What to expect when you have had a baby

What to expect when you have had a baby

 So everything over the past nine months has been leading up to this all important day, the day of the birth of your child, and the first day of the rest of your life. If like most mums you’ve spent the past nine months worrying about what foods to eat to ensure your bump is healthy, what exercise is and isn’t ok and what colour to paint the room for the impending arrival, then perhaps you haven’t actually had much time to think about what you’re going to do when the little one actually comes along. I mean sure, you’ve planned who will look after, feed, clothe and teach the little nipper, but what about the day-to-day stuff that no one really mentions.

What will your days be like now you have the baby to care for? What will you do to keep him or her entertained and what happens now you’re a little family? While we don’t claim to know everything, we can certainly help with the little things here.

  

Beware for the emotions

Once those floodgates open at the birth and you form an emotional attachment to a little person who you created, you’ll never be the same again. Emotions will take over when you least expect them and in places you least want them to. A limping dog; tears. Your cohabitation partner or husband not doing the dishes; tears. Your baby crying; tears. Let’s put it this way, there will be tears, and lots of them.

 

Beware the ticking clock

If you’re planning to stay at home to look after the baby while it’s growing, or for the foreseeable future for that matter, what people never tell you (or what you choose not to believe) is that time will slip from your fingers quicker than sand. It’s not as simple as feeding, washing, entertaining and repeat with a newborn. They will literally take up all of your time.

That’s showers out the window then, nights in front of the TV (or any time in front of the TV), gym time and pretty much anything else you think you might have time to do – you won’t, and while we are not saying this to scare you, it’s good to be prepared, because you will not have time to prepare yourself when the baby arrives.

 

You will cope with less sleep

Even if you’re not a big sleeper you will notice initially how little sleep the baby affords you. Whether you’re up feeding or settling, or just up worrying about the next feeding or settling, you’ll be getting a lot less of the Zs. The good news? You will cope, Mums and Dads always do, you will simply learn how to function with less of it, and although you may be exhausted, you simply won’t think about it when you know you have to tend to the baby’s needs.

 

There are some things that you’ll wish you knew before giving birth, and although they don’t sound very glamorous, those are the facts of life. You will cope and you will have a very beautiful baby that you love beyond any love you’ve ever experienced before, so if you’re wondering what comes next – this is it.

 

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