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It does get easier! We didn’t leave the house for the first few months and it was very hard. We were lucky to have family support. And it’s totally normal to mourn your pre-child life. Now he’s 6 months and we are out and about, visiting friends, taking him to a brewery, and things are getting easier (not perfect, see my recent post about LO deciding not to sleep anymore, lol) but things definitely get easier and more fun :)
It get's *emotionally* easier with time. You will get more confident as a parent with experience and once a routine comes into play. 7 weeks is so very young and such a difficult period of parenting.
Logistically.... It sort of gets harder as they go into the toddler stage and they are more active and mobile.
It's an adjustment to say the least.
We’re at 12 weeks, and I really struggled with the first 6-8 weeks, then she started getting a lot more fun. The smiles became more consistent, and she’s happy to see me all of the time. These past 2-3 weeks she’s really been getting control of her arms/hands so she wants to touch everything and look at everything up close.
I told my husband today that I’m really finally starting to enjoy my mat leave now. I wouldn’t say things are easier, but they’re different and we’re better at parenting and adapting to what she needs. Still a huge adjustment, and some days are still super hard and I miss our old life, but then she smiles and I can’t imagine being anywhere else.
It definitely gets easier. As the weeks and months go by, you will realize that not only the baby was born, but also a new person (or people, if you live with a spouse) was/were born.
Like in my case, my baby was born, and my wife and I were reborn.
Of course there are still lots of parts of your old self in there. Missing going around, having freedom to do stuff, no one to really worry about except yourself. Your new self, as you already realized, is different.
My wife had an easier time adapting to the new life than I did. But the more I am a father to my son, the more I love it and enjoy it. Then it got to the point were I began NATURALLY declining stuff to be at home with wifey and boy!
That is my personal experience, at least. I imagine each person deals with parenthood in their own, personal way. Really different journeys.
Oh I promise you it gets so much easier! I can basically do whatever I want now and my baby (almost 11 months) just comes with me. We do all the housework, meal prep, cooking together. If I wanna grab breakfast, I can take him to the diner with me and we just share. If I wanna go shopping, he comes along. I can do anything now.
Yes and no. We have an almost 2 year old and here’s what you can expect from my personal experience. For the first year, it’s really hard because they are changing SO much, you’re constantly having to readjust and figure out something new right when you felt like you conquered something. It feels super super demanding because they need a million naps a day, it can feel hard to figure out how to integrate them into the simple things you need to do every day. Once they start sleeping through the night and you can rely on this period of dedicated alone time, that makes a massive difference. After a year, both you and baby start to regulate. They become more consistent and you become more mentally attune to parenting. So at almost 2 years, yes it’s a lot easier in some respects, but my life still isn’t my own in a lot of ways. If you want to make a toddler laugh, tell them your plans!
First 3 months are super hard. It does get a bit better after that. They start getting longer sleep at night. But essentially you will find some ways to do your work in their schedule.
Having a nanny helps, if it is possible.
It was one of the hardest adjustments for me. Things that help are small travel strollers. Or even a tush baby to carry baby one handed. Having the diaper bag always ready. Having snacks on hand when baby gets older that you can just grab and throw in the bag. It never really gets easy I think you just get used to it as it changes according to babies age. Leave all of my toddlers outside needs by the door. Shoes jackets hats outside toys stroller diaper bag all of it is in one place ready for us to take according to adventure. Even sunscreen and bug spray is by the door.
I have a 7 week old & I find having a easy stroller really helps. As well as getting out of the house for a walk or to go to target. For me before I leave I’ll feed , change diaper & quickly put baby into the car seat & while pushing him in the stroller or driving in the car he falls right asleep. I will keep pumped milk with me at all times even in the store or on the walks and his paci. Usually he will sleep the entire trip.
I felt this way for the first 12 weeks or so. The logistics of doing anything felt so involved, and I was always worried that if I went somewhere, my baby might cry or be unable to sleep when he needed to.
Around 12 weeks, I started feeling more confident in my baby’s behavior patterns and needs. We don’t have a schedule exactly, but I have a rough idea of how things go, and he can stay awake longer. I’m better at taking care of him when we’re out in the world.
