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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Anyone pleasantly surprised by first few months with newborn not being as hard as thought?

42 replies

anotherbitofcake · 05/08/2013 21:39

That's it really! Anyone find it easier than what they had prepared for? If so in what way? Am gearing up for no sleep, hormones all over the shop, not having time to eat or wash and general wtf ness. That's what I keep getting told.

Not to be confused with complete amazement so the difficulties go away, just interested to know if some just found adjustment not as hard really.

Just curious more than anything :-)

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Azquilith · 05/08/2013 21:43

I genuinely found having the baby here easier than being 9 months pregnant, unable to sleep, walk, breathe or hold my bladder for longer than 5 minutes

Thesimplethings · 05/08/2013 21:51

Me! Ds1 was a text book baby, fed at 10,2,6 throughout the day and night. Breastfed too! Absolute doddle, he was like one of those dolls that you lie down and his eyes close. Slept from 10-6 from 8weeks and 6-6 from 12/14 weeks. No wakings or crying apart from 20 min feed.

Then ds2 arrived.....didn't sleep on on night at fucking all. I lost my smugness

Now at 3.2 and 23 months they go to bed 7.30/8 sleep till 7.30/8 sometimes later and have a joint 2 hour nap in the afternoon

gandalfcat · 05/08/2013 21:52

I found the first 12 weeks lovely, as was in a perfect little bubble with DS - slept when he did etc.etc., the fun started when I had to go back to work full time at 13 weeks, and had to fit real life in as well!

I was a zombie for next year, but still loved/love being a Mum!

Nomnew · 05/08/2013 21:53

I enjoy the baby bit despite the lack of sleep. As for the toddler bit......

MerryMarigold · 05/08/2013 21:54

I found it easier than the last days of pregnancy, and the excitement thrill of having MY BABY (that I'd wanted since about the age of 7) kept me going through little sleep and feeding problems and moving house, all sorts. It depends on how you deal with things too. I am the kind of person who can absorb high amounts of stress over a short period. For me, difficulties started kicking in at about 9 months to a year. I think 9 months of sleep deprivation kicked in!

BeQuicksieorBeDead · 05/08/2013 21:57

What lovely positive stories... Thanks op for staring this one, making me feel much better as well!

maggiethemagpie · 05/08/2013 21:59

Its not so bad with one, how the heck does anyone cope with a newborn and a toddler? I'm a bit daunted at the thought of juggling two on little sleep.

IwishIwasmoreorganised · 05/08/2013 22:00

The bit I found hard was feeding them in the depths of the night. I'm sure I used to hallucinate with tiredness at times!

poocatcherchampion · 05/08/2013 22:00

oh yes we did. dd was a dream.

17 months on with the Moses ready for September I'm getting VERY apprehensive. nobody has a story of 2 good ones!

cantsleep · 05/08/2013 22:01

My dd2 was an absolute joy. She fed straight after birth and slept for hours at a time, never cried and it was amazing.

She is 3.5 now and the most delightful and good little girl. Hard work due to some health problems but she rarely complains.

paperclipsarebetterthanstaples · 05/08/2013 22:02

Easier than bring pregnant by far! Never understand people saying 'take meals, wash up, Hoover...' when visiting a new mum. DS slept loads and i was twiddling my thumbs!

Fastforward 18 months and I'm constantly run off my feet!

Being a new mum was easier than my job too, less work and less stress!

KnittedWaffle · 05/08/2013 22:02

Agreed about the baby being easier than being pregnant!
With DC1 it was tough going and I was expecting the same/worse with DC2 but it was a breeze in comparison.

Had DC3 7 months ago and he has been a doddle.

Slept through from birth (!) worrying at first but I soon accepted it!
Latched on immediately when he was born for 4 hours solid smiley, happy chap who settled into his own routine immediately (people are amazed that no matter what he's doing he falls asleep at 2.40pm on the dot every day!)

Hardly ever cries, likes going on his tummy, after learning to sit up was immediately stable and didn't fall over - unlike his sister who'd have to have a fortress of cushions around her for when she toppled over!
Put on loads of weight despite feeding less often and for less time than his siblings.
He loves being in a sling and goes to sleep in there so when the other two are occupied I pop him in there, get on with whatever I need to do and he just goes to sleep.

He is a fantastic baby. hope he doesn't make up for it in his teens but then I deserved it after DD who was much more 'high needs' and DS1 who is a little bit like a Tasmanian devil.

All the best with the rest of your pregnancy and good luck when baby arrives! :)

poocatcherchampion · 05/08/2013 22:02

quite Maggie!

