Things I have learned in the first year of being a mother.

Sleep when you can, if you can. The housework can wait.

Sometimes it is lonely, the internet helps.

No one tell you how much you and your partners relationship will be affected.

Some people close to you will freak out, usually the ones you least expect.

You don’t need to have a pushchair, if you don’t want one.

Establishing some semblance of a routine helps. Have at least one set nap time a day.

Trust your instincts, always.

Babies cannot regulate their body temperature, if they have a fever you need to bring it down with a cool damp flannel to the brow and removing clothes.

A poorly baby wants its mummy, (just like a grown-up baby).

Teething hurts, a lot. Use anything that helps, teething powders, cooled chewing rings, bickiepegs, your finger.

If you are going to administer baby medicine – get the one with the syringe.

Milton’s bottle sterilising tablets get out most stains (fruit / wine).

Banana stains are forever.

Throw away all books that tell you how to bring up a baby.

Get as much information as you can on everything you can.

Your tummy will go away eventually but not if you subsist on chocolate cake and icecream.

Make sure other people know, if they want you to do something, to write it down and leave it in a prominent place. If not you will probably get caught up changing a nappy or feeding a hungry baby and forget to make those mortgage payments, collect that prescription, make that very important phone call before 5pm.

You will forget everything.

If you have forgotten to get something, do something, don’t forget you can’t go out after the baby has gone to bed unless there is another adult in the building.

Don’t become a baby bore, only talk about babies to other people with babies; your brother probably really doesn’t want to know about your latest theory on breastfeeding.

People don’t pop round to see you with a bottle of wine, however much you’d like them to.

Don’t sweat the small stuff, a little of what we like never hurt anyone.

You won’t get time to watch TV, read a book or flick through a magazine – for at least 9 months, if you do you’ll fall asleep anyway.

Never say never. All the stuff I said I’d never do, disposable nappies, ready made baby food, co-sleeping.

Baby food in squeezable pouches – why didn’t we think of that.

Just as you get to know what your baby is going to do, they change.

Book yourself a pedicure and get someone to baby sit. *I did not do this, but I SO wish I had.

Give yourself a break. All mothers beat themselves up about something they think they are doing wrong.

You have a baby – you are blessed.