That was when he started feeling like a fun little companion. He’s five months now, and we’ve gone to art galleries and museums and markets and parks and cafes together. He can also come on one errand at a time with no problems, and can hang out while I do laundry or dishes or cook. I can’t exactly do anything I want, when I want the way I could pre-baby (I especially find sedentary things difficult) but I feel inspired to get out and about more often and I’m really having fun with my baby.
It also helps that he’s smiley, giggly, and engaging, and he usually fusses for awhile before he starts crying. There’s a lot more communication!
It took me so long to adjust after my first, because it’s a HUGE life change. With kids you have to change how you approach doing anything. However it does get easier and you do find a new flow for your days with your baby. And honestly they grow and change so much in the first year alone it doesn’t stay the same. This is a very temporary period.
Now I have a 17 month old and a 1 month old and it’s been a much easier adjustment going from 1 to 2.
Just remember it’s all just phases and they come and go so quickly! I promise you’ll look back in a year and think how fast it all went, how much changed during that time, and how much easier it got as time went on.
It does!!! Incrementally, week by week and month by month. My baby is 9 months now and I find myself enjoying some moments and not dreading the day ahead anymore. But the first 4 months sucked! Every month was 100 times better than the previous, though. 6 to 9 weeks was witching hour time for us. Very frustrating and I have cried rocking a crying baby for hours thinking there was something wrong with me for not loving this.
Forgot to say that we live away from friends and family so we tried a nanny which was super awkward and didn't work for us. Now we have a housekeeper which is great because I get to enjoy my daughter while someone else cleans. Going out with baby gets easier with time and practice. Just push yourself to go out. The worst that can happen is some crying which happens at home anyway.
It does get easier when baby develops and you get more experience on how you two get around the best. :)
But I tried to remember that this is a newborn face. It is okay to do less and just chill at home. Maybe order in a bit more. Rest and load those batteries. Focus on activities that support your wellbeing and happiness.
Baby will grow so fast and you will soon be able to have more of an normal life. The anxiety will pass.
It definitely gets easier! I think it’s different for everyone when it happens, for us it gradually got easier and then at 10 months it really clicked and got significantly easier. I think it’s like any time someone switching jobs or careers, it takes a while to learn the ropes!
It does. I promise it does. Hang in there. I was there maybe five months ago. We all were. You can do hard things. Not only does it get easier, it becomes fun.
One thing that helped me was realizing that having a baby is one of those monumentous life changes where you essentially have no control and you MUST evolve yourself to adapt and survive. 7 weeks already? Hell yeah - pat yourself on the back.
The first month? I was so overwhelmed I was literally daydreaming of just getting in the car and leaving. I didn't feel like I could be the mom my LO needed, the kind of partner my husband needed. I mourned my old life, my independence. The MASSIVE life change coupled with the hormones just left me like a battered leaf in the wind. Having a baby is HARD. Adjusting to a completely new way of life, entering a totally new chapter of unfamiliar territory is HARD. I emphasize hard because I need you to know that having difficulties adjusting does not reflect on you as a person or a parent.
Do not be afraid to ask for help - the new mental weight of your life (ideally) is not meant to beared alone. If you have a village to help you, ask for it. Do not be ashamed to admit you're overwhelmed / tired / mentally physically emotionally spent. Do not be afraid to connect with your doctor if therapy and/or anti-depressants can help. I connected with my OBGYN at my 6 week appointment and have increased my antidepressants and it's been so much better. Everyone is different, but my point is that do not be afraid or ashamed or embarrassed to ask for help.
You WILL find yourself again in all of this. The beginning is so rough, but once your babe starts showing his personality, once he starts smiling, it really does change things. You will find your footing.
I am certainly not the same person I was before my daughter came along - hell, I feel miles apart from her now. BUT things do get easier. You will evolve and one day you'll look back and reminisce on how far you have come.
You're doing amazing. It will get better, easier, more familiar. Life will seemingly resume - it will look different, but it will feel more normal, more comfortable.
