Newborns- please reassure me

[Bonnyone]

Hiya. I'm 38 weeks and am feeling totally overwhelmed about the fact I'll be a mother any time soon! My friends have been putting the absolute fear of god into me about how awful the first stage is. I know it's going to be hard but surely the good outweighs the tiredness etc...please....

Yes the good outweighs the tiredness tenfold, it helps if your a good sleeper and can sleep when the baby sleeps, i never could there will be many many ups and a few downs, the baby blues are horrid (around day 5 post birth, for some) but i found that prepairing myself helped and its passes quite quickly. There is a reason why most people have more than one child, so it cant be all that bad can it? .

Yes its hard work but rewards of cute little hic-up and scrummy curled up cuddles followed later by gummy smiles and chuckle's see you through....aww tis almost enough to make me want another......NOT .

Maybe its best if you avoid these friends for a while.

Thanks all. You have made me feel loads better about everything. And yes, I think I will avoid those friends for a bit.

I did find it very hard for a while (DD not great sleeper, I couldn't sleep even when she did, BF very hard). However, that very tough time is short (with hindsight) you get through it and it did get much easier. And I enjoyed it much more as she got bigger and more interactive). So even if you do find it as tough as your friends are saying just try to hang on in there and remember it will change.

I find the first 6 weeks with a new baby hell on earth, but it soon passes and something magical happens at about 6 weeks that they suddenly start being more settled, feed and sleep at slightly more predictable intervals and generally become more interested in their surroundings.
It is hard, you will be tired, but accept any help offered with housework, cooking etc, sleep whenever the baby does and I promise it will soon pass!

Oh, and it can't be that bad as I've done it twice already and have recently signed up for a 3rd round!

It's odd how people (mostly women) say things like "Oh, just you wait"....."Enjoy the peace and quiet now".........."You wont' know what's hit you" and so on, like they are trying to prove what a battle they have been through.

I have 2, and found them both quite easy, of course there are good days and bad days - as with anything. I found the good days far outweighed the few frustrating days:) It's a lovely time, thousands of women have done it, are doing it and will do it - if it was that bad they wouldn't:)

The only thing I would say is savour every second when they are little small babies as before you know it they'll be gert toddlers - it's all good fun:) time goes so fast

It's just the tiredness, it's like nothing I had experienced before.

At 3 weeks when I'd fed a small person at every feed every 3 hours I was done in. I was googling "when does it get better?"

Then DS started sleeping for longer stretches & thus I got to sleep longer. I felt like a new woman when I got 6 hours in a row.

Good luck.

There is nothing like taking your baby out for its first time in the pram. I just loved pushing mine. So many old ladies people will chat to you and tell you how gorgeous your squidgy little new born is and you'll be as proud as punch.
Ok, like anything new, there's a settling in period for all, but I bet you'll spend hours just watching him/ her, amazed by how lovely they are. And as for cuddles...
You'll be fine.

I am a new born lover! Hate, hate hate being pregnant but there is nothing like having a newborn. It can be hard and you will probably have that "WTF have they let me come home with this baby for" moment but it is such a short phase so treasure every minute. You'll be fine. No idea why other women feel the need to tell you how awful things are. You'll be just fine x

It depends how much you put pressure on yourself. I had an awful time trying to breast feed the first one and felt a failure when I could not and of course it doesn't matter one jot. Second time, feeding not a prob but got fed up when aby would not stop. Hoping to bottle feed this time as having 2 already will make it easier.just hope my hormones behave!! I got baby blues after a few days which is normal but take each day as it comes and don't put pressure on yourself to make things perfect. Go with the flow and expect curve balls and days not being the same - but try to enjoy it! They grow up so fast!!

it'll be fine. I'd was led to believe the first four weeks would be hell, breastfeeding would be a nightmare, I wouldn't bond with my baby, etc. etc. My expectations were so low I was very pleasantly surprised! Good luck.

Oh I hated it when people did this to me!!! I went two weeks overdue and was so tired of being pregnant, everything ached, I felt like complete shit!!! And all anyone would say was 'Wait til baby's here, THEN youll know what its like not to sleep!!' Bollocks! OK the amount of sleep I get (still!) is not great but I can lie down and be comfy in bed and thats a massive improvement from before. All babies and all mums are different but for me it is totally worth it. Wish Id had him in those last 2 weeks I was lolling around like a bloated cow unable to sleep or do anything really!! We were the last of our friends to have a baby and what others have said is true, the low expectations really help :) Dont put too much pressure on yourself, let the housework slide, dont worry about telling people (including those naughty health visitors) that you are not having visitors on a particular day, and if they dont listen, dont answer the door :D Dont worry about feeding just go with the flow. And enjoy your lovely baby it is all worth it!!

It'll be hard sometimes. Mostly though it'll be ok. And ultimately it'll be a time that you'll never forget or regret.

Congratulations!

The overwhelming feeling of love and happiness at having your lo t here safe and sound by far outweighs any negatives. Tbh the only real difficult thing is lack of sleep but if you listen to people's advice and get some sleep when baby does (if this is your only child of course!).