If you could start over...

[M0therBear]

If you could return to the day your baby was born and do everything over again knowing everything you know now...

What would you do differently?

What would you do exactly the same?

I'd relax more. And not stress the small stuff. I have 2 adult and one teenage DC.
They all did fine..
I didn't need to worry about when they walked, what to wean them on, or their reading ages at 7, or a million other things that, for most kids, just work out.
So less worrying... otherwise nothing different.

I would breast feed on demand… I didn’t I listened to my mum who said every 3 hours

I would sleep train early. I did this and went on to do it with my other 2
children.

Really interesting question! I'd sometimes like to start over, now that I have the experience of my own baby and this time have the confidence of knowing what I'm doing.

I think I'd not try and control how other people interact with my child so much. Obviously that's not what I set out to do, but somehow I think I was a bit overbearing without meaning to be.

I'd still enjoy the 3am cuddles though.

Same-
Sleep -Put down in cot/ moses basket for all sleeps from day one. No sleeping in arms- they have both always slept well. Clear bedtime routine from 2 weeks

Education- read to them loads multiple books every day from a few weeks. Supervised homework every night until GCSEs.

Different-
Oral health- Only milk or water to drink before school age, no UPFs

Exactly the same - taking them out, giving them experiences, all the support, love and encouragement.

Differently - laughed more

Id try to be less anxious. But im still anxious and they are adults so i guess its just how i am.

I'd get on some anti depressants as I had postnatal depression and didn't acknowledge it.
I could still function but I think I assumed it was just adjusting to having a baby but it wasn't.
I wish I had been more patient in the toddler years and wish I could have afforded to work fewer hours and not always be juggling life so much.
I would never change the loving, reading, singing, baking and playing in the mud days. All the fun days. All the days I did my best and struggled inside or cried on the way to work. I'm proud of the effort and love I poured in.
I think as your children grow up you have regret for the times you didn't do as well as you wish you had but then forget what it was like in the trenches of work and two toddlers and family life and can be too harsh on the younger you.

I would breastfeed.

I’m happy with all my choices as a mum, can’t think of anything I would change.
The only thing I would have changed is not have DS1 in the NHS, but I wouldn’t have known what terrible care I would get. So can’t blame myself really.