Parenting (Grand-parenting and child-minding included) Can be hard. I love being a mum but there are a few things I wish I’d known in advance, so I’m sharing them to help all the new parents out there not to freak out (…and all the experienced parents can have a good laugh at the memories!)
- Due dates are a myth! Be ready early and prepared to be late… I spent the last 10 days of my pregnancy in Blockbuster (remember them? A world pre-Netflix!) renting soppy films and buying popcorn.
- Babies drink approximately half an ounce of milk for every pound they way at any given feed! So if you have a nearly 10lb baby, those little newborn bottles ain’t gonna cut it! (Teenager was 9lb 13.5oz if you were wondering)
- Nappies can be scary: (You may want to put that choccie biscuit down while reading this one!) Most expectant parents have been warned about the first ‘tar’ after birth, what they don’t tell you is that it can happen again if they are ill or change foods etc! Also at some point there will be leakage, sorry but there will. Which brings me to……
- Trust your instincts! As a new parent you spend a lot of time doubting and second-guessing. If you think you might need extra clothes/nappies then pack them….you’ll regret it if you don’t! Also, Miss was poorly once and I took her to a young doctor who said was just a virus and asked if I was feeling overly worried/depressed (!?!) I persisted and took her to head Pediatrician and he said it was a nasty chest infection and gave her antibiotics. Trusting instincts doesn’t stop with babies either, still using them!
- College/University is expensive: (Just looking at what teenager’s choice of profession is going to cost…) We are starting to concentrate our saving now as we are debt free and want her to not leave Uni £50k in debt…. should’ve started saving more earlier on!
- Fun and Occasions don’t have to be pricey: You may want to throw a huge birthday party, but be realistic and budget for what you can. They don’t have to do every club going either (See 10 Cheap or Free Ways to Entertain the Kiddos! )
- Parenting can be scary, but it’s great fun! You may be worried about nutrition when your kid refuses anything but yogurt…or hygiene when they’ll only wear their fave dressing-up out fit (for a month!) but they will make you laugh and you’ll go and do things you’d never do as an adult, like get on a springy animal at the park or carry a baby-doll around the supermarket or watch their faces at Christmas or the fairground…….. it’s magical and sometimes crazy; embrace all of it!
I hope that helps prepare the newbies out there and has given the more experienced among you a reason to smile 🙂 What is your advice for new parents?
Have a lovely Thursday peeps! x
A Peace of Life 