# Is it extremely hard to have and take care of a baby?



## Blue_star

I see the TV shows with the young moms and I have people tell me how hard it is.. Is it really that hard/exhausting 24/7 like people have made it seem?

I'm 22 expecting my first I have a room for the baby and a nice comfortable home in a very nice neighborhood ready for it, but that is only because of help from my grandparents which I will also be getting when the baby is born until I finish University.


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## MightyMom

As long as you realize it is a LOT of hard work and almost no sleep, you will be fine. You are taking care of another mess. And if your OH doesn't already clean up after himself, then you will be taking care of THAT mess as well. It can get overwhelming, but with help you will probably be just fine.


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## becstu

To be honest it can get hard at times! Having a helpful partner helps ALOT!! I thought the same when I was pregnant but when you become a mum you some how now what to do..I did anyway I think it comes natural maybe not to all but most.The best advice I could give is dont let things get to you take it day by day and just enjoy! some mums I know worry about every little thing or course you need to aware if anything is wrong but its ment to be a fun happy special time and if your stressed,worried or unhappy your baby will be too!! :)


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## mightyspu

It is by far the hardest thing I have ever done. But believe me it is the best. You will cope, somehow you just do. You will also make mistakes, but everybody does, it's how we learn. 

There is no shame in getting help from you Grandparents, in fact far from it, children should be brought up by more than one person, and you need a support network too. My son(s) have lots of adults in their lives who help out.

Good luck, it's going to be worth it!


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## M&S+Bump

Yes, it's extremely hard and definitely 24/7 unless you have a lot of help around you (if you do, take advantage!!)

I found it very difficult to adjust to how overwhelming it was in the early days, and that was with help - I'm a very solitary person by nature and it was really draining to be needed all the time. Even when Joe wasn't there, I still had to pump milk etc so it was never-ending. It does get better with time though, especially once they start sleeping a little more reliably. I had postnatal depression as well so I was having to cope with that as well as a difficult baby, which didn't help.

It also depends on the baby you have. Some babies are just EASY - laid back, hardly cry, easy to look after. Some are not (mine!) - when tiny he was frustrated because he couldn't go anywhere or do anything, and then when he started walking at 10 months he was going everywhere and doing everything and it's just non-stop. He's never been a baby you could just put in the bouncer chair and leave to amuse himself. He also had colic and cried non-stop for hours a day, slept badly and is just all round hard work! He's very cute though so I forgive him :haha:

I really didn't enjoy the early months (in fact, quite often don't enjoy the later months either) and I can't see what's supposed to be so fun about them like everyone tells you - it's just a non-stop round of poo, puke, feeding and crying (on both of our parts, in our case) on no sleep. But you survive! And it gets better! :) And then just as it gets easier and the baby starts sleeping through, the little voice inside your head suggests it'd be reaaaaallly GREAT to do it all over again!! :wacko:


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## courtneylynnd

I'm pregnant with my first but I know for a fact that it's the most difficult and rewarding job I will ever do. Make sure you have a good support system and you will be fine!


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## storm4mozza

I didnt find it as hard as people made out , even though i had help at the start i was well prepared and found it hard yet very very rewarding


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## courtneylynnd

You're not done parenting until you're dead, though. Once a parent, always a parent. Imagining having a teenager is scary to me lol.


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## Flowermommy

Haha, dont have to imagine - my eldest turned 13 the other week!!

It is a lot of hard work, and the list of things to do never seems to end, but its the greatest thing ive ever done. My children amaze me, make me belly laugh and the feeling of absolute pride every single day?? Fantastic!

I found going from no children to one was the hardest jump, and motherhood can be overwhelming but I wouldnt worry hun, we all feel like that at times.

Cant be that bad anyway, im on No.5 hehehe. xxxxx


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## courtneylynnd

My sister has five and her oldest is 13 in like a week. It's insane, you go girl.. that's some tough work!


