So....this past year?

mrsmullins0500 · June 2012

Was it harder or easier than you expected? For me, I would say easier. I was expecting long sleepless nights in the beginning and we just didn't have those. LO was such an easy newborn. Now,I have been up a few nights with a teething baby but nothing to bad.

I would have to say the hardest and most unexpected thing for me was LOs complications in the beginning. He quit breathing a few times, newborn screening was positive (false positive, thank god) and a couple other health scares. All of that was by far the hardest thing Ive been through.

I think we all deserve an award for making it through this first year!!

mamajanna28 · June 2012

The first six months were much easier than I thought that they would be. I was blessed with a great sleeper from the start. We avoided all issues with breastfeeding and illness. The last six months have been much more difficult than I imagined. Judah is very active and has given up on naps so I am exhausted by the end of the day. He is also starting to tantrum when he doesn't get what he wants which I didn't anticipate for at least another year! Of course, I am expecting again which my explain why things seem more difficult now.

liamsmomma0605 · June 2012

Well in the aspect of finances because I left my job to SAH, it was so much easier than we expected.

In the aspect of raising a baby in general it was MUCH harder. We were not prepared for all the issues we had with DS health (the allergies, reflux, hospital, weight gain issues), so for the first 4-6 months it was super tough. Then he had his surgery that was more difficult than we expected so that was hard. Then I feel like I just had a hard adjustment with the 1st year, with staying home, taking care of the house, being married for only over 1 year, and taking care of a baby that had a lot of health issues. Lastly we found out a bit ago that DS will have to have his surgery redone so I am really hoping this upcoming year is easier than the 1st.

With all of that being said I would not change anything my DS is such a blessing no matter what challenges we have!

M&M227 · June 2012

Much harder. DD was a very unhappy infant. For the first two weeks we held her ALL THE TIME. She has bad reflux and was either miserable from that or had colic as well. I just remember her being 6 weeks old (which was the worst) and walking around our house bouncing her and patting her, for almost a week that was the only way she would be calm.

Also, she ate very little at a time (at first 1 oz) so she woke very often to eat. For at least a few weeks she was up every two hours to eat (so we would change, feed, reswaddle, rock, and place in the crib every so gently and run back to bed only to realize we'd have like 45 minutes until she woke again).

While I still think she's pretty high needs, she's much better, and I enjoy her so much. She's so goofy sometimes and I love that her personality has come out. I love that she cracks up over certain things - the other day she was babbling and said "Baaa" and I replied "what are you a sheep? Baa Baa" She thought that hysterical and we played that all day.

Also my DH was awesome through everything - we slept in shifts when we first came home from the hospital. He was and is an amazing dad.

Praying that the next one (whenever that is) is easier.

JuneBug0611 · June 2012

A little of both. Sleep was harder. I thought she would be STTN by now, and she still isn't. Staying at home for 6 months of maternity leave was harder than I anticipated -- it was a relief to return to work and get a little balance back in my life. But most everything else was easier. We didn't have any problems BFing, and here I am still BFing happily past the six months to one year I had hoped to make it to. Balancing work and baby has been easier than I'd expected, though of course it is challenging. And every day with her is just more fun, and I think I really am a pretty good mom! I was worried about whether I would be sufficiently patient, or get too upset with the crying and noise (I get bad headaches), but that part has worked out much better than expected. There really is something to it being YOUR baby, who you just love more than you could have ever understood you would.

magnoliablossom00 · June 2012

Umm... harder and easier, if that is possible.

LO has been a lot easier than she could have been. She has generally been a great sleeper (but not napper. oh well!) and is the happiest little girl. She is also really smart, so she can pick up on games very quickly, which is fun for playtime.

Harder in the sense that I had no idea how much of an emotional and physical wreck I would be. I had insane healing issues (almost needed surgery), PPD, hormones raged until I quit nursing (6 months- probably should have quit sooner due to my emotions though), severe anger with DH (which was unjustified b/c hes amazing)... Now I am pregnant again and terrified it will all happen again. I feel terrible admitting this outloud when so many women wish they could nurse and cant, but I am planning on FFing this LO from day one. I don't think my emotions or marriage can handle 2u2 and a crazy mama all at the same time.

I figure that a healthy, sane, mama is more important for the happiness of my family!

Syncronicity09 · June 2012

Being a Mom was easier than expected. But overall the year was harder than expected. We had a lot of unplanned incidents as well as planned events that did not go as well as planned, plus a new baby, ot was definitely hard.

cassoppea · June 2012

I'm not sure if it was easier or harder than I expected because I can't remember what I expected. I think I thought some things, like BFing would be much easier. And I feel that parenting came to me much more naturally than I expected. I'm also a totally different type of parent than I thought I would be.

ladybug122 · June 2012

That medical stuff must have been scary! Glad to hear it went uphill from there.

