What I wish I have known before having baby

Looking back on my before baby time & months of pregnancy I wish I have known number of things.
Especially with a first pregnancy, you are in big unknown territory. Midwifes are giving advices which are contradicting with pregnancy books! Your friends with children are telling you their stories about baby sleeping by week 8 and how they enjoyed their time with their newborn. Unfortunately nothing prepared us for very unhappy baby boy who did not sleep more than 5 minutes in one go, refused to be put down (anywhere), hated his cot and was basically screaming the whole first 3 months. It got better - the screaming, but not the sleeping. I am still very upset, that we really did not enjoy the newborn baby and I am worried that my husband is scared for life. He didn't even want to hold our Sami as he taught that he hates him!

I wish


1. I did even more of the GYM and swimming! It kept me sane. I was just a little bit scared that it will be not good for the baby. In the end I was fit and could manage 6 days long labour & operation & fight infection and still care for our baby with no sleep to speak about.

2. Rested more. Just a thought of staying in the bed and reading a book had me in tears. Our baby boy let me have only about 2-3 hours of sleep in first 5 months! Yes, you can survive on that sleep, but be prepared for a "baby brain". Exhaustion was my everyday problem.

3. Did all little DIY jobs. You will not have any time for anything non essential. Marks on walls, stain on carpet, leaking gutter or slipped tile. All have to wait.

4. Went to cinema & restaurant more often as we didn't see anything else than inside of our house for first 3 months.

5. Went for shopping. It is impossible to do it with a screaming baby.

6. Bought a I-pad. My I-phone was my saviour. At 3:00 sitting awake with my unhappy baby the "baby centre" app was only thing keeping me same. I wish I had I-pad. Live could be more easy with it.

7. Got less of baby clothes. 7 sleep suits, 7 vests, 2 cardigans & 1 hat is more than enough for first 3 months.

8. I have known that you can put baby down even if it is crying. You don't need to get it to sleep in your arms (after bouncing it for hours). Some babies are just putting them self to sleep with a little bit of cry.

9. Lastly bought a book from Alison Scott-Wright and did exactly as she say from the day 1. We discovered her book about last week and it works! Our baby boy is for first time in 6 months sleeping more than 2 hours in one go. He is now sleeping 12 hours! Oh, live is so good when your baby is sleeping!