7 things to remember when you’ve just had a baby
Becoming a new Mum is a whirlwind of a journey and can really take some adjusting to and between social media, other know-it-all Mums and your well intentioned mother-in-law, it’s easy to lose sight of the facts. So, if you’ve just had a baby, remember these 6 important things…
1. You’re amazing.
Seriously, well done. Whether it’s out of your bits or out of your stomach, bringing a baby into the world is bloody hard work, so a huge CONGRATS to you!
2. Newborn babies aren’t supposed to sleep through the night
It’s not what you want to hear, but it’s true. You will be up multiple times during the night and you’ll ALWAYS be tired. So when Carol from your mum and baby group announces that her 6 week old is sleeping 12 hours a night and she baked a batch of homemade cookies that morning, it’s either BS or her baby is heaven sent.
3. Your body is not designed to “bounce back” within weeks
Despite what some images on social media claim, your body will not “bounce back” within weeks, so don’t beat yourself up when you can't get back into your jeans after 2 months (I couldn’t get back into my jeans for 18 months). Instead, focus on your baby, trying to get some sleep and eating as much cake as you like… you deserve it!
4. Babies develop at different rates.
Just because your friend's baby is sitting up at 5 months old, that doesn’t mean yours should be. Sitting up, walking, helping around the house… they all get there in their own time.
5. You don’t need to do ALL the baby classes.
The lady next door might do a different class each day, but more fool her, she must be exhausted. Just do the classes that you really enjoy and if that’s just one class a week, perfect. It will get you out of the house and speaking to other adults (a concept that quickly becomes alien) and still leaves plenty of time for PJ days, ‘Friends’ marathons and napping.
6. You can say NO to visitors (I know, the horror).
After you have your baby (especially if it’s your first), everyone will want to come and visit but it’s OK to decline visitors for a few days (or even weeks). Chances are your partner will only have a few weeks off work, so if you decide you would rather spend that time alone as a family, then do! Visitors can wait until it’s just you and baby at home and you’re in desperate need of adult company and a shower.
7. Social media is NOT real.
When you see your old school friend, Sarah, taking a walk in the park with her 3 week old baby, a full face of makeup, a gorgeous outfit and a Starbucks in hand, remember this is only a snapshot of her day. She was most likely up all night with her baby, falling asleep over her cornflakes and desperately needing to feel normal for 20 minutes.
So when you’re sitting in your messy house wearing your PJ’s, in desperate need of a shower and barely able to function... you are experiencing REAL Mum life and the truth is, it’s like that for us all, even if we don’t show it on social media.
