Tell us something you wish you knew when you became a new parent - £200 Boots voucher to be won

[MaddyMumsnet]

We totally get that raising a little one can be a roller-coaster. Ever wish you had a secret guide to navigate this adventure? We want to know what you wish you knew earlier, whether it be your go to products or life changing tips…

• Post your products/stories/challenges/tips in the thread below to be entered into a prize draw
• One lucky MNer will win a £200 voucher for a store of their choice.

Here’s what Boots has to say: “The new parent & baby event is back at Boots! Welcome yourself to parenthood with incredible offers and expert advice. Whether you’re restocking your changing bag, looking for a new car seat or trying to get your little one to sleep, Boots has products and advice to support you along your journey. You can also enjoy 8 Advantage Card points for every £1 spent on Baby when you join Boots Parenting Club*

*T&Cs apply. For full terms and condition, please visit here”

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw!

MNHQ

Insight T&Cs apply

I wish someone had told me to have NO expectations about maternity leave other than to do whatever fits around you and baby because you have no idea how they will sleep, feed or 'be' which will determine how YOU will sleep, feed and 'be'.😆
I had huge plans...start a business, take in (and cater for/ferry round) foreign students for some extra money, decorate the house. The reality was a baby who was ill for six months and i clearly remember proudly exclaiming to DH one day that I'd managed to put 4m old DS down long enough to empty the dishwasher in one go.

I wish I knew that those envelope top/vest thingies could go over the shoulders and you don’t need to spread the poonami everywhere 😂

That you may not 'bond' straight away and that's okay. Just go through the motions of providing appropriate care and you will get there.

That it is hard, relentless at times. And you may not get the child you think you will get. My older one has significant additional needs thanks to an appallingly mismanaged birth where he was deprived of oxygen. You will feel grief and grief and then over and over again will have other micro griefs as you realise your child cannot do what others can. But you still have overwhelming love and joy and thankfulness that you have YOUR child. No matter who he turns out to be.

Also- most parents are winging it. The ones who seem to have it all smugly sorted are as clueless as the rest of us.

How expensive child care is ! and how your life is turned upside down emotionally financially and how organised you have to be when you are on the nursery drop off and have to get to work ....

You’ll find your way and it’ll all be absolutely fine. Try not to beat yourself up about not being good enough or stress too much about the small stuff. Enjoy them - it really does go before you know it.

Wake the baby for feed after 4 hours

You don't have to become a perfect mom, you just have to be present. Be with your kids in their ups and downs.

That it is ok to do it your way. You don’t have to follow the books or the verbal advice people give you whether you want it or not. Take your own path.

That everything changes when you have a baby in NICU, people often don't understand the worries unless they have experience. I was so unprepared.

That's there is no instruction manual 🤣.
Also don't go do online shopping during the night feeds as you will end up buying all sorts of stuff that you think you definitely need but really don't 🙈

That the worry doesn't go away , just shifts focus.

That it's OK for baby to be attached to parents, and it doesn't mean that they will have trouble leaving you when it's time for nursery or school. Meeting their needs makes them feel more secure, not less.

Stick to babygrows and vests - no need to dress to impress for the first few months - and all that ironing !

Another one saying don't have too high expectations about what you can achieve on MAT leave - just keep you and baby safe and try to not sweat the small stuff.

That every day is a learning curve and that every baby is different.

That no two babies are the same even if you have multiples, so whilst advice from those who have been there and done it before you is nice it's not necessarily going to applicable to your baby and it's ok to try and do things your own way.

What does "what'd" mean?

Get stocked up on sanitary wear and breast pads - I was not prepared for how much milk I leaked - and had to make an impromptu trip to the supermarket to buy some 10 days postpartum.

Not all babies are born healthy.

That those tiny baby days that can seem so slow at the time actually disappear in the blink of an eye. You don’t have to savour every moment but you won’t regret choosing baby snuggles over the housework!

That you can switch off the sound activated alarm on the baby monitor. You will hear the cry anyway, no need for an air raid siren too.

That babies grow into adults in the blink of an eye.

To sleep when baby sleeps (for your first) and by your second your body is more used to short deeper bouts of sleep. If you can get your sleep - the rest of the day is easier.

That finding breastfeeding extremely difficult did not make me a bad mum.

That it's ok not to enjoy the big miles stones, walking : can't ever sit down again, potty training: need to be near a loo/ potty/ Bush every 10 mins, eating solids: fear of choking allergies etc. Everyone will be happy about them, but the pressure can be immense at the changes and how long before they reach the next one.
Enjoy your own little milestones and treasure them; sleepy smiles, coos at bedtime, those funny "conversations" you have once they start talking :)