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Original poster

What's great about newborns?

141 replies

Sharesinpampers · 17/08/2016 17:37

I'm due DC very soon, a very much wanted baby. But all I can think about is the pure exhaustion and anxiety that I had with my first! I know there were good things, my brain just seems to be filtering them out.

So, kind mumsnetters, tell me what is just brilliant about having a newborn and a toddler. No need to throw in a dose of reality, I'm full of those thoughts already!

OP posts:

KakunaMatata · 17/08/2016 22:00

Sadly OP I hate the newborn phase. However DD was a refluxing, colicky, non sleeping screamer and it nearly killed me.

By 12 weeks she was my best friend!

Dafadddu · 17/08/2016 22:05

Smell.
Grunty noises they make

And the fact you're so bloody tired but in the dark of the night when you soooo want to sleep, you look at the little one and think "all mine".

ThatsNotEvenAWord · 17/08/2016 22:06

34w pregnant with DS2, this thread is so lovely!

Agree with everything so far, also wanted to add how they change every day and every tiny little development is so exciting. Like when they hold their head up far more than any newborn should at their age of course or follow an object with their eyes.

And the first smile... Oh my goodness.

Sierra259 · 17/08/2016 22:12

The soft skin and hair.
The milk-drunk face.
Their needs are so simple (if relentless and repetitive!)
The little cooing noise they make as their earliest talking.

FoxSticks · 17/08/2016 22:13

Their backs are all soft and downy when you stroke them. They curl up like a little tree frog and sleep peacefully on you. And that feeling when you first see them. And the smell.

God I'm broody.

happypotamus · 17/08/2016 22:16

Aaahh, this thread is making me broody for a tiny, squishy, snuggled up newborn with a velvety soft head. This feeling will last probably a couple of hours until the 21 month old non-sleeping wonderchild wakes up to moan and feed for a couple of hours then scream 'daddy, daddy' for a bit before finally falling asleep just before I have to get up for work. At least when a newborn keeps you awake half the night you don't have to go to work the next day.

dementedma · 17/08/2016 22:16

Nothing. They are boring. They cry incessantly and shit themselves. They can't talk to you or do anything. They have big scary floppy heads which loll about.

Give me teens any day!

ShelaghTurner · 17/08/2016 22:19

I took a tiny video during dd2's first night when she had the hiccups. They were the cutest, tiniest, squeakiest mouse hiccups you ever heard. It's dd2's most watched video, she loves hearing herself (she's 4) and it makes my heart go all melty.

FoxSticks · 17/08/2016 22:20

It's my non sleeping 22 month old that stops me from going for number 3 happypotamus. But it's very tempting.

JasperDamerel · 17/08/2016 22:22

They smell fantastic.

Their poo smells nice.

They are no longer inside your uterus, stopping you from doing handy stuff like breathing and eating and weighing you down all the time.

They make cute snuffly noises.

Passers-by smile when they see them (and gave me discounts in shops for some reason).

You can put them in grobags.

Tiny, milk-drunk faces.

They are really quite light to carry.

Their skin is unfeasably soft, especially on their teeny little bottoms.

fabulous01 · 17/08/2016 22:26

I held anew born recently and it reminded me that it is just amazing. Reading this makes me so broody again (and I definitely can't have more babies)
Enjoy every minute

lovelilies · 17/08/2016 22:43

This

bump6 · 17/08/2016 22:43

Their smell,l honest reactions, tiny hands holding your finger.. Funny sleeping sounds. Their smile when they see you...
All of these things & more really make up for lack of sleep.
Embrace it all, because it's so true time moves fast.

Crunchymum · 17/08/2016 22:44

For me it was 'the look'.... can't remember exact age with either baby but it was they way they looked at me with such love and trust and adoration. Wasn't immediately after birth but they weren't very old. They were a few weeks if that???

Crunchymum · 17/08/2016 22:45

And yep poo smells lovely!!!

Bedsheets4knickers · 17/08/2016 22:51

New borns my god where do you start .

For me the way the just sleep on you . Snuggle in and they are sparko.
It's crazy how if you hold someone else new born you never feel really comfortable . Your own baby you don't have that they become like a long lost limb .
The smell the hair. The warmth :-)
It's so bloody amazing yes nights might not be lil they were but it's so worth it .
All the best and enjoy. I'd do both of mine again in a heartbeat x

NotYoda · 17/08/2016 22:52

The funny facial expressions

The fact they are little creatures - little frog legs etc

Their soft soft skin

Their damp hair

When they burp it makes you cheer

Gluetap · 17/08/2016 22:55

The way they pull faces when they're asleep, you wonder what they're dreaming about.

When they're very little, the way they do a woodpecker thing with their heads when they're hungry and looking for milk.

NotYoda · 17/08/2016 22:56

Trembly lips

Gluetap · 17/08/2016 22:57

Oh, and how they have no control over their limbs. DS would be sleeping peacefully and all of a sudden his arm would shoot up in the air for no reason.

CustardOmlet · 17/08/2016 22:59

I have never been keen on new borns, and only have difficult memories of DS1, but I can say laying here with my 2day old DS2 resting on my chest, he is amazing! The lack of control over his body, the little squeaks, the smell, the warm softness, the fact he is changing and learning every day. I love him!

lostindubai · 17/08/2016 23:13

The soft wrinkly downy head, just like a puppy's.

The way they bounce their face against yours when you go in for kisses (and they just want milk).

The way they respond to your conversation by waving their arms and legs about.

The accidental smiles and giggles when they sleep.

The way their lips pucker up when they're asleep (and you get an occasional glimpse of a gum!)

The way they sometimes carry on suckling after unlatching, and make cute little noises in the back of their throat.

The way they fall into your arms without any resistance whatsoever.

The way the newborn sleepsuits only have feet in them rather than legs, because their legs are always curled up.

When they start stretching their legs out and you see all the little creases and wrinkles.

I could go on.... I can't believe how much my four month old had changed already.

EccentricPickle · 18/08/2016 10:25

Aw, this thread is making me really want a newborn to cuddle. That shop is firmly shut for me so I'll never have my own again, I only want a newborn though, children are hard work - I'd happily have a baby for 4 weeks and then give it back. One of my good friends is pregnant - I wonder if she'll lend me her baby until it's about 5 weeks old? Her older child is really cute too so this ones bound to be adorable which is a bonus!

mamarach26 · 18/08/2016 10:30

Newborn baby toes, I love 'em!

StubblyLegs · 18/08/2016 10:50

Their cute squishy saggy little 'old man' bums before they fully grow into their skin a bit more. 😂

And the creases. Oh the creases! 😍

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