Do babies really get easier after 1 year?

[Helena1993]

I have a 8 month old and while she is getting easier in most ways (sleeping better, weaning isn't too bad and a little more fun because mobility is slowly increasing) I wonder if I may ever enjoy motherhood. Babies are just plain boring to me...

If you think it gets easier. Why?
If you think it gets harder. Why?

My toddler isn't boring so maybe it's just while she's wee you think that. He is 15mo and always either up to something cheeky or practicing his motor skills which I love to watch
Motherhood isn't fun. It's rewarding though

I'm probably going to say what everyone is going to say I'm affraid!

It gets easier and harder at the same time.

Easier in that they are more robust, you can put them on your hip and get around a bit easier, they are better sleepers, less happy changes, more structured day and going back to work helps etc.

But they are harder in the sense that they need much more stimulation, and they can become quite whiny in toddlerhood. My DS was a moaner and was never very satisfied, he walked late (17 months) and he wasn't a good eater,

We're now at 3 and he's very full on for us, but I think it's much better in some ways (harder in others because he won't play alone)

What I will say though OP is it's absolutely okay to feel like it's really hard and pretty shit most of the time. Babies aren't fun in my opinion.
Make sure you get time to yourselves and get through those first couple of years and you'll find it a bit more enjoyable 😊

I found 6-10 months the hardest of the first year. Still disrupted sleep (he still wakes some nights at 2 but it was all through the night at 8 months) separation anxiety, was crawling at 6 months and into everything but couldn’t really play still. When he started walking at 11 months that was a definitely leap forward and I’ve loved having a toddler. Yes they come with different challenges (mine climbs EVERYTHING) so I don’t know if it gets easier as such, but he’s so much fun. Yesterday he kept taking my hand and saying ‘best friends’. I love watching him grow and learn.

i’m due number 2 any day now and not super excited for the baby stage, but definitely excited to get to know this new person. I’m their parent for their whole life, the baby stage is such a tiny bit of it. Hang in there x

IME you're just at the cusp of the fun bit. I always loved the newborn cuddles but then there were a few months where it felt a bit meh in some ways. I think around 8/9 months I found their little personalities just really bloomed and they were learning new things all the time. Then the toddler/preschool years were brilliant because we did loads of fun stuff and really enjoyed them. Once they start school it's a different set of challenges.

I don't think it gets easier on the whole; just different. But certainly some stages are more fun than others and if hugely depends on your personal circumstances, parenting style, your personality, their personality.

Good God no!
DD is 15 months old, she is walking and into everything, she has worked out how to open the doors by putting her fingers in the jam and pulling and the escaping to run to exactly where I wouldn't want her at that time. She gets frustrated because she can't talk and so can't express her needs and has started throwing things in anger.
She is also way more fun, gives lovely cuddles, plays and sings and gives me way more joy than previously.
Babies are like computer games that start on easy mode and get more complex and fun as they grow.

it gets easier after about 18 months re sleep. then it's more physical in the day, keeping them occupied etc but I'd probably say it is slightly easier...until no.2 comes along

It’s just different. People cope differently with the various stages (I loved newborn to 3, found 7-9 a challenge for example, DH loved 7-9 and hated baby stage)

It changes a lot.

It’s not easier or harder, it’s just different. And will be thus until the end of your life! 😂

Depends what kind of person you are!!
Some people find babies boring, I find toddlers exhausting!!! Forget a full nights sleep the tantrums, the physicality, no naps, no buggy- just a Tasmanian devil you can’t take your eyes off! Hellish imo

For me it's the complete opposite. It gets easier each day. My girl was colicky and it was hell on earth.

Some things get easier, some things get harder.

DC is 4.5 and so I’m no longer doing milk/night feeds/nappies/ pushing a buggy and I get a break when she’s at school.

I took her to soft play earlier & she played nicely & independently with her friends - I could chill out with a coffee & didn’t need to supervise her much, beyond making sure she didn’t leave the building.
Again with her swimming & dance classes I no longer have to participate & can relax for 30 mins with a coffee.
In the house she can play without constant supervision (although I still don’t trust her 100% so check on her a lot)

BUT she’s hugely opinionated now so we have daily battles over stuff like what to wear, what to eat, meltdowns when I say we are doing something she doesn’t want to do that very second.