Overall, this past year has been easier than I expected. The first month of her life was incredibly easy, I was just watching her sleep, nursing her, and playing with her in my lap. She was a very low key newborn - I was even bored sometimes cause I had so much time on my hands! Of course, she is now hyper and all over the place, but happy as long as she can explore and make mischief. Night time has been more difficult than I expected, but I think most of it is my fault for not knowing what I was doing and creating bad habits early on (which I still am failing to fix). I expected she would be STTN by 1 year - but we are far from that. Going to school and juggling Clara went surprisingly well, I even managed to get all A's! So yeah, overall this year has gone very well - easier than what I thought it would be.

simbaby · June 2012

cassoppea:
I'm also a totally different type of parent than I thought I would be.

How so?

MommaA117 · June 2012

Easier. I have a very easy baby though. I really think I am spoiled. The first maybe 2 months were hard as far as that 2-3 hours of night screaming but after that it got easy. I think my kid is pretty awesome. Having a baby is a lot of work for sure but she's a good one. With that said, I am pretty scared about the next time....I think I am way more easy going than I am in other aspects of life so maybe that's why it's easier for me, since I don't stress about much. She sleeps well and naps well....she was not great at independent play until she began to crawl but has always been very go with the flow...not like her mama. Lol

courtneybrooke921 · June 2012

I love this post.

I think it was... easier and harder? haha.

I was not prepared for the lack of sleep - DD was up every 2 hours to nurse for a long time. (Maybe the first 8 weeks?)

However, all things considered, she is a reaaaaally easy baby. Rarely cries. GREAT eater. We introduced formula around 8 months because i wasn't pumping enough and she went from boob to bottle (didn't matter what type of bottle, we used about 6 different kinds) - she is a great eater now as well. Loves to explore. Extremely verbal. And calm. Smiles. ALL THE TIME. A little lover.

I'm nervous my next one will be a lot harder....

3Girls3xsTheFun · June 2012

Much, much easier than I could have ever expected -- so much so it almost (ALMOST!) made H & I think we could have added another one to the mix!

My 2nd was a very hard infant and toddler (NICU for 12 days, terrible reflux/GI problems, dairy & soy allergy, never got the hang of nursing, then had some medical problems when I was pregnant with Catherine. Having Cate was a breeze compared to her!

Cate was a nursing champ, she was a great sleeper, a super happy baby, no GI problems (thank God!), even now she is content playing alone and still sleeps like a rock for at least 12 hrs every night!

I was so scared of having 3 and trying to stretch myself out enough for all fo them, but it is really much easier than I expected. It doesn't hurt that H is a champion father and we literally spilt everything 50/50 (house chores and child related things).

Good thing H was snipped before I realized how easy this all was, haha.

MyEggo=Preggo · June 2012

For me, the physical recovery (level 4 tear) and work-life balance were harder than I expected. On the other hand; being a mom, changing diapers, and adjusting to a baby was easier and more natural than I expected.

JavaVino910 · June 2012

Sounds like I'm in the minority, but it's been harder than I expected. The many many, many sleepless nights have been rough on me. Breastfeeding was really difficult for me and LO for the first 6 weeks or so (but we are still going strong at almost a year!). I have a hard time letting go, so I put basically all the responsibility on myself. My mom or DH had to insist that I take a break. And, that was the few times I was at my breaking point.

I really LOVE being a mom, and I think I'm a really good mom. But, I don't think I was prepared for how demanding motherhood really is in every sense of the word.

Jaytee501 · June 2012

I was spoiled, too, and still feel James is spoiling me: all-around an easy, happy guy from the start.

I wouldn't call parenting an easy job but I love it.

march2008 · June 2012

The first 4 months were ridiculously hard. DD had colic and she cried for most of the times that she was awake. We had to bounce her around the house for hours on end, shushing her, patting her, swaddling her, all while she would scream at us before finally passing out. It was AWFUL and so sad. I was extremely depressed.

The colic finally tapered off around 4 months and things have gotten sooo much easier ever since then. She's a real busy body now and although she keeps me busy chasing after her, it is NOTHING compared to the stress that we all felt due to her colic. She finally started STTN at around 10 months, which has been awesome as well! I feel like with each month, she gets more and more fun!

Birdies08 · June 2012

I would just say it was different. I thought she would sleep in a PNP in our room for the first 3-6 months, then in her room. I thought she'd take a bottle and I'd go back to work at 3 months.

Instead, she only slept in our arms or on our chests for the first couple of months. We're still bedsharing now and she still nurses to sleep if I'm around. She never took a bottle, so I didn't end up returning to work until she was about 6 months old (I was lucky enough to be rehired at my old job).

So was it more challenging? Yeah, in some ways. In others I feel it was easier, since we didn't have to fight with her about where she slept or how she ate. While it was more difficult to find time to shower or to put dinner on the table (and we really didn't eat at the table for the first few months...), time with her was easier and more enjoyable than it would have been for us otherwise.

I wouldn't change anything. We obviously had choices when it came to sleep and feeding and work and I love how things worked out for us.

DaisyJanie · June 2012

The first 3 months were harder (BFing troubles, uncontrollable screaming most nights, had to be held ALL THE TIME), the last 3-6 months have been easier. The middle was so-so.

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