Here'due south the truth: when a baby finally makes they grand entrance afterward the long nine-month wait, they will rock their parent'southward world regardless of whether they are first time or experienced parents.

Life becomes all about this little human and making sure they are happy and healthy. Starting on day one of a baby's beingness, they begin the journey of maturing and growing into an adult human, and as parents, nosotros are forth for the ride.

There are many different phases within their showtime yr of life that will be the building blocks to getting them to the next stage of childhood. While these phases are rooted in developmental steps affecting the baby'due south growth, each involves the parents' nurturing and back up. The beginning phase y'all will experience as a parent, which can sometimes be the most challenging, is the newborn phase.

Before the arrival of my daughter, I spoke with many of my friends who were already moms and did enquiry on what to expect in the beginning twelvemonth of my baby'southward life. Equally someone who doesn't beloved surprises, I wanted to have a basic agreement of what was to come. I familiarized myself with phases similar the four-month sleep regression and knew developmental steps similar teething, rolling over, and nap eliminations could be challenging. However, when doing my research and chatting with other moms, no one mentioned anything about the first couple of months other than the overwhelming beloved and exhaustion. Both ended up being true in my example, only there was likewise much more.

Babies are considered newborns from birth until almost two months of age. At this age, they are not very active or alert, so they might require less mental and concrete energy than, say, a five-month-onetime. Just make no mistake, this newborn stage is no less challenging and, quite honestly, I was not in dearest with this stage every bit many others are. As a mom who would do anything for her baby, information technology was hard for me to admit this at first. Yet, afterwards confiding in close friends, they assured me that what I was feeling was normal, especially equally a first-time mom.

When I kickoff came abode from the hospital, I was exhausted, still in pain from giving birth, and nervous nigh taking intendance of this tiny man. Turns out, no matter how much research and reading I did in advance to prepare, I was 100% not fix for motherhood. Beingness so piffling and new, near babies are eating around the clock as their bodies grow. This, in turn, results in a astringent lack of sleep, which at times tin can experience torturous. (There's a reason why slumber deprivation is a method of torture!)

A newborn is also likewise piddling to communicate in whatsoever other way than crying, so I would often go lamentable because I felt I couldn't address my daughter'southward needs. At one signal, the days started blending together, and I felt totally isolated from the globe. Quite possibly the most difficult part of this phase didn't even involve my babe directly, but it was the postpartum hormonal fluctuation happening inside my torso that sent me on an emotional rollercoaster.

Eat, change, sleep, repeat. Survive. The newborn stage is all most survival. It might sound dramatic, just it'southward literally what all my mom friends told me when I was asking questions or venting: but get through this phase.

They were right.

Once nosotros hit iii months, I felt myself relax and soften. I had made it. Fifty-fifty as nosotros faced new developmental challenges, I felt my confidence as a mother grow. Insufficiently, these new challenges felt easier than those I experienced in the beginning two months. Sleep became more consistent, fourth dimension between feedings lengthened, and I started to experience like myself once more.

If you are reading this now and are in the trenches of weeks iii or iv, I can confidently say from the other side – it does, in fact, get meliorate and easier. I am so in dear with this little homo, and at nearly five months erstwhile, she'due south already my best friend. We have so much fun together each solar day, and she is learning and growing before my eyes. Fifty-fifty as we move through sleep grooming and teething, I take the confidence and skill to manage and overcome these phases together with my babe.

I imagine that with whatsoever subsequent children (hopefully!), the newborn stage won't be as difficult because information technology won't exist my first feel. Certainly, some of my feelings can be credited to beingness a first-fourth dimension mom. However, I practise believe there are factors of this newborn phase that will e'er exist difficult regardless of if it's your showtime baby or your fourth. Later all, every baby is different.

The first ii months are all virtually transitioning into motherhood and getting to know your baby while surviving the sleepless nights and around-the-clock feedings. Information technology's about sacrificing function of yourself to your child. I feel across blest and thankful to have given nativity to a beautiful, healthy, thriving baby daughter. I but want moms to know it'due south OK to take these feelings – of discouragement, of exhaustion, of apartment out waiting for this phase to exist over.

This is normal. And you're all the same a great mom.

I encourage yous to vocalization what you lot might be feeling or thinking to your partner, mom, friends, or family so that they can assistance and support you through the transition. There is no truer statement to describe raising a kid than "it takes a village," so never be afraid to enquire for help.

Information technology gets improve. I hope.