Please tell me the good things about having a baby

[roarfeckingroar]

I'm 16 weeks pregnant and overall very excited, but I'm a bit overwhelmed by how hard / expensive / exhausting it will be and how my current easy life is over.

Please would you share great things about having a baby / child? I really want the excitement to overpower the fear if possible.

Thank you in advance .

The love you feel for them is easily the best thing but there’s also a lot of fun along the way; you get to do all kinds of activities you wouldn’t normally do and kids are funny. It also adds an extra dimension to Christmas and Easter.
I also didn’t realise how strong I was until I had DC.

Cuddles. Cuddling your child is just the best - like holding a cute puppy x100.

Their skin smells amazing.

These are wonderful things thank you.

Please keep them coming!

I had a baby about a month ago and honestly it’s the most amazing thing EVER. They should do adverts just to tell people how brilliant it is. The love I have for that kid is ridiculous and honestly it’s not that hard (now, I’m under no illusions tough times aren’t to come...!)

Even waking up at 3am to feed them is ok cos you see their lovely face and they just need you. They smell amazing. It’s also fascinating to see you reflected in a small person and I’m still marvelling at the absolute miracle that is creating children.

Cuddles. The fact that you're the most important thing in their world. The love you feel for them. Watching them develop and learn new things. Their joy at small things. Their giggles. Watching them play.

And you forget about your easy pre-children life PDQ

When your baby smiles at you and it's like magical fireworks in your brain.

Have you ever had a pet and they just do these hilarious cute random things? Babies and toddlers do those things but they are a million times more hilarious and adorable.

It's amazing to watch them discover the world. Newborns don't know anything but they are already curious. How incredible is that?? As they get bigger and learn sea skills it's awesome to watch them. For example DS2 is 20 months now. And picking up new words every day. He gets really excited when he sees wheels and tries so hard to say "weeeeewee". When he sees a car he says "brrm brrm". He has a special series of sounds only we understand which mean things like "where is it?" "all done" and "stuck".

They are just so amazingly pleased every time they manage to do something, it's infectious! Like there are videos from a year ago where he'd just learned to wave and he has this cute little happy smile. They really go all in with their whole body too express emotions as well. So happiness can be literally jumping for joy. Tiny children are just so pure and it's incredible to be a part of that.

Oh thank you so much for starting this thread, I'm 12 weeks and feeling exactly the same!!

It's a cliche, but nothing, honestly nothing prepares you for the overwhelming love you feel for your own baby.

I am not the least bit maternal at all, but I love DD to bits.

Best thing. When he fills his nappy just as you have to go to work
And your husband has to change him.

@ShirleyPhallus what a beautiful post I cannot wait to meet my baby now

Smelling their heads.

Little tiny fingers and toes.

Watching them turn into little tiny people.

DS is 14 months and is just learning new things everyday. It’s AMAZING to see.

When they smile at you like you are truly the best thing in the world (because to them, you really are)

The smell of your newborn is the best smell ever!

I am the same as Ginfordinner!
I’m not maternal but oh my do I have crazy love for my 6 month old son. Watching him discover things, starting to find his voice in other ways, he’s now crawling and also the way they just need and love you.
There is nothing like it

They do actually grow up and start fending for themselves. Then you have cool little miniature versions of you to hang out with.

Babies are just the cutest loveliest little balls of Ooh ever! Their tiny soft lovely feet and the way they get all milk drunk and their velvety heads and the fact that all they want is you. You are their whole world.

Toddlers are the most inquisitive batshit little comedians ever. Watching them learn and explore is fascinating and gorgeous. Their whole day can be made amazing with a cuddle and a pot of bubbles. They smell like biscuits and sometimes poo and they’re a rollercoaster.

Children are incredible. Seeing their personality develop is brilliant. DS is 10 now and he’s an utter joy. We share some interests and the same sense of humour. We make each other laugh all the time. He’s the best company.

Bit gushy sorry but very true .

Following as baby number 2 coming soon and I’m hoping I enjoy all these things

With number one I struggled a bit but really fell in love with being a mum properly when he was a little older.

Hoping I fall in love with the newborn cuddles this time

It's a very special feeling being/becoming a mum, knowing that my kids love and need me. I'm incredibly proud to be their mummy and every little thing from learning a new word to peeing for the first time in the potty makes me even prouder.

It will be amazing! You’ll love it!
I disagree though with people saying the things their babies and toddlers do are a thousand times more cuter than what their pets do. I don’t think it’s that way.
Also you hear everyone saying their children are wonderful and turning into amazing human beings etc and I always take this with a grain of salt. Because these amazing human beings are generally only amazing to their parents. So I’m sure your child will be lovely but please try to retain a bit of a sense of reality rather than thinking he or she are amazing etc. They will likely just be normal and that’s perfectly fine

There’s so much good stuff!! When you see them for the first time is intense and amazing. Although I didn’t feel that instant ‘love’ (that took a few weeks) I was insanely amazed that I’d grown this entire tiny person and I didn’t recognise her at all. But in a good way!

The first time they smile at you. Dd was in her bouncer and I’d just had a week and come back and she looked at me and grinned.

Their first laugh!!! It is the best sound.

There are definitely shit bits, and bits where you’ll think why the fuck did I think this was a good idea. But hopefully they are few and far between. And tomorrow is always another day. Good luck! You’ll love it.

For me at the moment (she is 22 months) when we wake up in bed she comes over to me and snuggles up next to me and it's the best thing ever! Sometimes we fall back to sleep for a bit.

Also when she comes and gives me a hug at random through the day or looks at me and says "mama!" Like she's just realised I'm still here.

It's very hard but worth it.