(Not so) Newborn

I should be writing a few words about the experiences of the last two weeks, hopefully with some nice photos and with a bit of experience sharing (think it’s a bit bold to call it advice this early in the game!). However…

 

Beatrice is 50 days old. We have successfully kept her fed, clean and seemingly happy for 7 weeks and a day. She no longer fits into some of those cute little sleepsuits and overwashed vests, which is unthinkable considering everything we started with was too big. This has led to all sorts of emotions, including the early onset of ’empty nest syndrome’ as obviously once they’re out of their first sleepsuit, they’re practically packing their own bags and toddling off into the wide world! Don’t worry, it passes pretty quickly and you realise how ridiculous you’re being (hopefully…).

It seems a bit sad that the unit of time we use gets bigger. We talk of weeks and months almost straightaway. Thinking about it (more than I should, granted), it seems to more or less lump big moments of her life to date(the day she first coated the walls with excrement, her first wearing of her R2-D2 romper suit, that first smile that wasn’t wind) into bigger chunks, potentially making them a bit less memorable. I’m sure there will be times where things have passed by pretty sharpish, but equally just taking stock before bed each night is something each parent must try and make time for. Think about those expressions, cuddles, little moments and laugh at the trickier moments if you can!

Having said we’re not really experienced enough to give advice, I’ve ended up adding some anyway. Think of it as my reflections on what I reckon are pretty commonplace worries (that way, if you think my advice is awful, you can ignore it!).

If you’re about to go on this adventure , remember that certain things will become second nature pretty sharpish. Furthermore you’ll inevitably beat yourself up unnecessarily about minor things; your baby won’t be aware of them at all. Stay calm, remember it’s no-one’s fault (certainly not the baby’s!) and that you’re in control (even when, in this hot weather, the proverbial might actually hit the fan…). Finally, it may seem obvious, but talk to your partner about anything and everything. Even when negotiating shifts for eating, showering and sleeping. The more you share with each other, the much easier it all becomes.

I like numbers, so I’m going to count the days as well I think. I’m definitely not organised to mark each day with a specific event on a daily basis, but it’ll be cool when she reaches some other benchmarks. How one records those is a subject for another blog post (or two!). This one got a bit deeper and soppier than originally planned, back to the silliness next time!