Please or to access all these features

Sponsored threads

This topic is for sponsored discussions. If you'd like to run one with us, please email [email protected].

Tell Asda what you wish you knew before becoming a parent - £300 voucher to be won NOW CLOSED

406 replies

PoppyMumsnet · 23/09/2016 10:25

Sometimes, we wish we had the benefit of hindsight– knowing what to have said, what to have done would have made the situation a whole lot easier. Asda would like you to tell them about the things you wish you’d known about before being a parent to a baby/toddler. Would being a new parent have run more smoothly had you known certain things before? What sort of things would you have liked to have known?

Here is what Asda has to say: “Here at Little Angels, we understand how daunting it can be waiting for the arrival of your long awaited little one. That’s why we’d love you to share your top tips on anything from being a parent for the first time or what’s different when you have your second.”

So what do you wish you’d known before becoming a parent? Time flies by so quickly - maybe you wish you’d known to take more videos or photos. Perhaps you wish you’d known that children are much more expensive than you originally thought, so you could have planned better. Maybe you wished you’d known about a support network that you could have spoken to from the very beginning. Or maybe you simply wish you’d known how hard it would be so you could have mentally prepared yourself?

Whatever your story is, Asda would like to hear about it. All those who post below will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 Asda voucher.

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

Standard T&Cs apply

Tell Asda what you wish you knew before becoming a parent - £300 voucher to be won NOW CLOSED
OP posts:
Brnobaby · 28/09/2016 08:46

In the first year, if I’d known that the days would be long but the year would be so short I would have stopped wishing the hours away waiting for my partner to come home from work. If I’d known that despite the hassle of leaving the house every day the days would seem so much longer if I didn’t succeed in stepping outside and I would have forced myself to put shoes on, without doing my hair, and posted that letter, bought a spare carton of milk, taken small clothes to the charity shop or any other excuse to need to get fresh air. If I’d known that I’d miss my baby being so small, I’d have taken one second of video everyday so that I could go back and not only see the visual changes but hear the sounds of progress as his high pitched elemental cries of hunger changed to expressive warbles of intrigue and wonder as he learns about the world. If I’d known that it would be so nice and relaxing to have a nice long hour commute to myself, a whole hour for lunch and a toilet break with the door closed I wouldn’t have worried about going back to work after maternity leave.

PixieMiss · 28/09/2016 10:17

That books are useless 90% of the time. Your baby is individual, not the generic one in the book and will act as so.

Adapt your parenting style as need be.

SSCRASE123 · 28/09/2016 10:40

I wish I had known that even though both of mine were prem that babies/children are much more hardy/resilient than I thought and that every little accident/illness is not a cause for panic :-)

Lulabellx1 · 28/09/2016 11:13

It's OK. Everyone else will be struggling just as much as you are. It wont be long before they are grown up and it's all over!

Cambam2010 · 28/09/2016 12:04

I wish I had known the huge impact it would have on my marriage. Had I known that the pressure of having a baby would result in my marriage breakdown I would have married a much different type of man!

KnottedAnchorChief · 28/09/2016 14:04

I wish I'd know it's ok not to be a supermum, that I don't need to do everything perfectly right and I don't need to beat myself up because I'm unable to spin 28 different plates at the same time.
That childcare is going to be more expensive than my mortgage and it doesn't end when they go to school
That it's ok not to have a strict routine if that's not what works for you or your baby. Don't fight to keep to a routine that is making you miserable.
That it's ok to admit you're not coping, not happy, not enjoying it and need help.
That when it's going well, take some time to bask in the moment!

CarouselQueen · 28/09/2016 14:11

That the time would just disappear. I never knew what busy meant before! And that looking at photos can't quite bring the memories back - videos are much better.

AlfieandAnnieRose · 28/09/2016 15:30

Agree with taking more videos, especially when he was first born.
Also just how painful breastfeeding is at first but that it does get easier. Arm yourself with nipple shields, nipple cream if you really want to breastfeed. I had none of those when my baby was born and wasn't prepared. Should really have attended that breastfeeding course day too!