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## Dahlia2007

I was 19 when I had my first. I was married a few months before, my husband and I lived in our own house, he had a stable job, and I was able to be a SAHM. I found my love for baby to keep me going and the fact that I had a stable life where I didn't have to worry about who would support us. I actually found it "smooth" being a mother. I wouldn't say it was hard. I would actually stay in bed til like 10 or 10:30 every day during the first few months, and I think that's the reason why I had it easy. I slept when baby slept, and when baby woke up I would change her diaper then nurse her back to sleep. It was this pattern until she would wake up at the 10:00 mark. THen we would start our day til DH came home from work. You will need your alone time to keep in touch with yourself, whether that means running up to the store by yourself to get some diapers, or a snack for yourself. It helps if you have a helpful partner. And if not, then a family member you can depend on. I am a firm believer that having a stable life before baby will enable you to have successful stable parenthood. 

Seems like your grandparents will be helping you out, which is wonderful.


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## LuluSS

courtneylynnd said:


> You're not done parenting until you're dead, though. Once a parent, always a parent. Imagining having a teenager is scary to me lol.

Ha! I am pregnant with my first but I have a stepson who turns 13 in November of this year. He already has that teenager attitude though. I have helped raise him since he was 5 and I have to say, so far age 12 is the hardest! 

My DH said babies are easy, wtf? So I am taking his word for it LOL.

So I can't say much about babies. But from ages 5-12, age 12 is horrible. Imagine someone you love and support and do everything for, only for them to talk back to you, disrespect you, and never listen! It really does break your heart and make you sad.


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## tiger

it is a 24 hour job and its very exhausting. in the first few weeks bub is probably going to be constantly attatched to you , especially if you are bf'ing.
i got very annoyed with everyone telling me how tired i was going to be . blah blah blah. i knew i was going to be sleep deprived , but the thing is, its one thing to know its going to happen and imagine it, but its a whole other thing experiencing that kind of sleep deprivation! its incredible, but you get up and you do what has to be done :)
my first was an awful sleeper, waking every 90min (his sleeping still sucks and hes just gone 2!), but my little girl is fantastic and can do up to 8 hrs .
all babies are different


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## courtneylynnd

LuluSS said:


> Imagine someone you love and support and do everything for, only for them to talk back to you, disrespect you, and never listen! It really does break your heart and make you sad.

Thats not good :(


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## Flowermommy

courtneylynnd said:


> My sister has five and her oldest is 13 in like a week. It's insane, you go girl.. that's some tough work!

Ahhh, she'll know how im feeling then - my baby girl all of a sudden seeming so grown up!! Its hard, but so worth it.

I think all teenagers go through that stage where they're annoyed at the world. Every so often my eldest will give me a roll of the eyes - like I know nothing but she'll humour me :haha: I think its all part of the growing up process. Its a tough job thats for sure, but I suppose great things are never easily accomplished :flower:


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## Housewife83

Three months down the line for me and I think that how hard it is, is a lot to do with your state of mind.

If you are prepared that things are going to change then it won't be such a massive shock. If you are prepared that things are going to change then it won't be so hard. If you don't have some disnefied sweetness and light delusion about motherhood then you won't feel disappointed.

If I could give you a few pieces of advice it would be these. 

Be flexible. Babies don't take well to rigid timetables and trying to fight against this can make you feel sad, just accept that your day can't always go to plan.

Try to get up and get dressed by a decent hour every day. Put on a little make up if you are used to wearing it. It makes a big difference to your head.

Try to do a little house work everyday and you will feel better for not letting things get on top of you.

Don't feel bad for feeling scared. It is scary.

Get all the help from Grandparents that you can. To be honest once your baby is born you will be lucky to get between the baby and doting Grandparents anyway.

Finally being a Mummy is ten times more amazing then it is difficult. You will be wonderfull.


