Surviving the First Few Weeks

As Banks gets older some things get a lot harder, but I think for the most part my job is easier.  The first few weeks with a new baby are tough...there's no way around it.  Of course they are magical and amazing, but no doubt they put a lot of pressure on the new mom. I look back to those first couple of weeks and I think to myself, "why didn't anyone tell me it would be this hard?" or "does every other mother feel so unsure?"  The truth is, I think women do, we just don't talk about it that much.  Those moment are fleeting and soon enough you are in the middle of baby food, nap schedules, temper tantrums, and sippy cups.  A few weekends ago, Kathryn and I talked a lot about "those first few weeks" and how stressful they were.  Please don't get me wrong, I wouldn't trade those moments for anything, but there are just things I wish I would have known...or I guess things I wish I would have listened to people about.  I promise I heard all of these things before, but sometimes you just have to live through it to know.  I have compiled a list of "what I wish I knew" or more likely "what I need to remember next time." This is mostly for me so I can read this the next go 'round when I am sleep deprived and crazy :)

1. This too shall pass- SO many little things to worry and stress over the first couple of weeks, but I wish I could have focused on that the time is short, enjoy it now, worry later.

2. Breastfeeding will get easier- The pain, discomfort, hassle, etc. of breastfeeding gets better if you just stick with it a few short weeks.  Seems as if it will never get better, but it does...and it becomes easy!

3. Start in the crib- I know this doesn't work for a lot of moms, but we only waited a few days to put him in his crib and it was awesome.  He slept so much better and so did I.  I wasn't waking up to every peep and we could go to sleep normally without being too quiet or turning the light on.

4. Its OK to share- The first few weeks (or lets be real, months) I felt like I had to do everything.  I was scared to take a nap because what if he needed me?  My mom and others were very willing to help or take a turn, but I struggled letting go of the reigns.  Now I know...TAKE THE HELP, you will be a better mom for it, and the baby won't know the difference.

5. Organize the naps early-  Again I know this is not every mom's style, but I think that I was so excited to have this little sweetie home I didn't want a moment away from him.  For the first few weeks I held him for every nap and maybe sat him in his swing for part of it.  Around 2-3 months I realized he didn't need to be held or swung to sleep, but he was struggling to make the transition to crib for naps.  Next time I will do that from the get-go and I think it will make everyone's lives easier. I wanted to throw Babywise out the window a few times, but now I want to give it to EVERY pregnant mom...best thing we ever did, makes my life so easy!

6. Let them go to bed awake- I waited until 4 months to sleep train and you can see my post about that here.   Next time I will make my job a lot easier by starting to lay then down awake from the beginning.  It would be so much easier then because they are already so sleepy all the time anyways.

7. Don't invest in too many newborn clothes- This one is pretty obvious, but sometimes you just can't help the cuteness.  I probably bought way too many "newborn" sized outfits and in a blink he outgrew them.  We literally went nowhere, so just soft, little sleepers are the way to go for newborn size.

8. Take more pictures-  This can be said about any age, but these tiny, little moments go by so quickly and don't worry if you "haven't lost your baby weight yet" or "your face is still puffy"...hop in a picture, you will want to remember these moments.

9. Sleep will come- Eventually your baby will sleep through the night and you will, too.  The sleepless nights don't last that long in the grand scheme of things.  Eventually you WILL feel like a human again :)

10. Savor the moment- this one speaks for itself, these moments only come once and they are gone in the blink of an eye.