7 SECRETS TO BABY’S FIRST YEAR

Your baby is born, and there is joy and wonder. But there is also sleeplessness and exhaustion. That first year with your baby is monumental, isn’t it?

In my baby’s first year, I really wasn’t well prepared. I’d read lots of books about pregnancy and birth, but I hadn’t really fathomed what was to come immediately after that.

This is what I wish I’d know about my baby’s first year…

1. Filter advice

You have to filter advice. There is just too much out there. And too much of it is contradictory. It’s hard when you feel so out of your depth. But with time, if you trust yourself and listen to your baby, you’ll begin to know when a piece of advice is relevant to you and when it isn’t.

2. Sleep when you can

Every parent in their baby’s first year is sleep deprived. We all are. We don’t get as many hours of restful sleep as we are used to. So that means we need to nap in the day or go to bed earlier or try anyway we can to grab some extra sleep. That won’t eradicate all the symptoms of sleep deprivation, but it might help a bit.

3. Expect change

Babies goes through phenomenal change during their first year of life. Just when we feel like we’ve got the hang of it, they go and change on us! That means we’ve got to be flexible and open to change too. Otherwise, we’ll hit resistance (our own), and life with a baby will feel even harder.

4. Do not compare

It’s almost human nature to compare. But in baby land, comparing your baby to other babies isn’t always helpful. Babies are all uniquely who they are. And your family is different to that other family over there. So focus on that rather than comparing. It creates less grief.

5. Embrace your new self

This is what we don’t talk about – when you become a parent you have to leave your old self behind and you have to create a new one. Not a completely different one. But one that has different responsibilities, a different outlook and different priorities. We need time to adjust.

6. Accept help

You don’t have do it alone. In fact, it’s near impossible to do that. We are allowed to ask for help and we are allowed to graciously accept it. It doesn’t just help you. It helps your baby too.

7. See the big picture

Caring for a baby is a 24/7 activity that takes a lot of physical and emotional effort. Every so often, we need to lift our sights above the feeds, settling and nappy changes. We need to see that we’ve brought an amazing little creature into the world, and it is our privilege to witness and guide their growth and development.

What would you add to this list? What else do you ‘wish you knew’ about your baby’s first year?
Jodie Benveniste is a psychologist, parenting author and a great believer in the power of intuitive parenting. You can get your free gift ‘Unlocking the secrets of intuitive parenting’ at jodiebenveniste.com