I am a new Mum. Well, newish, my daughter is five months and one week old exactly, so I guess as I will be her mother for the next sixty(ish) years, five months is the tip of the iceberg.
So, yeah, I am a new Mum.
But I am not going to be the one giving the advice today, Katharine is.
And she can be quite stern... already.
1. Get Some Fresh Air - Even if you are just stood on the doorstep, breathe. If you are anything like my mother you will find that you go through an entire day without even stepping foot out of the front door. Don't do it! Recycled air makes you grumpy, which makes me (your baby) grumpy and that won't work for anyone!
2. Stop Spending - You are going to see soooo many cute outfits, little t-shirts, shoes and socks, baby jeans which make you go awwww but stop! In the name of reason and a healthy bank balance stop! Babies are going to grow out of anything you buy in about two weeks, trust me, growing is what we do, it's our speciality. :)
3. Brush Your Hair - So simple yet so important. Your baby will not want to get its first impressions of the matriarch looking like a scarecrow. But at the same time you are going to be feeling gross, you will be feeling hot, sticky, tired and well, like I said... gross. Brushing your hair will make you feel, bizarrely, so much better! It is freaky but taking two minutes to comb your locks will rejuvenate you from feeling like a limp rag to a slightly less limp rag. :)
4. I Might Just Wanna Scream - You have fed me, changed me, hugged me, cooled me, warmed me, napped me and still I scream. Unless there are obvious signs that I am ill or lacking something then trust me I just want to make some noise. Imagine being surrounded by giants who don't have a clue what you are on about, insist on talking to you in exaggerated high pitched tones, strip you naked just because you have done a wee and give you nasty white froth for every meal... yeah you'd wail a bit too!
5. Big Bag Of Stuff - You don't need to take the entire house with you when you take me out. A bum change, an accident clothing change and maybe something to eat. That's it. To start with, like my mother, you will take bags and boxes of nonsense with you, but never fear, practice makes for a perfectly packed baby bag.
6. Time Out - For sanity's sake try and get some time out. While the baby sleeps try not to think about the washing and cleaning that needs to be done, or the meals that need to be cooked or... you get the picture. Try and sit and relax, have a breather, a cup of coffee, a nap, anything that is just for you and you alone. Sometimes new mums get overwhelmed and the woman that preceded the new mum status is lost. Find her, sooth her, you might need her again some day.
And one last thing, as you are probably reading this with one eye on the screen and one eye on the washing machine...
7. Day Time TV - AVOID IT!!! It will warp your mind.
:) xx
It took me a while to figure out #5. Now, with baby #3, I literally throw a diaper and an extra binky into my purse and run out the door. I don't have enough arms or shopping cart space to tote the kids AND a huge diaper bag!
ReplyDeleteGreat advice!
I'm not sure which piece of advice I like better. As a mom of 4, ages 2- 23 years I found all the advice you gave to be helpful once I learned them for myself. Wish I'd figured it out around month 5 of the first kid. great post.
ReplyDeletehi from MK's
Yes, definitely stop spending!! It's hard because all the outfits are super cute, but the baby does grow out of them quick!
ReplyDeleteAnd I agree with brushing your hair. I never understand when I hear mothers say they never have time to shower. Really? I always made time.
Great tips!