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## fifi-folle

I knew it would be both a joy and hard work but I don't think I was prepared for just how hard it would be. But it does depend on your baby, what the delivery was like, what support you have (none in my case other than dh who is out anyway Mon-Fri 7am-7pm) and a million other variables! When you get smiles and giggles it's lovely :)


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## aliss

Different stages are harder and easier and it depends on the child. My son was a very very very difficult baby but I find having a toddler much easier (many parents, particularly with 'easygoing/sleepy' young babies find the opposite). I don't have a teen yet but I imagine it might be the same, if you have a particularly difficult/rebellious teen then oh my :(


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## fidgets mammy

i found that it wasnt the being a mum that was hard it was everything else to go with it-housework, work, cooking, shopping, being a wife etc. put it all together and yeh its hard but its so worth it!!!

my advice would be to not be hard on yrself-thats one thing ive learnt. last time i was adament everything would run perfect, id look fab, house would be immaculate, id be a doting wife with tea on table, finn would sleep through, he wouldnt eat jars. i could go on. well yes most of that did happen but i ran myself into the ground trying to do it. this time i know that if theres a pile of dishes they can wait, hubby can make his own tea, and if needs be the girls will eat a jar. some things just arent worth the extra agro. finn didnt sleep through til he was 3 and at 5 still sometimes wakes so ive bn very tired for 5yrs. 
also i let hubby get away with murder-he didnt do night feeds, make meals etc-well this time he is in for a shock. ill have two newborns and a 5yr old so if he thinks hes sitting back and thinking of england hes highly mistaken.

but seriously u could be having a really shit day, then you pick yr baby up and it gives u the biggest smile ever and all yr tiredness goes. priceless!!


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## bubbles123

No one can tell you how hard it is to have a young baby. It is exhausting, never ending and stressful. It's the sleep deprivation that gets you and that's what can reduce your ability to cope. People tell you but you have no idea until you are having to get by on 4 hours sleep a day and you start to think you're going a bit mad. However, gradually it gets better, they sleep longer, you start to feel like you again and you start to forget the bad times. And one day they just smile at you and your heart melts...After all if it was that bad then we would all only have one!


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## InVivoVeritas

Having a new baby can be hard, but you're so wrapped up in it that you don't even realise it at the time.

Like another poster said, the baby part is fine, it's everything else -- cooking, housework, actually getting dressed in the morning -- that's stressful and difficult to fit in.

My advice is to do what you can, have DH pull his weight, and let the rest go until you can get to it. If you can sleep when the baby sleeps then life will be so much brighter and easier.


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## courtneylynnd

Flowermommy said:


> courtneylynnd said:
> 
> 
> My sister has five and her oldest is 13 in like a week. It's insane, you go girl.. that's some tough work!
> 
> Ahhh, she'll know how im feeling then - my baby girl all of a sudden seeming so grown up!! Its hard, but so worth it.
> 
> I think all teenagers go through that stage where they're annoyed at the world. Every so often my eldest will give me a roll of the eyes - like I know nothing but she'll humour me :haha: I think its all part of the growing up process. Its a tough job thats for sure, but I suppose great things are never easily accomplished :flower:Click to expand...

Aw well at least you handle it well :p My son rolls his eyes at me as a teen and he's gonna get popped upside the head lol.


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## overcomer79

I didn't find it so difficult, but I already suffer from chronic insomnia so the no sleep wasn't an issue for me. My husband helped out a lot with my son and will be able to take some leave with me to help with both.

I didn't find one to be a struggle...I'm worried about adding another one LOL.


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## Terangela

I think how hard/easy things are depend on the individual. It all depends on how you are maturity wise. I think some 22 year olds should not be having babies and others are way more mature. Parenting is hard work, rewarding work though. Keep in mind babies grow up and how do you want your child to be as an adult. Remember character traits you admire in people and parent in a way that fosters those characteristics. I have 3 and #4 on the way. Parenting can be tiring and frustrating, but man do I love my kids and the people they are becoming! Just remember not to sweat the small stuff and to breath out your frustration, admit to your kids when you make a mistake and always strive to do your best. Age is just a number. Some 22 year olds are more mature than some 72 year olds.


