6 weeks with a baby: some things I've learnt

Adam and I have made it through the critical first six weeks alive!  I'm not gonna lie, these past few weeks have been a real roller coaster of emotions. One major thing I've learnt is that babies (at least my baby) have a mind of their own and they don't really care what you think/want/don't want. And the best way to keep your sanity is to just accept this fact and not try to push your own ideas onto your baby, it won't work anyway.

Another important thing I've learnt - babies cry. (duh) The thing is, sometimes they need to cry and it doesn't necessarily mean there is something wrong with them. Maybe they are just overwhelmed at the end of the day and need to unwind with a good cry. It took me a while to realise this and I may or may not have cried a few times myself, trying to figure out what was wrong with my baby. Sometimes they cry a lot, sometimes not at all. Not everyday is the same. That means not everyday is amazing, but it also means not everyday is awful. This can be difficult to keep in mind, especially if you're in the middle of an awful day. It will get better. (And then worse again.)

5 things that surprised me about labor

When I was pregnant, I read ALL there is to read about labor. I read about other people's experiences, pain relief options, different birthing positions, I knew it all. I felt prepared. But I wasn't. When I found myself in the delivery room in the middle of contractions, there were quite a few things I was not expecting.

1. I did not see it coming. I guess I expected there to be some kind of sign telling me labor is coming. But there wasn't, at least not one I would notice. I actually went to see a movie with my mom the night before it happened. I went to bed that night thinking this baby was never going to come. And then I woke up at 3.30 a.m. with severe back pain...

2. I knew what to do. Wait, no, I actually had no idea what I was doing. But I was surprised that my body knew what to do. All these instincts I didn't even know I had suddenly kicked into full gear. It was weird and amazing at the same time.