What do you wish you had known before you had your DC? Tell us for your chance to win a copy of Why Did Nobody Tell Me?: Home Truths Every Parent Needs to Know.

[RebeccaMumsnet]

Hello. This week we published Why Did Nobody Tell Me?: Home Truths Every Parent Needs to Know, which is the paperback version of The Mumsnet Rules.

And we wanted to mark its publication and nudge you towards a bookstore with a small but perfectly formed competition-ette.

For those who don't already know, Why Did Nobody Tell Me? is full of common sense and good cheer to steady you during the trickier patches of child-wrangling - told from the perspective of those who've been there, worn the (puree-splattered) T-shirt, and more or less emerged in a fit enough state to boggle at the PFB madnesses of their early parenting days.

So, what we're asking you wise folks now, in a competition-y way, is to tell us what you wish you'd known before you had children.

Please post your "in hindsight" confessions/admissions/witticisms here. We'll pick out ten winners from all who post - and send each of them a spanking new copy of Why Did Nobody Tell Me?

Good luck!

My mother has told me having children is like riding a roller coaster, with all the fun and screams to go with it.

That the rage you can feel at your DH sleeping. Yes, just sleeping.

Ah, sweet sleep. My memories of it are sweet, that is.

That you will never know what it really means to worry until you have a child.

That it's wonderful if you can be sweet-natured to your partner throughout labour...but that afterwards you'd be kicking yourself for wasting a good opportunity.

That you will have more poo-related discussions than ever before. Topics include colour, consistency, quantity, leakage from nappy, how much stain remover needed to get it off the carpet, and my personal favourite "oh look, a whole sultana!"

That Dads can get PND as well and can be affected way more emotionally than they are often given credit for. But I also learnt that there are brilliant support networks out there - you just need to take the first step and ask.

That my mother was right that everything passes, and this is a blessed relief.

-That CBeebies actually does have educational benefits, hence not to feel too guilty by letting dd watch it in moderation!
-That somebody else will decide when my day starts and ends, hence one should get as much sleep as possible before they come along.
-It is possible, when especially busy, or when baby is clingy, to hold in a wee for several hours. (I do not recommend this).
-Having a child in your life is the most wonderful, amazing, exhausting and emotional thing that one can experience. Be prepared to cry at the drop of the hat, especially at something sweet/soppy/nice. Carry tissues at all times!
-If you're feeding or watering them-feed and water yourself!

Keep your maternity clothes for a good few months, you'll still need them.
Leisurely poo's whilst reading a few chapters of a book are a thing of the past for at a least a year - learn to speed poo.
Do your food shopping online for the first few months.
In the few weeks before you give birth, bake food you can freeze - you will not have time to cook a proper meal once baby arrives.
If you've had a C section, expect twinges and pulls for at least a year, especially after doing exercise.

Buy Calpol, you WILL need it.
Take lots of photos and loads of videos (if you can), and then whilst baby is asleep, you can relive every gorgeous moment, until they wake up again!
Sleep deprivation is torture. Almost as bad are the idiots who say "but didn't you know you'd be tired" or "you must nap when baby does". Do not attack these people with a fork, it will use up too much of your precious energy.

That having children is most amazing thing in the world but

• Babies are blue when they come out.
• PND is probably the hardest thing you will have to overcome.
• if you can't / don't want to breastfeed don't let anyone pressure you or judge you for it.

And that it's not just the first few months or years. They might sleep better but wait to the time tables arrive and it's again hell!!!

That becoming a parent does not require you to sacrifice every ounce of being on the alter of motherhood- in fact, you'll probably be a better parent if you don't.

Don't leave your week old baby in it's cot while you go on a 48 hour cocaine binge, but equally, if said baby is fed, burped, clean and dry and still wailing, it's fine to put them in their chair on the bathroom floor while you have a 5 min shower. It's not going to damage them, and you'll feel a damn sight better for washing off the baby puke and leaked milk that's accumulated over the last 24 hrs

Oh crap- I spelt altar wrong.

that sleep would be such a precious commodity and you would spend endless time talking about it to others, ie how much you get,how much baby gets ,how many naps and on and on....

That they really do grow up too fast. In the blink of an eye fast. And to enjoy every milky baby moment because each stage is over in a flash.

Although it has to be said that the driving them to football and arguing about homework stage appears a little longer than the others.

That your standards will slip immensely, and that all the things you used to worry about before will become completely insignificant. This will become even more so the more children you have.

That it is pointless to have a logical argument with a 3 year old who's logic extends to "I only like Laughing Cow cheese on Tuesdays and Thursdays" and "I can only eat toast from a green plate". Just go with it.

That having good, non-judgemental friends with children are essential, so seek them out, they are there somewhere.

That the thing you will miss more than anything else is time on your own. Even a 5 minute trip to the tip on your own becomes a treat.

But above all, do not beat yourself up about anything you do/don't do. It's an incredibly hard job, and sometimes just getting from one end of the day to the other is enough. But then tomorrow is another day- and it is all 100% worth it!!

I thought I knew what love was.....when I had my children I knew that I had been slightly delusional all these years and the unconditional love you have for your children is in place to help you forgive those momments when they draw on your wallpaper or fill your toilet with mud to name a few.

DH and I have realised that what previously (pre-dcs) qualified as 'ill enough to take several days off work and stay in bed groaning' now barely registers on our radar. We have also noticed that anyone taking a week off work with a cold tends to be childless. Either parents simply don't have time to be ill or it is easier to recuperate with hot drinks and MN in the office than at home with 3 noisy dcs!

That co-sleeping is totally natural and your child will grow out of it at their own pace and grow up to be very confident & independent children. Trust your instincts!

After years of being indecisive about whether to have children or not and being terrified at the idea of being pregnant and giving birth, that nothing compares to how much you love them and that, although there are some difficult bits, the whole experience of seeing them grow and develop is wonderful and even giving birth was fine.

If I could go back 8 years and talk to my 30 year old self, I would say 'Get on with it and have kids NOW' and also, you don't need something called a 'top and tail bowl'

And the ten winners are

goldface , dietstartsmonday, Leighm, ATailOfTwoKitties, ChildOfThe1980s, JustFabulous, fluffacloud, popsypie, HoopDePoop and Sparkles23

Congratulations, we will be PMing you shortly.

Thank you for all your posts: you've been making us all nod in agreement and rofl in equal measure.