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## BabyDash619

OP i have to say, our girl is 4 months old and so far it has NOT been as hard as i imagined it would be! granted i don't have a colicky baby, i'm sure i'd be having much more difficulty if i did.

but really, it's been awesome! of course there are hard moments but it's beyond worth it.


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## tmmommy07

I think I was extremely fortunate with my son. He will be 5 this August and he has been absolutely perfect (aside from having pneumonia 6 times, strep throat twice, and food allergies - those times are a little rough to deal with especially when your 5 month old is laying in an oxygen tent or can't breath because he ate something as simple as a blueberry)!

But all in all, my son has been an absolute joy! No fussiness, very easygoing, very calm boy!


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## daddiesgift

Um..yes :haha:. I always knew it was going to be hard but there was times especially the first two months that I could not believe how hard it actually was. My son woke up every two hours for 6 weeks straight, all day all night. So he would wake up at 2am, eat, get changed, sleep back up at 4am..so not even sleeping full two hours. Breastfeeding was the most painful, depressing thing for ME. I had to stop after a month to save my health and sanity. Then there was those days if you put him down he screamed the whole time. I was constantly covered, in poo, pee, tears, throw up. My friend came over to help and literally combed my hair for me I just could not find the time to do it. 

Of course while pregnant I thought that since I was some cool and calm my child had to be! My child would know me and would just be perfect! And though he is, there was many times I cried as much as he did cause I was so exhausted.


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## NuKe

yes. it's very hard. especially the first few months. make sure you've got a good support network (not just for help with baby, for you as well) and look into mums and tots groups in your area to make new mummy friends! there are times when i thought "wtf did i do? i cant do this!" but it is sooooooooooooooooo worth it.


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## Samiam03

My son was very laid back, slept a lot, and wasn't mobile until 13 months so the first year for me was a breeze. Now that he is coming up on his twos, I see why they call these years "terrible". He runs everywhere, has selective hearing, never wants to sleep, throws tantrums, ect. Enjoy the first year because the second one really tests your patience! Lol but I wouldn't trade my son for anything. You somehow just et used to it and learn how to manage in chaos.:coffee:


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## chubbin

With both giving birth and the first year, it depends on luck, support networks and your baby really. You might have an easy time, or a difficult time.
If you can prepare for the worst (which is what you are doing by posting threads like this) then at least you wont have trauma to deal with if you are unlucky.
Stay flexible, follow your own internal guidebook, be willing to change, know that it will pass :)
Good luck hun, no matter how hard it is, you'll love it too xx


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## beth_terri

Looking after a baby seems hard when you first do it, but when that baby is a demanding, independant monster 2 year old, you'll think looking after a baby is easy peasy lol xx


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## LittlePeople

It is hard work being a mummy...but its not impossible! as long as you prepare yourself for it to be tough and tiring at the beginning, you'll be fine! It is SO worth all the sleepless nights and bags under your eyes! :flower:

PS. I'm 21 and pregnant with my 2nd!


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## beth_terri

LittlePeople said:


> It is hard work being a mummy...but its not impossible! as long as you prepare yourself for it to be tough and tiring at the beginning, you'll be fine! It is SO worth all the sleepless nights and bags under your eyes! :flower:
> 
> PS. I'm 21 and pregnant with my 2nd!

I'm 20 pregnant with number 2 :) x


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## aliss

I find my 2 year old a million times easier :rofl: I remember once someone told me "oh, just you wait until they are a toddler!" and I thought "well how can this get harder, he sleeps 2 hours a day and cries 20!!!) :rofl:

I guess that falls back to what kind of baby you have. A nightmare colic baby makes a toddler seem like cake.


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## MrsEngland

Yeah not gunna lie its the hardest most exhausting thing I've ever done, but I'm pregnant again and can't wait for this one to arrive so that shows you how rewarding it is! I wouldn't change it for the world. The more support you have the better!


