...to be fed up of being told how awful having a newborn is going to be?

[Quilty]

I'm 35 weeks pregnant and no one seems to have a good thing to say about the first few weeks of having a baby

Yes I know I'll be tired and no doubt stressed and over emotional at times but there must be enjoyable times to be had with a newborn? Why does everyone seem to want to tell me what a shit time I'm going to have?

[2blessed]

Those first few weeks were fantastic. Newborn snuggles, stroking his velvety ears. Don't get me wrong, it was tough and I was recovering from a C-section, we hit a breastfeeding wall on day 4, cracked nipples etc but all in all, I loved it and still loving it 18 weeks later. Good luck OP

[Fakebook]

Newborns are easy. They just drink milk and sleep and smell of sweetness. They can't move around and break things. They don't spill water/juice/milk over the floor and sofas. They don't take pots and pans out of cupboards and bang them with random objects. Toddlers are the ones you should be afraid of.

[MoominsYonisAreScary]

It depends, I have 4 boys and it has been different every time. I love it when they start to smile and coo. Ds4 is 14 weeks and his face lights up when he sees me. He never stops talking, I'd love to know what he's trying to tell us.

They grow up so fast, the awful tiedness, constant feeding and everything elso is just a tiny part of it. There are far more happy moments than awful ones.

[MonkeyingAroundTown]

I loved every moment of my sons newborn stage. Even the night savings. I used to enjoy seeing him and having a cuddle even if I had just been woken up at silly o clock.

Cherish every moment and don't fret. You will love being a new mummy. Make sure you take lots of photographs and recordings as they change so rapidly. Its weirdlooking back at my baby as a newborn his features look way too big for his face!!

[GingerBlondecat]

^^ Except for the few severe colicky months.

[GingerBlondecat]

I too absolutely Loved those first few weeks.

But, then I loved ALL the stages (((Hugs))))

[itsaruddygame]

I love the days (DS 9 weeks) but the nights are seriously tough. No sleep and bloody exhausting!

[minouminou]

I absolutely loved the newborn phase, especially with DS, who was first, as it was just me and him when DP went to work.
With DD it was a bit different, as she was difficult, and I also had DS to think about, but I'd still go back to either period in a heartbeat!

DS was a dream.....I was tired, but I didn't care!
Just say "I'm sure I'll live...." and change the subject when someone starts up.

[CailinDana]

I have a 2 year old ds and a 10 wk old dd. I find babies incredibly dull and tbh i'm just wearing away these early days with dd as i can't wait for her to get older and more interactive. I didn't find ds's newborn days hard as he was the most chilled out baby ever to exist (i honestly can't remember him ever crying for more than 2 mins) but it was only when he got to about 10 months that i really started to enjoy him. Now he's 2 he is beyond amazing i love being around him. I'm looking forward to those days with dd.newborns are cute but by gum are they boring.

[MagicHouse]

I could have writeen lots of Lamazeroo's post! Another one here who found the newborn stage horrific! Silent reflux and sleeping no longer than about 40 mins in a chunk day or night at her worst. I was a sleep deprived, sobbing wreck.
Another chronic illness with ds meant sleep and breathing problems - so yet more months of worry and sleepnessness.
Now my dd is a gorgeous, witty, loving 7 year old, and my ds a gorgeous (tantrummy but still funny and lovely!)..... and life is soooooo much better.
I would never tell anyone that the newborn stage is awful - but I do say don't worry if it's not what you thought or you don't feel happy. When dd was a newborn, other mums who told me their similar tales of misery (which get better if you just hang in there) were my absolute lifeline tbh, and made me realise that what I was going through was "normal".
Good luck with your new baby - no matter what happens, becoming a mum is pretty incredible :-)

[anniroc]

Lots of happy memories pushing my sleeping son round the park in the sunshine, browsing the shops, meetings friends for coffee. As the mother of two toddlers, those days are long, long, gone. Newborns that don't move: heaven. It will be hard sometimes because it will be so different to what your life used to be like, but you will adapt. Enjoy it - its so precious as they grow up so fast!

