reading…. Instead of ENJOYING him, giving in to him, and just being there.
So my advice to you is… take as much time as you can to be with your baby. And then actually BE there. They need you, you are their source of love and comfort. As hard as it is some days. You will enjoy it more if you just give in, accept that you are theirs whole heartedly… even if it means some days you don’t even leave the couch because they just want to be on you. You won’t get this time back. They are only babies for such a short amount of time. Don’t stress about routines if you find they don’t work for you, your baby will adapt to you. You know your baby better than anyone else. Do what you feel is right. And try and enjoy it as much as you can. It is true what they say… the days are long, but the years are short.
I'd love to hear from you... do you have any regrets? Please send me a comment below!