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## Fuzzball77

I had my first at 28 and all the women at work were 'regaling' me with horror stories about how I'd never even get a chance to wash my hair, take a shower, scratch myself pretty much. So I was expecting the absolute worst and as a result was pleasantly surprised at how I actually got to take a shower everyday and didn't need to hack off my hair. The sleeplessness i.e. no more than 3 hours straight for the first several months wasn't too bad as I just adapted. But then I was able to stay home and not do anything else and my husband helped a lot when he got home from work. If you have the right support in your family as it sounds like you do then you will manage. I went to university with a teen girl who had a baby boy 7 months and she managed to hold down her degree plus have a p/t job at the bank. Sometimes she'd bring her little guy into group meetings for assignments at uni and it was fine. So it can be done, just be grateful for all the help you receive and show that to the ones who help you - they will be your angels in all this :)


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## KELLYBD

Hi
I have twins who are now 8 months and when I say hardwork hmmmmm yea it has been at certain times and at others it's been ok. When they were about 2-3 months it was ok as it was mainly nappy change, feed, they sleep 4 hours, nappy change, feed, sleep.............. BUT then my girl developed colic and OMG it was horrendous. It took from tea time till 1am some nights to get her to sleep, luckily I had Mum and Dad on hand as OH works night's. I was really scared at first as she wouldn't stop crying and I didn't know what was wrong, but there is always ways of dealing with issues, new bottles, baby Gaviscon and it was alot better :) 

Yes it's hard but it is also extremely rewarding :) you will honestly get used to functioning on 4 hours sleep, believe me I coped and my 4 hours were broken as the twins woke at different times to each other all night long, but you WILL cope. It all kinda falls into place after the first week or so, your inbuilt "mummy chip" takes over and even though you are tired you still seem to keep it together. Believe me I was THE MOST unmaternal woman, no one believed I'd ever have kids and to be honest I was happy having my career, I never got broody and it never bothered me I might not have kids, but then it happened, and I can say it's the best achievement in my life. 

The rewards of seeing your little one developing a personality, reaching out for Mummy, snuggling into you when they are crying is priceless and there is no better feeling. I'm pregnant again and the twins aren't even one yet, and yes I am scared about how I am going to cope, it's the sleep deprevation that is killer, but I look at it like this.....women get given quads and they still manage so you are built to cope with what nature gives you :)

I'm sure you'll e a great Mum, just make sure you rest when you can, even if that is on the sofa for half an hour whilst little one is having a nap, just get your feet up and make sure do it! :) All the best for a happy and healthy pregnancy xx


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## cassarita

Having one baby is easy. I slept when he slept so I wasn't even that sleep deprived. I am super nervous for having number 2. My son is 5 and he will only be in school 3 times a week. I am super nervous. Hopefully this baby is easy


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## Jinnah

I love babies and have wanted to have them since I was little. I do not think it is difficult. For me, it's just tiring in the early days. I feel like babies and toddler are fun and easy. It's when they get older that they become more difficult. :)


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## lhancock90

Its the biggest, hardest, scariest thing in the entire world.
But you'll be so in love with the baby you will barely notice or care. :)


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## hapi2bhealthy

This is a good thread :thumbup:

I am pg with my first, but in saying that have also had so much experience with newborns, babies and toddlers by being a nanny full time for quite a while. Yes, I have dressed, changed, bathed, bottle fed, settled, wrapped and snuggled a newborn...but NOT on no sleep! 

One of my friends who is also a nanny still, she has an 18 month old and confessed to me when he was still a baby- "Honestly, being a nanny made it SO MUCH EASIER than what everyone told me it would be. Yeh you miss sleep but it's so not that bad, I barely even needed any more help than my partner. I knew how to do everything and I didn't panic when he got a little rash or cried for no reason because I knew that's what they do!" 

