When you think about welcoming a little one into your home soon your heart flutters with excitement. You can’t wait to start building your life together and creating the perfect family you have always dreamed of. Whether you’re recently pregnant, about to pop or you have already welcomed the new joy into your life, all of these points will be hugely relevant to you. Whilst you’re still fighting to get a little bit of “me time” every day you realize that this will all change as soon as you have a newborn around. You are about to face huge roller coasters of emotion with your baby, so it’s time to get prepared for the journey. You are going to experience highs, lows and in between during your first few months of parenthood, some of which you might never have expected before. You might encounter some frustrations, worries, lack of sleep, but on a more positive note there will be true joy in your life. If you have never had a baby before then this is going to be one of the most rewarding times of your life. Enjoy the ride and be prepared to feel every possible emotion under the sun.

The Worries

The moment you bring your new baby home you are automatically going to be filled with doubts and worries about every little thing. You could be stressing about colic or wondering how to get rid of cradle cap; whatever dilemma you are facing it is almost certain that another mother has been through the same thing. Your baby needs to adjust to its new environment and it is no reflection on you as a parent. Seek medical advice if you are ever really worried about the health or safety of your little one.

The Sleep

Trust me, enjoy your sleep whilst you can, because you aren’t going to get any during your first year of parenthood. Your baby is going to need round the clock attention, constant feeding, nappy changes and cuddles during the night. If you like your sleep then this is going to be a huge shock to your system. Prepare for sleepless nights and frustrated moments when you just want to lay your head down and rest. If you have a supportive partner then you will soon find it easier over time.

The Mood Swings

When you have just had a baby your hormones are going to be all over the place. Your body has just been through a huge change so you are going to need to adjust to your new lifestyle quickly. Having such a huge switch in your life will cause havoc with your hormones, so try to practice calming techniques to keep yourself relaxed in the first few months.

The Confidence

When your baby has been home for a week or so your confidence will start to grow and you will soon get into the swing of being a parent. It is very normal to feel low in confidence straight away because you have never experienced anything like this before. Try and have a little faith in yourself because you will soon grow in self-assurance as time goes on. Your maternal instincts will soon take over and you will feel happy in your abilities.

The Happiness

You must never forget the positive aspects of having a baby, although it can seem pretty tough at the beginning there is a lifetime of happy moments to come. Imagine the first time your baby smiles, laughs or calls your name; it will feel like absolute magic. Prepare for some of the most joyful times in your entire lift when you welcome your newborn into the world.

The Love

You will never love another tiny human as much as you love your new baby, so prepare for your heart to burst with happiness and affection every single day. They say that you never truly know what it feels like to be a parent until you have your own child and you will soon find out how fulfilling it is to become one.

The Family Joy

Everybody in your family and your partner’s family is going to be overjoyed at the new addition to the family. You might have brothers or sisters who are becoming aunties or uncles for the first time or a mother who is now a grandma. It is as much of a special feeling for them as it is for you, so allow them to savour those moments with you.

The Memories

You have so many fabulous memories that are going to be made in the near future from birthdays to Christmases everything is going to feel that extra bit special this year. When you have a little one in your family there is more excitement surrounding these family festivities so embrace them and allow the whole family to enjoy them together as often as you can.

The Scares

You will have times where you start to feel scared for your child’s health or wellbeing; they might get a fever, a cough or something more serious. Every family goes through something similar so you should know that you’re not alone. As long as you have a good doctor on call that can give you advice when you need it, you will never need to feel scared or panicked about those health issues.

The Separation

The time might come one day when you have to go back to work and send your little one to a daycare or babysitter. When you have spent so long looking after the little treasure it can be very overwhelming to experience this for the first time. Make sure you only leave your baby with somebody you trust wholeheartedly and carry out all of the relevant legal checks. Do anything you need to do to put your mind at ease.

The Food

When your baby starts to wean onto solid food it can either be a winning battle or a nightmare. There will always be recommendations out there that you feel obliged to follow, but you have to listen to your gut and take the lead from your own child. There is no ‘perfect’ time to start with pureed vegetables and baby rice; you have to make sure the time.

The Housework

The pile up of laundry when you have baby is a real struggle. You will soon start to wonder how on earth a tiny little person can make such a huge mess; but it really will happen! If you can afford to get a cleaner then this might be a huge help to your family. If not, you should consider creating workable schedule with your other half so that you can stay on top of all the housework.

The Relationship Battles

You and your partner are bound to clash heads at some point in your first year of parenthood. You will be tired, cranky and overworked so everything won’t all be roses and rainbows. As long as you communicate with each other well and listen to what they have to say, you will be able to get over any small arguments.

The Money

The cost of having a baby is going to place havoc with your bank account; you will constantly have diapers to buy, milk to pay for as well as potential childcare costs. Make sure you are always looking ahead to the next month so that you can afford to live the same lifestyle you are used to.

The Repeat

Once you have got over the financial aspects, the emotions, the scares and the joys, you will probably want to do it all over again! Having one baby is enough to make you want more, so there will be no doubts that you will consider having a second child.

If you have spoken to a lot of new mothers recently, then they will have probably told you all about the ups and downs you are about to face in your life. You can take their advice on board as much as you like, but nothing will ever prepare you to feel this sense of joy. You have to experience it for yourself in order to gauge exactly what it feels like; you won’t be able to read about the feeling in books or learn about it in classes. You should prepare yourself for the crazy journey and get ready to love this little person a whole lot. You will never be able to replicate this feeling again in your life, so enjoy it as much as you can and never take for granted how special this feeling is. Take note of everything that has been touched upon here, although you might not be able to fully prepare yourself for it, you will soon get the idea of the potential roller-coaster ahead of you. Whatever you do, try not to worry or overthink, simply enjoy the special gift you have been given and make the most of every treasured moment.