Having a newborn is certain life-changing, and your life will never be the same again. You’re responsibilities and priorities have changed, and you now have to look after a human that cannot function with 24-hour support - pretty much. Navigating the world as a new parent can be terrifying, but if you’re well equipped with the knowledge, it can make it a little bit easier. Here are ten things to know when you have a newborn.

Don’t Expect A Lot Of Communication

When it comes to newborn babies, they’re not going to be the biggest talkers. Unless your baby has the mental capacity to come out of the womb talking Shakespeare, you’ll be lucky to get a gurgle of noise that’s not screaming. Communication is going to be very sparse in the first few months, and this is important to note because humans need to socialize. As you have a newborn, as much as you should spend time together alone, you also need time with others who can hold and engage in a conversation. Invite friends around or have a night in with a family member or your partner where you talk. It could be about anything or everything just as long as you’re communicating.

As much as having a newborn is a wonderful thing, it can get quite lonely. There are groups that you can join locally to you that have new mummies and parents who will be in the same boat as you. This is a good way of socializing too and speaking to people who are going through the same thing as you.

Being Fearful Of Feeding Enough

With no communication, you have no idea initially as to what the baby is thinking. They can’t tell you that they’re starving or that they’ve pooped or wet themselves. As a parent, you need to figure this out for yourself and to also recognize the signs that your baby needs your attention. Particularly the most important being the feeding. You’ll likely feel fearful over how much you’re feeding your baby and whether it’s enough or too much. Your baby will always want to feed, and when you initially get your baby weighed in the regular meet-ups with your midwife or doctor, they’ll be able to let you know if they’re an ideal weight. They may suggest including more feeding times or just a higher volume of milk than what’s already been given. There may be a point where you’re overfeeding, and it needs to be cut back on. There’s a balance to it, and it’s not something that you’re going to get straight away. As long as your baby is digesting the milk, that’s the important thing.

Stock Up On Supplies

Newborns get through a lot of supplies, and it can sometimes feel like you are going to war with the number of extra diapers, dummies and bibs you go through. You can never really buy enough supplies like this and if your friends are asking you what to get you as a baby shower gift beforehand, ask them to send you bouquets of diapers. These might not necessarily last longer than flowers, but they will certainly be more useful to you and your newborn. Ensure you’ve got a set up of supplies all over the home, particularly in the baby’s bedroom and in the main living area. That way, you don’t need to go walking back and forth, up and down the stairs of your home. Everything is a little easier when it’s right there in front of you. Read this Baby Checklist: The Complete Shopping Guide For New Parents to get some ideas of what you’ll need plenty of!

You Don’t Need To Stay Indoors All The Time

There’s a fear for many new parents that the outside world for a newborn is a danger zone for them. Yes, it’s true that their bodies and the immune system won’t be anywhere near as developed and protected as older children and adults are, but that doesn’t mean you need to become a hermit. A walk in the park is safe enough, and as long as you’re keeping them wrapped up warm in cold weather and protected from guests or strangers with a common cold, you’ll be fine. Get yourself out of the house every once in a while so that you don’t experience cabin fever.

You’ll Be Sleep Deprived For A While

There are so many benefits and positives that come with having a newborn. One of the negatives that a lot of parents don’t appreciate is the lack of sleep you will get. As newborns are confused a lot of the time and they’re struggling to understand why someone would take them from a nice, warm and dark place and thrust them into this unfamiliar and terrifying new world. Sleep deprivation is apparently like being drunk all the time, and although that may sound somewhat fun, it probably loses it’s allure very quickly. The best thing to do is to rest when your baby is sleeping. Try to avoid doing anything too energetic and take the opportunity to get a little shut-eye when possible.

Work Together With Your Partner

You may not be in the position where you have a partner that’s around, but if you do, then it’s important that you work together as a team. You’re likely to be in the same boat as each other, just as confused and lost and that’s ok. Working together to find that balance and that understanding of who is doing what is essential. It makes it so much easier if the workload of looking after the newborn is split in half. It means you can balance out the moments where you’re feeling so exhausted. You have your partner to lean on for both physical and emotional support. Being a parent is tough, and so you need someone by your side who can offer you that love and support when needed.

It’ll Feel Like You Know Nothing

Talking of working together, being a parent is like learning a whole new set of skills for the first time. It’s much like being thrown into the deep end and having to tread water constantly. Every single parent in those group classes you go to or the forum you may look for answers on will have a different opinion or approach to a certain aspect of parenting. There are obviously right and wrong ways, but you don’t need to take everyone’s guidance in the same way. Find out what works for you and what doesn’t. Most of the time, it’ll feel like you know nothing. Only so much reading and researching before having the baby will help but putting it into practice is like a whole other ball game.

Breastfeeding Is Difficult

There’s a saying that ‘breast is best’, but not everyone is able to so breastfeeding successfully. There’s nothing wrong with that but sometimes breastfeeding is not so easy. It’s another process that you have to learn, and it’s not every day that something is latching on your breast and is trying to suck out milk. It may be quite painful to have it happening constantly, but there’s the battle between the pain and wanting to provide food for your baby as and when they need it. Don’t panic and don’t stress too much about it. If it happens naturally, that’s great, but if you’re going to need a little extra help with formulas, then that’s great too! Take it at your own pace and don’t forget to get in touch with your midwife or those who are supporting you medically to ask for guidance.

It’s Ok To Have A Break

As a new parent, it can be hard to bring yourself away from your baby. However, everyone needs a break from parenting at some point. Whether it’s a date night with your partner or a pamper night in where you soak in a bath, rather than standing up sleeping in a shower. Find a way of taking breaks away from your baby in order to focus on yourself and helping to get you back to a physically and emotionally healthy state.

Relish The Memories

And finally, don’t forget to relish in the memories you make with a newborn. Take lots of photos because there’s a high possibility that a lot of days will pass by in a blur because of how exhausting it all is. Appreciate the moments you do get, even if it’s at 3 am in the morning, trying to get your baby off to sleep. It’s all worth it in the end, and before you know it, there will be the toddler stage of their life creeping in before you know it.

With a newborn, it’s a challenge but a very rewarding one. Hopefully, these tips will help make the journey a little smoother and more manageable. Don’t be afraid and enjoy this new experience and chapter that is your adult life.

10 Things To Know When You Have A Newborn