I am crossing my fingers and toes that my baby is as laid back as hers was...:wacko: 

I think the hard part seems to be that it's quite shocking how full on parenting is- that you can't sit down for a coffee when you feel like it, you can't press the pause button when you need a rest, and you hold most conversations in stilted sentences because little Johnny is putting spaghetti up his nose while his newborn sister Rose has just done an explosive poop that is all the way up her back and soaking through her onesie...:dohh: But people let that scare them...in reality I don't *think* it needs to be feared. Lots of mums find the time every day to shower, to eat, to sit and watch tv for 20 mins while baby naps...you don't have the amount of self-time you had before baby but you adjust. If baby is crying for hours, you can put them down for a few mins in a safe spot to give yourself a break before going back to them. If the toddler is demanding your attention, you can teach them to wait a small amount of time until you finish wiping the benches/cooking the rice etc. 

I don't know maybe I'll eat my words :shrug: but I know many parents who haven't found the experience overwhelming and terribly hard, so I'm looking forward to the journey!:flower:


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## lily24

Its what YOU make of it
These 'Reality' Teen Mum crappy programmes REALLY bug me
Portraying ALL 'teen' mums as bad mums and also making parenthood look at right shambles.:wacko:

Yeah, its hard work, but life is hard work most of the time.
Getting into a routine is key.

I had my son at 19 and im expecting number two at the moment.

I had and still have a great job, as does DH, our own home, car and we are very happy with famly life, infact, never have i looked back nor so i regret anything. So not all young mums cant cope or are unhappy being parents, planner or not.

Remember, you are bringing your child up therefore you can make it hard for yourself or you can bring them up to show you respect and be manerly.

Just take it as it comes :flower:


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## lily24

MightyMom said:


> As long as you realize it is a LOT of hard work and almost no sleep, you will be fine. You are taking care of another mess. And if your OH doesn't already clean up after himself, then you will be taking care of THAT mess as well. It can get overwhelming, but with help you will probably be just fine.

Good point, but just like to add that its sometimes not all about lack of sleep ither as alot of parents to be are lead to belive.

My son slept through the night from 6 weeks old and touch wood he is nearly 4 and has ALWAYS been a fantastic sleeper, so dont let that frighten you ither. your baby might be a fantastic sleeper.


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## DukesAngel

The first two weeks are HORRIBLE with parenting. I remember being pissed because I was on night 7 or 8 of lukewarm "dinner". For about 6 weeks just sitting down and thinking about myself wasn't happening. 

But it gets better. Sleep gets better. Life gets better. The best suggestion I can make is just go with the flow. The only schedule you will follow is your child's. Just let it happen.


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## chasemanzmum

Blue_star said:


> I see the TV shows with the young moms and I have people tell me how hard it is.. Is it really that hard/exhausting 24/7 like people have made it seem?
> 
> I'm 22 expecting my first I have a room for the baby and a nice comfortable home in a very nice neighborhood ready for it, but that is only because of help from my grandparents which I will also be getting when the baby is born until I finish University.

It all depends on the pregnancy/labor/delivery and the baby his/herself. I won't say it will be the hardest or the easiest thing you'll ever do. But certainly the most rewarding. Especially when the LO gets bigger and learns to speak. My favorite part is when my DD takes my face in her hands. Gives me the sweetest most serious look then says, "mommy, I love you". There are easy and hard things about being a mom. Just when your gut tells you something isn't right (be it about anything). Talk to a doctor about it.


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## MeanKitty23

My husband had a son January 2, 2012. Yes, THIS year. In short, he split with his ex gf and she found out she was pregnant with his baby. The girl didn't even want the baby (people find this difficult to believe), so we took him. I was in my first trimester (we got careless in November 2011 and I got pregnant... So now hubby is getting fixed soon so we won't be having more kiddies) with the worst morning sickness of all time. This was the ONLY baby I'd ever been around and the first night he was home from the hospital, I had no idea what to do with him. 