BoohPear · 05/08/2013 22:03

Me, but I've got lucky and my 17 week old dd sleeps at least 6 hours straight normally 8 hours and has done from about 4 weeks old.

I know I'm screwed when we have another!

Tigresswoods · 05/08/2013 22:03

Yes & No.

He slept quite well BUT he fed every 2-3 hours around the clock and at 3 weeks of EBF I was googling "when does it get better?"

Shortly after that it did & hey presto he started going longer between feeds at night... I suspect because on occasion he may have waken for a feed & maybe I was too exhausted to hear.

He slept about 8hrs a night from about 8 weeks & I never had a single problem with breast feeding.

Remember though I was tired like I was being tortured to begin with.

Good luck & enjoy, it won't be all bad.

BoohPear · 05/08/2013 22:04

*Sleeps at night. Missed that bit out!

Manchesterhistorygirl · 05/08/2013 22:04

I found it a doddle with both ds', it's the toddler years that are the hardwork.

Yorkieaddict · 05/08/2013 22:05

I found it all pretty easy. DS literally just slept and ate for his first few months. He was going 6 hours at a time from birth, and 12 hours a night by 10 weeks. Despite that I was amazed how much time it takes looking after a newborn, even an easy one. It really does never stop. I loved being a Mum from the start though, and still loving it 5 years on.

Guntie · 05/08/2013 22:05

Yes, it's much easier than I thought. DS eats and sleeps well. I shower and eat every day. I was expecting something else entirely based on everything you read/hear!

And you have the most snuggely precious thing ever!

OrganixAddict · 05/08/2013 22:06

My dd1 was known as the angel child as she fed / slept / lay in Moses basket happily from birth. She slept pretty well from day 1 but best thing was feeds were only 15 mins and at night she'd go straight back to sleep.
Poocatcher - you'll be happy to know dc2 was same, except slept longer at night (6-8 hours v 4). Dc3 on the other hand...

Jojay · 05/08/2013 22:07

DC1 was a dream, fed, slept, smiley, generally gorgeous, and now at 6 he's still very easy going and low maintenance.

D2 was grim until I learnt to swaddle him properly at 10 wks, then he was a dream too.

Then the twins arrived. DTD was out of the same mold as Ds1, easy going and lovely. DTS was and is a high maintenance, sleepless nightmare! I Love him to death but at 2 he's still very hard work.

I'd have been very smug if I'd only had one child!

I really hope you get a 'ds1'. Everyone deserves one!

Bunbaker · 05/08/2013 22:09

NO! It was bloody hard. It didn't help that I was much older than most first time mums. At 41 I had got quite used to doing things when I wanted to and getting a full night's sleep. DD was small and needed feeding every 3 hours. She would cluster feed all evening until the small hours and I found the tiredness crippling. I had no family around to help and didn't know anyone else to talk to. The only people I knew were workmates and they were at work.

DD is a teenager now and I still struggle to persuade her to go to bed.

DontstepontheMomeRaths · 05/08/2013 22:10

DD1 angel child. DS2 screamed constantly felt like it for the first ten weeks.

Oh I was smuggety smug with my first child.

Incidentally at age 4 & 6 they both sleep ok now

countingmyblessings · 05/08/2013 22:11

Yes. I ebf too. I think if mum is calm & goes with the flow, baby is calm too. Ds1 had reflux & colic. I eliminated dairy from my diet. Rocked my baby through the weeks of colic & found it all pretty easy & enjoyable. Ds1 slept through at 14 months. No drastic sleep training needed but then again I don't work (sahm). Ds2 is also a walk in the park, although having two dc is more of a challenge.

FadBook · 05/08/2013 22:15

I loved the newborn and baby stage - found it easy really. It came natural to me; was happy with amount of sleep I got, far more than I thought tbh

I breastfed, encountered a few problems but resolved them and actively got involved with local bf group to help other mums as a peer supporter whilst on maternity leave. I mastered bf'ing lying down very early on and googled safe co sleeping to ensure that if I did fall asleep, dd was safe in my bed.

We part co-slept for 12 months which also helped with sleep but also I loved being with her.

I mastered nod and smile to most advice to "get baby to sleep through". Wasn't interested nor had a desire to change things that worked for our family. I was a lot more relaxed than what a lot of my family thought I would be.

Genuinely really enjoyed first 15 months and think dd was a content baby, despite not sleeping through until 19 months old; she was still happy during the day and a pleasure to be with.

Now from 18 months onwards....entirely different story! It's fucking hard work having a toddler . No idea how anyone copes with a baby and a toddler

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