[Pigsmummy]

Imagine the worst and it won't be so bad. I got on ok, DD is fast asleep and I am relaxing with the cat.

[mrsannekins]

I've said to a couple of friends who've had babies shortly after me that the labour part is easy compared with the time afterwards, and you need to put a bit more focus on having proper meals in the freezer that you can microwave, lots of easy to eat snacks (mars bars are good for milk production, my HV said so), and getting your house in order so that you don't need to go hunting for anything.

I found it very hard, and spent most of the first few weeks in a bit of a fog, but once that lifts and you get into your stride, it does pass, and life gets a bit more enjoyable. Hopefully.

[Lavenderhoney]

It's lovely as soon as you leave hospital and are snuggling in bed with your own baby, or reclining on the sofa in pjs watching daytime tv, cuddling your baby. I didn't put mine down:)

Even getting up in the night is ok, change, feed, cuddle... Yes they cry, but its ok, they have just arrived! It's normal.

The crap bit is when you have another, and you have to watch cbeebies instead.

At least no one is regaling you with birth horror stories.

[Blu]

I loved the newborn stage. We had fun, and were quite adventurous, really - went on a 3 day break to the sea when DS was 2 weeks old. It was bliss. You have unconditional permission to rest whenever you are tired and the baby is sleeping, it's great if you have a DP or DH on paternity leave...it was lovely.

I found it harder at about 6m when the sleepless nights began to take thier toll, and desparate when I went back to work and he still was not sleeping... and wouldn't take a bottle...But some babies are much easier.

[katkit1]

Loved the endless baby snuggles - hrs and hrs.

i only put him down at around 4 months.

Hated breastfeeding

My 6month old only uses me as a viewing post now - no more lovely, snuggly cuddles

[FreudiansSlipper]

i got bored of hearing it too and how would i cope as i was on my own

well it was fine actually much better than that ds was a very easy baby. it was a very very special time but most of it you are in a daze

[Lamazeroo]

See, I read way too much MN when I was pregnant and was expecting this lovely, special, snuggly time. And I'm sorry to report that it was sheer hell. Weeks - months - of screaming, sleeping in 20 minute bursts, splitting the nights into three hour shifts with my mum and husband, sobbing with horror that this was now my life. When I think back to the newborn phase I feel instant tension and revulsion.
BUT I am pleased to report that if babies are fucking horrid, toddlers make up for it. My boy gradually improved from about 12 months, and at 18 months it was like a switch. Suddenly he became happy, funny, charming, sweet, more independent and he started sleeping for more than two hours at a time. Now he is the light of my life, we both adore him and would never be without him. The little boy we live with almost makes the baby phase worth it.
So OP, if you're still reading: it doesn't matter what the newborn phase is like for you. It will pass. And whether it's blissful or soul destroyingly awful you'll be a mummy to a gorgeous unique little being with whom you'll share a love unlike anything else on earth.

[stopgap]

I hated it. We had force ten colic/silent reflux to deal with from week three to month seven. Up to eight hours of crying a day, and twelve hours on one memorable occasion. I loved my baby with all my heart but I was so exhausted that I felt like throwing up. But colic only affects 20% of newborns, so the odds are stacked in your favour!

(I should add that my colicky nightmare has blossomed into the most wonderful, engaged, talkative 22-month-old boy, who is an absolute breeze compared to most toddlers we know.)

[ilovecolinfirth]

I loved the first few weeks as it felt like EVERYONE would stop me in the street to tell me how beautiful my child was. I felt so so proud. There are obviously very difficult times in the first few weeks too, so just do what you want to. It is so special, enjoy it! X

[Xmasbaby11]

Yes, it is a tough time - the first 6 weeks were pretty rough for me. Got better and better after that!

[EasyToEatTiger]

Having survived childbirth and cancer, the fabulous thing about childbirth is that it brings new hope and new possibilities. And in this country most of the time you survive childbirth. It's a little death and a new beginning. Huge changes. It is awful having piles and not being able to go to the loo. My husband was fabulous when my dcs were born.