Everyone told me to enjoy the newborn stage because it goes fast and I would miss it. But when I was in it, I was so exhausted and overwhelmed that I didn’t believe them. Living through it felt endless. If you’re there now or about to enter this stage, I see you. It’s physically, emotionally, and mentally exhausting.
The newborn stage is also tender, snuggly, and fleeting, even when it’s hard to feel that way. As difficult as it can be, it doesn’t last forever. And while you’re surviving it, there are small moments worth savoring, even on the hardest days.
8 Things to Savor in the Newborn Stage
While you are struggling to keep your eyes open and your mental state together, here are a few things to try to savor while your baby is still a newborn:
1. That Sweet Baby Smell
Newborns smell so good. Drink it up because, in no time, they’ll be eating real food, playing in the dirt, and emitting less-than-delicious odors from their bodies. And let’s not even talk about how stinky they’ll get as adolescents!
2. It’s Easy to Be Mama Bear
You can easily protect them and keep them sheltered. It’s not easy when our babies get a little bigger, and we may have to bring them to daycare, leave them with a nanny, and later on drop them off at school or for a playdate. It’s fun for them and a nice break for us, but they come with new challenges. Enjoy this time when you get to watch over them, protect them, and take care of everything for them.
3. Snuggle Time!
Sweet baby snuggles are the best! Enjoy those kisses, hugs, raspberries, and holding them close to you. Within the year, they will be wriggling out of your arms and seeking their freedom. And you will find yourself wishing you could snuggle them close just one more time.
Related: Why It’s Important To Show Affection to Our Children
4. They Stay Where You Put Them
They stay put! Your newborn can sit in a bouncy chair or lie in their bassinet while you shower or use the bathroom. Once your baby starts rolling over, sitting up, crawling, and walking, not only are they moving, but they won’t want to stop! Soon, they will be protesting for their freedom and getting into everything. Enjoy being able to place your newborn down without worrying about them grabbing small items off the floor to put in their mouth or running to play with the electrical sockets.
5. Meals are Easy
It may feel like you have to bring a lot of gear everywhere you go, but you don’t have to worry about food! If you are nursing, all you need is yourself. If you are formula-feeding, just bring a bottle, water, and formula. After the newborn phase, you will need to start worrying about meals and preparing food, including cooking and cutting food into small pieces, bringing snacks, and being near a high chair for mealtime, as well as your ever-evolving child’s palate. It gets a lot messier, and you never know what your baby will want to eat, so there is much more to coordinate.
Related: Simple Baby Food Recipes for the First Year
6. Adult Conversation is Still Possible
Newborns don’t talk over you or eavesdrop or butt into your conversation. Although having a newborn can be time-consuming, continue to enjoy having time to talk to your partner without being interrupted in the same way.
7. Have Baby, Will Travel
Newborns are portable. They can sleep anytime and anywhere: in the car seat, in your arms, or in the stroller. They are not distracted by everyone and everything else around them, and they don’t yet have a set schedule that, if interrupted, throws the entire day (and potentially the night) off.
8. They’re a Great Excuse to Stay In
You get a free pass to stay home, and no one expects you to do anything outside of being home and taking care of yourself and your baby! So, if you’re tired, worn out, or just need a night in, just pull the “I-just-had-a-baby” card and hunker down for a quiet night.
As hard as it is to believe right now, these newborn days will be gone before you know it. Remember to savor what you can, even if it’s just one quiet moment at a time. And give that baby an extra snuggle for the rest of us.
