With all the new babies that arrived over the past few weeks and finding out that someone close to home is also very newly pregnant, as normal, being the overly helpful person I am, I wanted to be available to help in anyway I can. I think it comes with the territory of being a mum. Battling through he first few months of your child’s life and surviving means you want to help new parents with your words of wisdom and findings.
Sometimes I forget that I am a soon to be a new Mummy again myself. On good days the MASSIVE bump that protrudes from under my top (I mean TENT) is forgotten about until I catch my huge size in a mirror or clip a table or door frame with the humongous size of myself!
ArggggghhhhhhhhH!!!!!!!
So, although I am a Mummy already, having my daughter nearly 15 months ago taught me many many important things. Firstly I had not a clue how to change a nappy, make up a feed, put a baby down or any of the really essential things you need when your little one arrives. For the first week my partner was most definitely the Star Daddy. I knew I was not a naturally maternal cooing person. Babies tended to scare me rather than melt me. I figured that by the time baby arrived the hormones would kick in and I’d be ace at it. And within two weeks I was. We had hiccups, leakages, bad nights, bad days la la la but who doesn’t.
However one of the hardest things I found was actually learning NOT to do the housework and all the things that were so important to me before baby arrived. Crazy I know! Now I am not a manic cleaner but I am house proud. As most people I like to be organised, tidy and clean. I tend to even tidy if my Mum is visiting. I guess I am just an organised person. If you could see my house today you’d see how much I have changed! I had to learn to ask myself, what is really more important, hanging out the washing or having a dance with Ida? Obviously the answer is having a bop with Ida. Who cares if the washing mountains up or I have to wash it twice because it’s not been hung out before it starts to smell.
So as a soon to be Mummy again (1 week, till D day arghhhh!) I am passing on what I found helped me get through the first few weeks of being a Mum. To help the new Mummies out there but also to remind myself of it all.
1.Read all the books and listen to advice. They’ll be a lot and it will all be different and drive you mad that there is no fast rule. Then throw out the books, smile sweetly and follow your gut instinct!
2. Breast feeding is great but it isn’t as easy as it looks! Don’t beat yourself up if you can’t do it or are having problems. Ask for help!! Hospitals tend to run a Breast-feeding clinic which are great, as do the NCT. But overall follow your Gut instinct. Some one told me an amazing fact when I struggled with breast feeding. apparently over 75% of the England Rugby team were bottle fed!! You see! Ida was breast and bottle fed and is perfectly well and healthy.
3. Everyone will stop you in the street and if baby is crying will tell you “ohhhhh he/she is hungry!!”. It drives you mad!
4.People are so much friendlier if you are pushing a pram/buggy! Everyone smiles. Or perhaps that’s the hormones that makes if feel that way!
5.Anti natal friends make your world go round when you are a new Mummy! I honestly couldn’t have done it without them. My weekly fix helped me make it through. And who would have thought…when I first sat in that little room on that drizzly Thursday evening that the 5 crazy ladies in front of me would become such a big part of my life.
6. Let family and friends help. Whether it be babysitting while you soak in the tub, cooking a meal, cleaning your home or amusing the baby while you hang out the washing or potter round the garden and have some you time.
7. Mummy always knows best!! That means you new Mummy!! Your fab! Who cares if you haven’t done it quite the same way as thingy did it or your baby sleeps a little less then wotsists. You know your baby best.
Remember that!
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