What's the best bit about having a newborn?

[Koalafications]

I'm 21 weeks pregnant with my first DC and have heard nothing but horror stories and birth, having a newborn and how I won't ever have time to have a shower or tidy my housemate, EVER AGAIN!! I absolutely accept this, I just want to hear something good about saving a newborn.

Tell me some lovely things about having a newborn, please?

It really isn't all horrific. I hate it when people always say the bad stuff and neglect to tell you the good stuff. Fwiw I have a 12 wk old and a 2 year old;

• you won't be pregnant any more, you can roll over in bed, bend down and breathe properly again.
• when they smile it melts your heart
• when they giggle it melts what was left
• you get to sit on the sofa for hours feeding with chocolate and a box set. I really enjoyed it.
• not all newborns are bad sleepers. With both of mine I've always been able to have a shower. Ds1 slept 5-6 hour stretches by 12 weeks and dd1 is sleeping up to 12 hrs at 12 weeks.

I actually feel I can take on the world at the moment. So much so Im considering number 3 - never thought I'd say that!

Milky breath, what a gorgeous smell.

If you're normally a shy person, walking with your baby seems to give you 'permission' to strike up conversation with complete strangers and not feel like a total weirdo. It's definitely made me more sociable and friendly, even 2 years on.

Even getting to know our postie because of all the cards and pressies was nice!

Ooo, I welled up reading puny' post

The cuddles are just amazing

I can honestly say that my dd (13) has been the best thing to ever happen to dh and I.

From the moment she came into our lives she has been the shining light that brightened our days.

Yes, there are tough times with having a child, and yes, it is sometimes very hard. But honestly, your child will be amazing, your life will be fantastic. Enjoy every single moment as best you can as they grow so quickly.

Cuddles and head sniffing
People make out that you will be sleep deprived- if it's your first and you have a good H plus can nap when they do you get lots of sleep. I miss lovely cuddly naps

Newborns are pretty cool, and in the grand scheme of parenting very often the easiest bit! They are portable, they hardly need any stuff, you can get out and about easily with them, all they need is you. You can have as many showers as you like and the worst they can do is cry for the amount of time it takes you to get out and see to them. They do not fling themselves down the stairs, colour in the pets or unlock the door and leave home when you turn your back on them for a second.

Everybody loves them, you can't walk down the street without someone chatting to you and cooing over the baby, everyone is interested in their processes (mainly so they can give unsolicited advice and feel superior, but still) They wear really tiny, really cute clothes. And people fight over the chance to look after them for a bit (try saying that in two years or two kids' time. No, really)

Everything you do with a newborn you do for the first time, you don't just go to the shops, it's your little one's first shopping trip, you don't just go to the cinema, it's their first night out, you don't just visit friends, they 'meet auntie sarah' You can hold they and snuggle them and dress them , they stay still and do not talk back!

I confess most of this changes ....

I remember taking my first child out for a walk when she was about 8 days' old - it was her first time in her buggy. When I came back I told my mum that she was the best company I'd ever had. It sounds mad, but it was absolutely true.

My antenatal class leader described it as having all your best Christmas presents ever rolled into one. And that's exactly how I felt, getting up in the morning was so exciting, rushing over to the Moses basket. It was a lovely time. Also being able to 'opt out' of 'normal' life for a while, watching the world go by from the window and knowing that you are snuggly and warm inside with your best ever Christmas present!

A genuine reason to do absolutely nothing except sleep or watch tv while baby sleeps on you. Is a lovely lazy time.

They change really fast so you get a fairly constant stream of "ooh, look, she can do xyz" (even if initially the achievements are "open her eyes"!)

They also grow so you can always justify new cute little outfits!

Smell of the top of their heads
The cuteness of them being all scrunched up, they pull their legs clean out of these leg holes of their sleep suits
Windy smiles
When they fall asleep when being winded
The feel of their breath on your neck when they're sleeping on you
Baby feet

On a more practical note, I more sleep once baby was born because I was so uncomfortable and needed to wee so much while heavily pregnant

Them sleeping, cuddled into your chest. Warm, safe and perfect. Just gorgeous. Make the most of those moments, they pass too quickly.

My best memories of having a newborn:
Snoozing on the sofa with her lying on my chest asleep
Her smell
That first smile
Endless cuddles ( not so easy 2nd time around with baby twins and a toddler tho !)

Bloody love newborns! Snuggly little gorgeous smelling things they are!
Feed, cuddle, feed, cuddle and repeat, love it! You will shower, my first had a lovely habit of waking up in the morning for about 45 minutes (we would stay snuggled in bed) then go back to sleep for about the same while I had a lovely shower and was ready for the day
You will be shattered at first, but it's amazing how well you cope with a gorgeous baby to snuggle, my ovaries are aching, im off to have another one... A 2 and 4 year old just don't smell as good!

The smell
The hair
The cuddles
The perfect perfect nature of them

My youngest is only 4 months old and I already miss it!

Definitely the smell.
We called ours the froggy princes. That was probably only for the 3weeks after birth when their little knees were pulled up as if they were still inside you.
Love seeing how little,older babies cling onto their holders sleeve. Very monkey like. Not that we would ever drop them!

I 'wasted' time with our newborn wondering when it was going to become the nightmare everybody warned us about. But it was lovely, 4.5months in and love every minute. Completely different to our old life but love it. One night last week I peered into his cot when he whimpered at 5am and I just know his smile said oh mummy's here, I know she'll look after me. Enjoy all the lazy afternoons

Even if you don't enjoy it because you're knackered, you won't remember anything about it by the time they're toddlers! Or is that just me? I don't remember any of the things people have mentioned here Maybe you need an older child to really appreciate the newborn stage. I've just blanked it out...(also, even if you hate newborn stage, it's still a million times better than being pregnant!)

The way they stay curled up for the first few days/weeks.

Their poo smells a lot nicer than an older toddlers!

They are so portable! They are light to carry, a sling , a nappy and you're good to go.

They sleep a lot.

They don't argue.

You always know where they are.

Oh I'm feeling all fuzzy inside, this sounds amazing.

marinekk I love the "oh mummy's here, I know she'll look after me" so sweet!

Tiny toes, tiny little yawns and stretches, all scrunchy and cuddly, little wrinkly heads, silly little pathetic cries and snuffly noises, the newborn smell, the complete and utter dependence on you

DS is only 5 months and I genuinely miss the newborn days. Congratulations! And enjoy it and take a million photos, it just flies by

How cute they are when they hug you when breastfeeding. When they smile- dh and I are not at all competitive about this, honest!

Their softness, smell, sleepy little faces, their contentedness at being with you, the day they look at you and coo!