Things I’ve Learned As a Mom To A Newborn
Visit Sarah Davis on Twitter @mummydaze
New Moms everywhere should check out Baby Daze , filled with humorous poems about early Motherhood
My experiences as a new mum inspired my debut book ‘Baby Daze.’ I wrote the poems quite spontaneously while up for the 3am breastfeeds and by the time my son was 8 months old I had 42 of them!
Here I share some of the most important things that I learnt as a mum to a newborn.
Nobody can prepare you for the intensity of your feelings towards your child.
‘The gripping of my finger with your tiny little hand’
‘The feelings and emotions only parents understand’
Motherhood is a massive learning curve. There are more ‘phases’ of development than you could ever imagine possible! Just as you get used to dealing with one phase they are on to the next!
Everyone has advice for new mums – and advice from friends and family is often conflicting! It’s obviously important to take advice from professionals, but you are the one there with the baby most of the time, so it’s also important for you to be able to trust your own instincts. In my poem ‘Health Visitors’ I shared what my health visitor told me:
‘Take on board all our advice
And all that we suggest
Then make your own decisions
And do what you think is best.’
Nobody comes to visit a tidy house – they come to see your baby and you. When your baby is napping use the time to rest and re-charge your batteries.
Babies rule! Learn to expect the unexpected.
‘Pram’s in boot
I’d better scoot
Where have I put my keys?’
‘I know well
That awful smell!
No! Not a nappy – please!’
Babies have a habit of making the most organized of parents late!
Support each other. Have couple time and me time – even if you can only manage it when your child is asleep. Non-essential chores can wait.
Take time to enjoy being with your child. They grow up so fast and you can’t get that time back.
No-one is a perfect parent! As a new mum, wanting to do the best you can for your child, it’s easy for you to try to compare yourself with others around you. Every child is different and we can only do our best. Others may seem to have it all together, but you’ll only be seeing snapshots of their lives not the whole picture. Trying to achieve perfection is exhausting and futile.
You can’t get all of the answers from a book. A parenting manual that fits everyone has yet to be written.
Go to Mum and Baby groups – even if the idea of getting out of the house seems too much of an effort it will be worth it.
Mums and Babies Group
‘My local Mums and Babies group
Helps to keep me sane.
With adult conversation
To stimulate my brain.
When I am feeling anxious
It helps to get me through
To hear that all the other mums
Have fears and worries too.
We talk about our babies
And get stuff off our chest
And reassure each other
We can only do our best.
We have a laugh and giggle
About the week we’ve had
Sharing our experience
The good things and the bad.
By the time our tea is finished
And we’ve put the world to rights
We’re re-energised to face
Another week of sleepless nights.’
Congratulations on your new baby!
‘Baby Daze’ is published by The Book Guild and is also available from high street bookshops and from Amazon.
