Hmmm, not hard work is it? Feeding every two hours, no sleep, no appetite, crying getting on your wits, endless nappy changes, telephone going just as you are getting off to sleep, worries about the slightest 'funny noise' your baby is making, feeling so tired that getting dressed is a major chore, partner wanting to 'spend time with you', bleeding, leaking breasts, emotionally distraught, I tell you what Jbr, I have never done anything in my life that was as tiring and draining as looking after dd those first couple of months. Now dh will say "you didn't do much did you?" and I could swing for him! No, on the outset you don't do much, you can't, your body is trying to cope with providing for you and your baby, that is bloody hard work no matter what anyone says!
What I would say to you Mo2 is that all of the above is how I felt when dd was born. Now she is 2 and I feel that I missed out on a lot when she was a baby. I hardly ever fell asleep with her next to me, I was too paranoid, I didn't enjoy feeding her, now I wish I had, I can't even remember what she looked like. It seems like forever when you are there with them, but this time next year it will seem like time has ripped you off. Make time for the sweeter side of your newborn, do let ds fall asleep on your breast, savour his baby features, cuddle him as much as you can - once they get to six months they'll object to being overly cuddled! Make the most of his good features and concentrate on them. Everything changes with babies at the drop of a hat, one minute they are keeping you awake every hour, next sleeping through, but you can be sure that for every bad habit they drop, they'll acquire another one! The consolation is nothing lasts long, that includes their babyness. Write a diary of how he looks, how he smells, how he feels, you will forget all of this soon, and it can be devastating when you realise that your ds is no longer a baby. Enjoy him for now, you'll soon be feeling broody again I promise!