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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

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Tell Asda what you wish you knew before becoming a parent - £300 voucher to be won NOW CLOSED
OP posts:
Megansmumsie · 03/10/2016 23:38

Wow, where do you really start with a question like that?!

I wish i'd really known what a gem of a husband i had before i fell pregnant and appreciated him more when there was just the two of us and time to really let him know how wonderful he is.

I wish i'd known how much love i could hold in my heart for one person and how that would lead to sleepless night, endless worry and the dull ache of missing them when they weren't around- although probably knowing about this amazing capability for love would have been mighty daunting!

I wish i'd known it was ok to make mistakes, to not have to spend all that money and that time, time spent with them is what they really cherish.

Snog · 04/10/2016 07:38

Wish I had known how much university was going to cost as this has changed since I had my child 17 years ago

halcyondays · 04/10/2016 10:57

I wish I'd known not to stress over doing everything "right"when dd1 was a baby, something that I think can contribute to PND. I was a lot more relaxed second time round. Also that each stage however hard does pass eventually and when you look back it's amazing how quickly the years go past. Alos get as much rest and time to yourself as possible or you can get run down and unwell.

iamsaranna · 04/10/2016 18:21

I wish I had known that how much time I would need to get everyone ready in the morning!

peanutmum111 · 05/10/2016 01:09

I wish I had relaxed more about getting everything they needed.
Clothes should be simple, and easy to wear, not uncomfortable to make baby look good !!!!! They wear them for a short period of time. The changing mats are cold, so I used a clean sheet for the top so his head and back were warm.

Dexterjamesmummy · 05/10/2016 06:53

The only thing I wish I'd known was that my little boy was going to have a cardiac arrest and die in his sleep when he was almost 13 months, then I could've moved heaven and earth to try and save him.

TheMasterBaker · 05/10/2016 12:11

That not everyone else is an expert! I could have trusted my gut a lot more in those earlier days when I felt lost.

SugarMiceInTheRain · 05/10/2016 12:26

I wish I'd known just how little sleep I'd get, and appreciated the rest whilst I could get it.
I wish I'd known how much my career prospects would be hit by parenthood and taken some precautions against it beforehand.
I wish I'd known and accepted that children would trash my house, and spent less time worrying about other people's opinions of my home.
I wish I'd known that everyone would give their opinions, for good and bad, on my parenting style, and not to let it get me down.
I wish I'd had a better support network and settled nearer my extended family before having kids, as I didn't appreciate how lonely parenting can be when you have no friends or family nearby.
I wish I'd known that all the 'baby/ parenting gurus' don't know my children and that the best routine for my children is what works for us.
I wish I'd been a bit less gullible about all the baby 'must-haves' and wasted less money when I was a first-time mum.
I wish I'd avoided the 'competitive parents' and saved myself the stress of worrying about whether my child was keeping up with others.
I wish I'd known that it's ok to admit you're struggling and that motherhood doesn't always come naturally and easily. But when your child faces difficulties that protective instinct and the fierce love you have for your child can really take you by surprise.
I wish I'd known how much I'd worry about my children and how much I would have to fight for them at times.
Most of all, I wish I'd known how fast those years would fly and how much I'd miss those early years once they were over.

Christinedonna · 05/10/2016 12:49

I wish I'd have known that no matter how much experience, qualifications or opinion other people have, no one knows your baby like you do. Stick to your guns and don't be pressured into something because it's what you've been told to do..you know what's best for YOUR baby

user1471587612 · 05/10/2016 15:16

How to unblock a toilet having underestimated how much toilet paper my children would use, despite being told they would kill ten polar bears if they used too much.

Rollonbedtime7pm · 05/10/2016 19:52

I wish I had known that it's OK to spend all day in bed/on the sofa with the baby when they are tiny - don't rush about trying to do it all!

Am on #3 now and with zero opportunities to do this, I wish i'd spent more time chilling out with #1!

RedRoseMummy · 05/10/2016 21:42

I wish I'd known the realities of labour and childbirth. It seems like no-one talks about what actually happens when you go into labour and thr various things that happen as you labour and give birth. I'm sure lots of mums to be might think they don't want to know but I think having information can really help sometimes.

melmoo · 05/10/2016 21:42

I wish I'd known :-
You don't need all that stuff they want you to buy (Changing tables - why?)
Babies are hardier than you think - you can be over protective
You'll be given rubbish advice - trust your instincts and what works
No sleep is hard
You'll miss it once they're older (once you've recovered)

Christinedonna · 05/10/2016 22:38

I also wish I'd have know how much it would ruin my body. Not hinder or slightly change..ruin!

Spices001 · 05/10/2016 22:51

Don't worry in advance, only when (if!) it happens & don't sweat the small stuff

sami2885 · 06/10/2016 07:25

To not be so uptight and fixed on my ideas.

When I couldn't do things as I had planned, not to beat myself up.

Every second is precious, babies change every day! Make the most of it.

Have lots of pyjama days with baby whilst you're on maternity!

The dusting can wait!

Lindsaym1983 · 06/10/2016 11:57

I wish I had of knowing that when people say they grow so quick and to enjoy them being little it really was true! The baby days go by oh so quickly and while at the time you may be tired and find it hard work you honestly will look back on them with fond memories and wish you had of enjoyed them that little bit more

sjl19 · 06/10/2016 12:40

I wish i had known which items i would really need for when we had a baby. First time round we bought way too much stuff and didn't use half of it!

Elles01 · 06/10/2016 14:12

I wish I'd known that you don't need to know everything from the books, and that your baby is different from another so half of what's in the books probably doesn't even apply to you and your baby.
I also wish I'd known that it's okay to accept help, and not try to do everything myself.

PeppaAteMySoul · 06/10/2016 16:23

I wish I'd known that I didn't need to listen to every bit of well meaning advice or get upset when I was parenting differently.

With my second child I will be much more relaxed about doing things the way I want to do them.

defineme · 06/10/2016 16:47

That I could relax, it'll be okay and that we can get through anything.

Ashhead24 · 06/10/2016 19:22

That there's no right way to do things, and that its not as scary as it seems.

sleepwhatsleep · 07/10/2016 05:16

It's okay not to love every minute of the newborn phase. No one will think you're a bad parent if you say you're finding the first few weeks hard.

AprilShowers16 · 07/10/2016 05:50

I wish I'd known how challenging breastfeeding would be and prepared more or learnt more about it

user1475816976 · 07/10/2016 06:18

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