Kiddipedia
One piece of advice, a lot of new mums get is to ENJOY the baby stage, enjoy the cuddles. Because it doesn’t last forever and one day they don’t want to be cuddled anymore. It goes so fast enjoy it while it lasts.
But how many new mums actually listen to this advice and take it seriously? I know for me it’s taken 3 kids to finally try and slow down and take it all in but even then it’s gone way to quick.
With my first baby I was definitely always excited for her to grow up more, do more things. And I was always told you don’t want her to grow up too quick, don’t wish it away, and enjoy it while it lasts.
Being my first I obviously didn’t have other kids to worry about. But I still had a house to look after. And I was a real clean freak with my first. Still am but I would vacuum daily from when I started maternity leave. Having floor boards and a dog that sheds I was always vacuuming. Didn’t want the dog hair on the baby or getting on her stuff, didn’t want her to touch it when she started to crawl.
But I guess looking back I did still enjoy those sleepy cuddles and take it in as much as I could. My first was breastfed, wouldn’t take a dummy and was hard to settle to sleep. She wasn’t a fussy baby really, I just didn’t really have any idea about baby sleep. So I would feed her to sleep and try to transfer her to her bed, sometimes it worked sometimes it didn’t. In the beginning it wasn’t as bad as newborns sleep so much she would go down easy. But as she started to be more aware of things it got harder, I would just feed her to sleep and hold her while she slept for a while. So I knew when it was feeding time there was a good chance I wouldn’t be moving for a while, so I would set myself up on the couch have a drink and snacks within reach have the TV remote and my phone within reach put a TV show or movie on get comfy and feed my baby.
Just sitting there watching her feed so peacefully. It was the most beautiful thing I’d ever watched. Watching little babies boobie feed and sleep is something I could watch forever. I guess in a way I did enjoy those moments then but I don’t think I truly appreciated them at the time.
When my second came along and being a small age gap it definitely made it hard to take in the baby stage because you now have this new baby that you want to stare at for hours but also have a toddler whose wanting your attention as well. So it was definitely harder the second time around to enjoy the cuddles and the baby stage but on top of being a mum of two having PND made it even more difficult.
I just didn’t feel bonded with her. We couldn’t manage to work out breastfeeding which had a big impact. But not only that I just didn’t feel the same. I felt alone, I felt crap and I wanted to leave. I never truly enjoyed my second born as a baby. And that still gets me. It’s the worst feeling.
So when my third came along I was determined to enjoy him. I was truly infatuated with him. We would fall asleep on me and I would instantly think of a list of things that I needed to do but then I’d stop myself and think, no Jenna your beautiful baby boy is asleep in your arms, your girls are playing happily just stay right where you are. And I would. I would sit there and stare at him so peaceful, so beautiful, and so perfect.
Even now he is 19 months old, still obsessed with boobie milk no sign of giving it up and I have tried and failed multiple times. Still so perfect, so beautiful. So when he does want to come and cuddle or comes for a feed and falls asleep on me, even though my mind would go to the list of things that needed doing I would remind myself those things can wait, enjoy this moment. And I do I sit there and stare at him watching him sleeping breathing so peaceful so innocent.
So stop adding to that mental list of housework and things you need to do they can wait. Your babies won’t stay babies forever. Enjoy them now while they still want to cuddle mummy and sleep in your arms.
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