MyChildrenHaveHorns · 28/09/2016 16:21

That tiredness can be overwhelming, that you worry no matter their age. How much you love them

GillyMcFizzleSocks · 28/09/2016 16:26

I wish I'd known how much harder it is once they become mobile. In the early days when my nct friends were watching box sets and taking it easy I was trying to be the perfect housewife and not let my DS watch too much TV etc. I now wish I had spent those first 6 months reading and watching boxsets whilst my DS fed. Now I don't get 5 minutes to myself!

sarahbrokenshire · 28/09/2016 16:53

How much joy children would bring to my life - I wish I had kids sooner xxxx

OneShotFinch · 28/09/2016 19:01

I wish I had known that it doesn't get easier! Each stage brings brand new challenges!

teddygirlonce · 28/09/2016 19:43

That it's hard doing it without extended family support.

That it actually gets harder the older the children get (and more expensive).

Maclairey · 28/09/2016 20:04

That its not just newborns that dont sleep. My two are 3.5 and 18 months and are both terrible sleepers. I have survived on less than 4 hours a night for months and most of those 4 hours are spent with my eldest in my bed.

I also wish someone had told me that I wont be the parent I thought I would be (no tv/ipad, no shouty mum).

The guilt. Oh my word, the guilt about EVERYTHING. No one told me about that.

bummyknocker · 28/09/2016 20:37

That the Health Visitor would only come and see me twice - I had visions drawn from 70s and 80s medical dramas of her visiting me weekly for a cup of tea and lots of advice and support. Having no Mother or Sister around to help, this gave me huge comfort, but when reality hit it really hit. Sad I spent the first six months repeating this mantra 'keep her safe, keep her fed, keep her warm but not too warm'.

Tkw2014 · 28/09/2016 22:10

Your life really is never the same again, time does go very quickly, the lack of sleep goes beyond the first 12 months...

MiniAlphaBravo · 28/09/2016 22:14

That I'd never have a proper night of sleep again!

That everything from mealtimes to baths, to getting in the car to getting dressed can cause tantrums!!

That I would have an amazing, funny, clever and beautiful daughter who is the best thing that's ever happened to me, hands down.

Mumofgoff · 29/09/2016 07:30

That the teenage years were the hardest part 😣... one down one to go...

UntilTheCowsComeHome · 29/09/2016 12:01

I wish I knew that it was ok for them fall down or to make mistakes and that if they do, it isn't a reflection on you as a parent.

As a young, alternative looking mum I was petrified that I was being judged by everyone so I wanted to be the perfect parent. I thought that meant wrapping them up in cotton wool. I realise now they needed to learn through their mistakes.

BabyGanoush · 29/09/2016 12:52

I wish I'd have known that I would not be able to do it all on my own.

You need a support network, you need silly baby-swimming/baby dancing/baby massage classes....to meet other mums.

It's a bit like a job, and it's important to have a network of "colleagues" you get on with!

There may be a time when your husband is away, your toddler is asleep and you need urgent medical assistance for your newborn...but you have no car as it's being fixed....

That sort of scenario CAN happen, and it's good to have friends you can call!

ha2el · 29/09/2016 15:48

I wish that I had known that you let a lot of your friends go.

jhill11 · 29/09/2016 17:34

That I didn't need half the stuff advertised for new parents! Half of them are novelties! And you should save your money!

MAT12 · 29/09/2016 18:09

A schedule is ridiculous as everything is up in the air for a good few weeks until you get into a routine. No good worrying about what you cant change

TooTiredToDance · 29/09/2016 18:54

I wish I had spent more time "enjoying" being a New Mum. At every stage of my baby's development, I was always eager to see the next one. I wish I had taken a deep breath, sat back and chilled. Time flies too soon and then your baby becomes a toddler, a school age child and then she is taking her final exams to leave school! Whoosh!

Snog · 29/09/2016 20:36

That university would cost so much - the price has sky rocketed and I wish we had started saving earlier than we did