I think as they grow it gets easier physically but harder emotionally.

Well you guys aren't giving me any hope. It's alright. Guess my life will continue to suck

Op my main advice is make sure you get time to yourself to do something you love, for me that’s my sport.
I find parenting much easier when I’ve had time out from it!

Also it’s ok to stick at one child if you don’t enjoy it / find it tough.

It’s just different.
Enjoy that they are still portable!

Oh god until they're like 14 months I found it incredibly boring 😂 once they're communicating a bit more it's more rewarding as you get to know their personality and they're a lot easier though still a handful 🤣

My kids are 5 and 2.5 and I’ve spent most days of the Christmas holidays in tears because it is so utterly relentless.

My mental health is not good though and I don’t enjoy parenthood in general, plenty of people seem to love it and probably have easier children.

Well I'd say easier because:
You don't have as much faff with sterilising bottles (if not breast fed) and preparing formula.
They're mobile so they can entertain themselves a bit better and aren't totally reliant on you.
They're more responsive which makes them more fun.
You have a better chance of working out what they want.
They're normally in a more predictable sleep routine.

But harder because:
They get everywhere and put everything in their mouth so you end up following them around everywhere.
You have to spend time preparing actual food for them then they chuck it on the floor.
Now that they're no longer "tiny babies" that ready supply of volunteers to hold them at social events, so you can eat with two hands, abruptly dries up and you're left shoving half a sandwich in your mouth as you gallop along behind your toddler.
They start to have tantrums.

Swings and roundabout depending whether you have an easy or hard baby and easy or hard toddler and also what sort of situation you find most difficult to deal with.

They are definitely less boring and show their own little personalities though so you may well find it more enjoyable.

My daughter is almost 3 and she is fun to do stuff with now as can talk and have a small conversation with. Age comes with independents so everything takes much longer, dressing, nappies changes (hard work at one point but then has gotten better but takes a while for her to come to the mat), shoe putting on, wanting to walk every where.

I prefer toddler days to under one day's but mine were filled with lockdowns so might have been better without them!

@Helena1993 then you misunderstood me! I love being a mum, and I’ve definitely enjoyed it more the older he’s got. No.2 is on the way and I think we’ll have at least one more. I’m also hoping to become a SAHM. I don’t love the baby stage, but I love having kids.

Oh my goodness I find it so much easier! Mine is only 17 months, so not as much experience as others with older kids, but I hated the baby stage - mine was colicky too and it's totally relentless with really not much reward. Now, it's still tiring but I actually enjoy spending time with him as he gives something back.

For me, going back to work was really important too - I had 13 months off as my nursery place wasn't available sooner and that was too long for me. I'm pregnant again now and told nursery before the 12 week scan so that doesn't happen again! I'm a better mum, and enjoy mothering more, for having time not having to do it and to just do 'grown up' things.

It depends on your experience, your baby and your preferences. My baby was colicky, born in lockdown and cried a LOT, never slept to the point I was hallucinating. We couldn’t get any help because of lockdown so it was very intense. I also knew I wouldn’t love the baby stage (although I obviously loved him!). Due to this, for me, it really has just got better and better, he’s almost 3 now and he’s my best friend. Don’t get me wrong there are still challenges and these constantly change as they grow, but we have so much fun and laugh so much together.

On the flip side I know a girl who just loves the newborn stage more than anything but I think her newborn slept well and barely cried!

1 -3 is my worst stage.

They’re just so unreasonable 🤣

I also work three days a week which is great for me as can have adult conversation without a toddler to chase. It's a job that doesn't have progression but I did it before child so only just covers childcare but it's worth it for my sanity. My daughter was about 11 months old when I went back to work. She loves it and mixes with other children her age.

it gets SO much easier
the first 12mo are the worst. All stages have their challenges, but you have to handle small baby challenges when your body's recovering from pregnancy breastfeeding and you're surviving on 2-3 hrs sleep a night.

Er, no… Where did you get that idea? The truth is it gets harder in some ways easier in others.