The only help involved with raising this newborn was myself, my husband (boyfriend at the time) and my husband's mother. That's it. I was still working a part-time job (about 20 hours a week), my husband was working a 50 hour a week job, and my mother-in-law just stays home. 

Complicated situation to say the least, but the three of us were gonna take care of this baby one way or another. It's been a blessing to have my mother-in-law nearby to help babysit. For the first week, she had to come over once so I could just sleep. The baby was up every 2-3 hours to eat. My husband had to rest for work, so I took those night shifts and some of the day shifts. 

There was even one night that the baby was unhappy, my husband and I didn't know WHY, we couldn't get ahold of my mother-in-law for help because she was taking a night off (she needed it) and after we finally got the baby to quiet down, he and I sat on the couch propped against one another and I said "This is hard." and he said "Yes. It is." 

Now, the baby boy is 5 months old and pretty independent. He sleeps throughout the full night, he eats about every 5 hours or so depending on his naps and he's just a happy baby. Most of our stress came from us not being familiar with kids and we were scared that if we didn't answer to the baby's every scream, he'd die.

I did quit my job to stay at home with the baby. But me being pregnant was extremely uncomfortable as it was and the newborn being up all throughout the night was just too stressful for me. I miss working, but it was for the best. I wasn't making enough to bother with the major discomfort. 

Babies are needy. No doubt. But they're pretty durable. If you set a schedule for baby, you can get em on that schedule pretty fast and it makes your life so much easier.


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## 2016

I thought it would be hard, but I found it (and still do find it) MUCH harder than anyone told me or I could ever have imagined! Maybe I am doing something wrong? My partner does help and his family are around for support too sometimes but, at the end of the day, I am Mum and the buck stops with me.
Think it probably doesn't help that my son has always been high needs - wouldn't be put down as a babe, severe reflux, 2 episodes of infant apnea landing him in hospital, then went on nursing strike, still is a fussy eater, still wakes 2-5 times a night.

HOWEVER, even though I usually feel like the crappest mum in the world, I wouldn't change him for anything. With his tricky times comes such intelligence, cheekiness and more rewards than I could count. :cloud9:


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## verona

Personally I found the first few years relatively easy, Joel was a happy content baby though. He had colic and reflux but once he had his meds things were fine. I actually find having a 4year old a lot harder!


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## Seity

The first year for me was horrible. I wouldn't have survived if my husband hadn't been super helpful. My LO woke every 1-2 hours that entire first year!!! I was working full time from when he was 2 months as well. 
I developed PTSD from the sleep deprivation and honestly would not be pregnant again if my husband had gotten the snip like I'd requested. (He's getting it now)
I've accepted that someone up there has a cruel sense of humor and pray that they're trying to make it up to me this time around with a baby that actually sleeps. (My current child still doesn't sleep the night)


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## atemaui

Thank you for all your tips. It kind of eased my anxiety towards parenting. I am expecting my first baby soon.


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## xlilkax

I hated that everyone said to me 'looking after a baby is hard work, you'll get no sleep, you'll constantly worry, you'll have no time for yourself, your social life will suffer, you'll have trouble making ends meet'. Yeh, it kind of panicked me. But almost a year on I can tell you it is not as hard as everyone makes out.

You just need to spend some time getting to know your baby. Learn their different cries, try and get them in some sort of routine from the start (yes it is possible). As for money, well, a baby is as expensive or as cheap as you want them to be. Most people buy stuff that's not necessary. 

I work part time, I'm at uni, my son is 10 months old and I still manage to find time to go out do zumba and go out for date night with my husband. I have my days where it all gets a bit much when my son is ill and I have an essay due in and I think AHHHH HOW AM I GOING TO COPE. But majority of the time it is absolutely fine.

Good luck. :)


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## pinklightbulb

One, for me, wasn't too bad.
Two has been an eye-opener!
I won't be going for #3, but that's 'cause I had c-sections and don't want another.
In short, parenting is everything you never knew you were capable of, and then some!


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