Last week our eldest daughter turned 21, how is that even possible, I swear it was only last week that she was born!
It made me feel quite nostalgic, and with Viggo now in full time school and no more babies entering the Morrison household, it made me start thinking back about the early days with all seven babies, and how I got through those first few weeks! As a mum of seven I like to think that I can give a little advice on this subject, so if you are currently pregnant and reading this, here are some of my my top tips for surviving the early days, you might also want to check out this Fucket List
1.Remember You!
You will be so caught up in your new bundle of joy that it’s very easy to forget about yourself, whether it be remembering to eat and drink, or just sitting down and taking a breathe, a new baby is all consuming and its important to be kind to yourself. Nobody expects you to be Superwoman and its perfectly OK to let other people help, if someone is visiting and they offer to put the kettle on, let them!
2. Housework Will Always Be There!
This one I NEVER struggled with, I am not ashamed to admit that being the perfect housewife is not one of my strongest points (no matter how long I blamed it on having small children!) Even with my youngest now in school full time, I struggle to keep the house mess free and I would much rather sit down with a cuppa than tidy out a cupboard! Many new mums feel that they are being judged and worry that people will think badly of them if their house isn’t immaculate, whereas the truth is (speaking as a former breastfeeding practitioner) we worry even more if the house is super tidy because it means you have been spending much needed quality baby time tidying up, instead of catching up on some sleep or bonding with your baby, so who cares if the hoover hasn’t been whizzed round today (or yesterday…)
3. Its OK to Say No
When you have a new baby, the entire world and his wife suddenly want to descend on your doorstep, and have baby cuddles, which is fine if you are feeling up to it and the visitors are happy to look after you as well as the baby, but any that expect to just sit and cuddle the baby whilst you run around after them, should be avoided at all costs and excuses made.
4. Everyone Is A Baby Expert!
Even before that little bundle of joy appears in the world you will have heard lots of helpful (and not so helpful) advice regarding labour, pain relief, those first few days, and whilst it is lovely to have help and support and to know that others have been through the same kind of experiences, its up to you to figure out which advice is actually helpful and which should be avoided at all costs, the wonderful thing about being a new parent is that it is up to you how you parent your child and you (the parents) alone are responsible for those important decisions, so for each piece of advice you are given smile, nod politely and then do it exactly as you want!
5. Childcare
Finding suitable childcare that works for you and is suitable for your little one can be problematic, particularly so if you have gone back to work. For parents in Australia, Toddle gives you the flexibility to find the best childcare for your little one. Whether that is full-time care or days here and there, you can check out the centre’s rating system and contact them directly.
So there we have it five pieces of insight into those first few days at home with a newborn, I could discuss milk floods, or afterpains, but you don’t want to hear about those and every single birth and newborn experience is different, so just follow your own unique and beautiful path, because before long they are all grown up!