Share with WaterWipes what you wish you were told before the arrival of your new born - chance to win £300! NOW CLOSED

[AnnMumsnet]

The team at WaterWipes would love to hear what you wish you'd been told before the arrival of your new born.

We all can recall those innocent days before the arrival of baby and the impact having a child can have on your life so please share on this thread what you wish someone had told you - or what you were told which was especially useful!

Here's what WaterWipes says: "WaterWipes contain only 2 ingredients: 99.9% Water and 0.1% grapefruit seed extract. Non-irritating to even the most sensitive of children’s or Mums’ skin, WaterWipes help prevent and alleviate nappy rash and other sensitive skin conditions. WaterWipes are the only baby wipe ever to be endorsed by Allergy UK. We think they're great for newborns and we'd love to hear what other pearls of wisdom you wish you knew before your baby arrived!"

Please share a comment on the thread: you'll be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win £300 voucher for the store of choice (from a list). Standard Insight T&Cs apply

Thanks and good luck
MNHQ

I wish that someone had told me how difficult breastfeeding can be in the very early days. The pain, and the difficulty in getting a sleepy newborn latched on, were a complete surprise to me and left me constantly wondering whether I was getting it right.

I also wish that I'd known how much babies need to sleep, even if they think otherwise!

That babies do not necessarily follow any routine or rules so there is no one best way to look after them.

I wish I hadn't wasted so much money on books telling me what rules to follow and just gone with the flow more!

monkey I'm going to do that! What a great idea!

lillybugg
I wish I could stick your post to my mil's face wall.

i wish someone would have told me i was doing fine i was so nervous with my first son but looking back i was actually a good mum and wish id stopped being so worried as in is he eating enough am i burping him write etc xx

That it would be my job to teach him the difference between night and day. It never occurred to me that babies didn't just know this!

Worked it out in the first few weeks. Had baby in darkness from 7pm till 7am, fed quietly, no talking, no playing, comforting strokes and cuddles only, and stopped regular nappy changes except for poos. And then within a month or so had a baby that slept through! Worked even quicker with the second.

Accept every help you can get, you won't be asked twice :0)

That the baby hasn't read the parenting manual and will not follow the "rules" and will do things when they are ready.

That housework can wait and sleep is more important.

to not fret over the little things

Make the most of every little minute as they grow up before you know it!......
and it's so hard when they leave.

That I would suffer from sleep deprivation and how demanding new burns can be. It took me ages to get a routine in place as I was so tired all of the time and on many occasions I forgot to eat. It was not until I had my second child, that I new what I was doing and didn't have to rely on other people's guidance so much.

Meant to say New born's not New burns

Take time out to enjoy all the moments you can as it all goes so very quick, and a messy house can wait, prioritise tasks and delegate where possible

Sleep when the baby sleeps

That if, like me, you like everything organised, clean and tidy you are going to need to let your standards drop. A slightly messy house is unimportant and will not matter many years on, but the time you give to your new born and toddler can never be replaced. I would also have liked to know that sometimes (I had a non-sleeping baby) one feels so tired that it is just a question of getting through the day or night, it can be so hard and tiring and at those times don't expect to feel the joy of new parenthood, just plod on!

That is all encompassing and monotonous at times!

how much your boobs really hurt after the birth

Enjoy the early times as it all passes so quickly.

That my life would never be my own again but it would be the most rewarding period of my life.

That they grow up in a totally different way that you planned

there are so many things I didnt know would happen, i would have preferred to be told about how painful it is at times and that it is nothing to worry about

I wished I had been told how to handle sleep deprivation and how to properly fit a nappy on a little baby boy so that when he tinkles, it doesn't seep right up the front of his vest too!

sleep when your baby sleeps x

How difficult it can be to get the hang of bfing, the baby doesn't always know exactly how to feed and it can take a couple of weeks to get into the swing of it.

just go with it

I wish I had known how fast it would go, but also things like not to spend a fortune on an expensive pram that you'll be swapping for a buggy in 5 to 6 months time. And I didn't know 0-3 month clothing didn't fit newborns: you have to buy for new baby. Another mum on the maternity ward had to give me a babygrow as the ones I had were all to big.