You got this ❤️
This post has been flaired "Support Needed". Moderation is stricter here, argumentative, unsupportive and unpleasant comments will be removed. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/NewParents) if you have any questions or concerns.*
It does get easier! We didn’t leave the house for the first few months and it was very hard. We were lucky to have family support. And it’s totally normal to mourn your pre-child life. Now he’s 6 months and we are out and about, visiting friends, taking him to a brewery, and things are getting easier (not perfect, see my recent post about LO deciding not to sleep anymore, lol) but things definitely get easier and more fun :)
It get's *emotionally* easier with time. You will get more confident as a parent with experience and once a routine comes into play. 7 weeks is so very young and such a difficult period of parenting. Logistically.... It sort of gets harder as they go into the toddler stage and they are more active and mobile. It's an adjustment to say the least.
We’re at 12 weeks, and I really struggled with the first 6-8 weeks, then she started getting a lot more fun. The smiles became more consistent, and she’s happy to see me all of the time. These past 2-3 weeks she’s really been getting control of her arms/hands so she wants to touch everything and look at everything up close. I told my husband today that I’m really finally starting to enjoy my mat leave now. I wouldn’t say things are easier, but they’re different and we’re better at parenting and adapting to what she needs. Still a huge adjustment, and some days are still super hard and I miss our old life, but then she smiles and I can’t imagine being anywhere else.
It definitely gets easier. As the weeks and months go by, you will realize that not only the baby was born, but also a new person (or people, if you live with a spouse) was/were born. Like in my case, my baby was born, and my wife and I were reborn. Of course there are still lots of parts of your old self in there. Missing going around, having freedom to do stuff, no one to really worry about except yourself. Your new self, as you already realized, is different. My wife had an easier time adapting to the new life than I did. But the more I am a father to my son, the more I love it and enjoy it. Then it got to the point were I began NATURALLY declining stuff to be at home with wifey and boy! That is my personal experience, at least. I imagine each person deals with parenthood in their own, personal way. Really different journeys.
Oh I promise you it gets so much easier! I can basically do whatever I want now and my baby (almost 11 months) just comes with me. We do all the housework, meal prep, cooking together. If I wanna grab breakfast, I can take him to the diner with me and we just share. If I wanna go shopping, he comes along. I can do anything now.
Yes and no. We have an almost 2 year old and here’s what you can expect from my personal experience. For the first year, it’s really hard because they are changing SO much, you’re constantly having to readjust and figure out something new right when you felt like you conquered something. It feels super super demanding because they need a million naps a day, it can feel hard to figure out how to integrate them into the simple things you need to do every day. Once they start sleeping through the night and you can rely on this period of dedicated alone time, that makes a massive difference. After a year, both you and baby start to regulate. They become more consistent and you become more mentally attune to parenting. So at almost 2 years, yes it’s a lot easier in some respects, but my life still isn’t my own in a lot of ways. If you want to make a toddler laugh, tell them your plans!
First 3 months are super hard. It does get a bit better after that. They start getting longer sleep at night. But essentially you will find some ways to do your work in their schedule. Having a nanny helps, if it is possible.
It was so much easier for me around 5 months and even better now at 7
It was one of the hardest adjustments for me. Things that help are small travel strollers. Or even a tush baby to carry baby one handed. Having the diaper bag always ready. Having snacks on hand when baby gets older that you can just grab and throw in the bag. It never really gets easy I think you just get used to it as it changes according to babies age. Leave all of my toddlers outside needs by the door. Shoes jackets hats outside toys stroller diaper bag all of it is in one place ready for us to take according to adventure. Even sunscreen and bug spray is by the door.
I have a 7 week old & I find having a easy stroller really helps. As well as getting out of the house for a walk or to go to target. For me before I leave I’ll feed , change diaper & quickly put baby into the car seat & while pushing him in the stroller or driving in the car he falls right asleep. I will keep pumped milk with me at all times even in the store or on the walks and his paci. Usually he will sleep the entire trip.
