What's harder? Newborn or toddler?

[MyNameIsMarya]

Just wondering. The last 3 months were hellish.
Baby constantly screamed (colicky) and isn't sleeping well at night yet.
No smiles until just recently. Just constant madness.
But I hear some people say toddlers are even worse.....
And then again some say toddlers are easier.
What do you think?

Post edited by MNHQ

Id have my 2nd born colliery reflux newborn over any of my 3 as toddlers. The tantrums, not being able to reason with them etc.

Teens. Don't get me wrong newborn & toddler stage at the time was tough, boring, relentless, tiring etc but at least you feel loved - there's cuddles, kisses and yes sometimes hitting or shouting but they love and depend on you.

My 16 year old has such a look of disdain and disgust when she talks to me and I'm embarrassed by her lazy, selfish and entitled attitude. Told me this morning she 'fucking hates me and it's clear I don't like her either'. It's honestly heartbreaking to hear that but right now I'd happily see her move out as it's tearing our family apart

My 16 year old has such a look of disdain and disgust when she talks to me and I'm embarrassed by her lazy, selfish and entitled attitude. Told me this morning she 'fucking hates me and it's clear I don't like her either'. It's honestly heartbreaking to hear that but right now I'd happily see her move out as it's tearing our family apart

Hold fire @lechatnoir, it does get better, we are just coming out the other side of it now at 19, which is thankfully much earlier than the 26 friends with older girls were warning us about. She has been beyond vile in so many ways that I would never have imagined. She sweetest kindest most helpful natured girl until the hormones fully kicked in & them boom, I haven't barely recognised her for years. She's back again though. A holiday with her friends had had her come home a very thoughtful, polite & grateful human again & so far it hasn't worn off 🤞

Get some support for yourself too if you can, I found that really helped keep me sane & confident I dealt with her correctly & wasn't as useless as she told me every day 💐

It depends on the child. DD was very hard as a newborn but got easier with every month and the toddler years were just heaven. Ds was a very easy newborn (ie he slept well) but is becoming quite a bit of a handful now that he's coming towards the end of babyhood.

I think if your newborn baby was colicky or didn't sleep well then then that is super hard and most toddlers are easier than that.

I suppose nothing will be as bad as the teen years though. I'm not looking forward to that!!

DC1 - newborn was sooo hard due to reflux and then as a toddler is really lovely and has such a gentle temperament.
DC2 - such an easy newborn, not yet reached toddler years...

For me it depends on the child! But as a parent of a very difficult baby I would just like to reassure you that it does get easier at every stage - when they can move around by themselves (you don't have to wind them as much) you wean them (it really helped my DD reflux), when they start to talk (you don't have to guess what they need anymore). It DOES get easier and a difficult baby doesn't mean theyll grow into a difficult toddler!!!

Thank you for reassuring me! It definitely already is MUCH easier than the early days. My baby turned 12 weeks and everything has improved. Night sleep, daytime naps, feedings, he smiles more and becomes more interactive, my body is healing and he just isn't as fragile when I hold him. I can't wait to see what the next months will bring!!

I should have added.

Mine suffered badly with colic. Cutting out foods in my diet with artificial additives... in my case a BF craving for cheap jelly kids sweets & layered veg, so leeks, lettuce, sprouts, onions etc stopped it all together. It was passing to her through breast milk & she turned out to be intolerant to the additives (benzoate preservatives & Azo dyes) which were causing her colic (& later colitis) & layered veg is a known culprit too, stopped her colic really quickly

Epsom salt in their bath for Magnesium & a drop of lavender & chamomile oils calmed frayed nerves & helps sleep & bodies deal better with pain & stress & it's good help for your nerves too

These things were a godsend to us at this time as she not only screamed she inherited my DFs army major lungs

I think it depends on the child!

I struggled with the DD as a baby - hated sleep unless on me, hated the pram hated the sling, hated baths, never satisfied to just hang out in a bouncer and watch me prepare a meal. Loved to scream in public, Going to the supermarket was like an episode of supermarket sweep - how fast can i get round Sainsburys before she kicks off?!

Shes 2 now and although we are navigating emotions, she is SO funny and loving and makes me laugh all day. Its brilliant watching her play and learn.

My best friend had an 'easy' baby - slept 7-7 alone early on, constantly just chilled in her pram so mum could have leisurely catch ups in coffee shops etc.

Her DD is now a toddler and has chosen violence. She struggles to keep her entertained and is very high energy.

I adore the newborn stage. My least favourite stage is probably 15-24 months. Love it again once they turn 2 ( apart from the potty training).

I have found the baby stage quite easy with both of mine. But they both fed well and were generally happy. Friends who found it hard had babies who just cried almost constantly and had various health issues. Listening to your baby cry like that would be a completely different experience.

I find my toddler such hard work though. The days where he is in nursery and I just have the baby feel like a day off in comparison.

For me toddler stage a million miles easier. I struggled so much when my eldest was a baby but the toddler days were mostly a breeze and I loved them! Ds was happy and while he had tantrums they were never 'drop to the floor and throw your limbs about' bad. He just screamed and cried stood up and it blew over. We had lots of fun times and crucially more sleep involved than when he was a baby.

Youngest is 9 months and I often wonder what she has in store for me.

I’d say toddler stage is a lot worse. Yes newborns need constant attention but if you put them in a cot they stay there. Toddlers can be brutal and have a never ending amount of energy. Lots of fun though!