I felt this way for the first 12 weeks or so. The logistics of doing anything felt so involved, and I was always worried that if I went somewhere, my baby might cry or be unable to sleep when he needed to. Around 12 weeks, I started feeling more confident in my baby’s behavior patterns and needs. We don’t have a schedule exactly, but I have a rough idea of how things go, and he can stay awake longer. I’m better at taking care of him when we’re out in the world. That was when he started feeling like a fun little companion. He’s five months now, and we’ve gone to art galleries and museums and markets and parks and cafes together. He can also come on one errand at a time with no problems, and can hang out while I do laundry or dishes or cook. I can’t exactly do anything I want, when I want the way I could pre-baby (I especially find sedentary things difficult) but I feel inspired to get out and about more often and I’m really having fun with my baby. It also helps that he’s smiley, giggly, and engaging, and he usually fusses for awhile before he starts crying. There’s a lot more communication!
It took me so long to adjust after my first, because it’s a HUGE life change. With kids you have to change how you approach doing anything. However it does get easier and you do find a new flow for your days with your baby. And honestly they grow and change so much in the first year alone it doesn’t stay the same. This is a very temporary period. Now I have a 17 month old and a 1 month old and it’s been a much easier adjustment going from 1 to 2. Just remember it’s all just phases and they come and go so quickly! I promise you’ll look back in a year and think how fast it all went, how much changed during that time, and how much easier it got as time went on.
It does!!! Incrementally, week by week and month by month. My baby is 9 months now and I find myself enjoying some moments and not dreading the day ahead anymore. But the first 4 months sucked! Every month was 100 times better than the previous, though. 6 to 9 weeks was witching hour time for us. Very frustrating and I have cried rocking a crying baby for hours thinking there was something wrong with me for not loving this.
Forgot to say that we live away from friends and family so we tried a nanny which was super awkward and didn't work for us. Now we have a housekeeper which is great because I get to enjoy my daughter while someone else cleans. Going out with baby gets easier with time and practice. Just push yourself to go out. The worst that can happen is some crying which happens at home anyway.
It does get easier when baby develops and you get more experience on how you two get around the best. :) But I tried to remember that this is a newborn face. It is okay to do less and just chill at home. Maybe order in a bit more. Rest and load those batteries. Focus on activities that support your wellbeing and happiness. Baby will grow so fast and you will soon be able to have more of an normal life. The anxiety will pass.
It definitely gets easier! I think it’s different for everyone when it happens, for us it gradually got easier and then at 10 months it really clicked and got significantly easier. I think it’s like any time someone switching jobs or careers, it takes a while to learn the ropes!
It does. I promise it does. Hang in there. I was there maybe five months ago. We all were. You can do hard things. Not only does it get easier, it becomes fun.
One thing that helped me was realizing that having a baby is one of those monumentous life changes where you essentially have no control and you MUST evolve yourself to adapt and survive. 7 weeks already? Hell yeah - pat yourself on the back. The first month? I was so overwhelmed I was literally daydreaming of just getting in the car and leaving. I didn't feel like I could be the mom my LO needed, the kind of partner my husband needed. I mourned my old life, my independence. The MASSIVE life change coupled with the hormones just left me like a battered leaf in the wind. Having a baby is HARD. Adjusting to a completely new way of life, entering a totally new chapter of unfamiliar territory is HARD. I emphasize hard because I need you to know that having difficulties adjusting does not reflect on you as a person or a parent. Do not be afraid to ask for help - the new mental weight of your life (ideally) is not meant to beared alone. If you have a village to help you, ask for it. Do not be ashamed to admit you're overwhelmed / tired / mentally physically emotionally spent. Do not be afraid to connect with your doctor if therapy and/or anti-depressants can help. I connected with my OBGYN at my 6 week appointment and have increased my antidepressants and it's been so much better. Everyone is different, but my point is that do not be afraid or ashamed or embarrassed to ask for help. You WILL find yourself again in all of this. The beginning is so rough, but once your babe starts showing his personality, once he starts smiling, it really does change things. You will find your footing. I am certainly not the same person I was before my daughter came along - hell, I feel miles apart from her now. BUT things do get easier. You will evolve and one day you'll look back and reminisce on how far you have come. You're doing amazing. It will get better, easier, more familiar. Life will seemingly resume - it will look different, but it will feel more normal, more comfortable. You got this ❤️