Did you love the newborn stage?

Question

There's a lot of buzz about bonding with your baby, and if you're not happy after your baby is born then you must be experiencing post-partum depression. Now that my son is 3.5 months old, I look back on that newborn phase and realize that (gasp) I just didn't love the newborn stage. Did anyone else feel that way? My kid is great now, he's interactive, cute, funny, and a little more predictable (or I've learned more) but I think I'd be okay to skip the first 8 weeks next time! How did other mothers feel about that time?

Answer 1

I am the mother of three wonderful and happy boys. But I agree with you that the newborn stage isnt what its cut out to be. You are always happy and excited when you have a new baby, but its very tiring and kinda dull. I found myself waiting for him to do something besides cry and eat and poop! I dont think that makes us bad, it makes us honest!! My second son was 20 months when I had his baby brother and I was loving everything that he did. He talked and smiled and played and slept through the night!! I was about 8 months pregnant and I thought "oh my god! what did I do?" I realized that I was going to have a crying, non sleeping baby in a month! Good thing it was too late to change my mind!! Now he is 1 and sleeps through the night and I look back and think it wasnt so bad, but it really got fun around 4 months.

Answer 2

Nope...I did not enjoy it either. My son is 4.5months old now and I do really enjoy him now. He is so much fun. I think, in the beginning, we sometimes don't enjoy it because we don't see any interaction or reward for all of our hard work. I mean, I love my little man - completely, but when all he did was poop, eat, sleep and cry, it was hard to think of him as a "person". Now, he laughs all the time and gets really excited to see me. It is truly amazing how quickly they change during the first year. I think we should TRY to enjoy each stage because we will never experience it with that child ever again, but it is definitely hard to appreciate the days when you feel like all they do is cry. If you are like me, it seems like a distant memory already. I can't even recall him being a newborn anymore; he is just so alert; like a whole new person. Don't feel badly about not really enjoying it. I really think most people don't actually enjoy it, but some appreciate that it goes by quickly and our "little ones" are only little for a short while. Good luck!

Answer 3

I loved it. I was such on cloud nine. There is something so special about every stage. I can't tell you how many times I have said "okay, now this is my favorite stage." It just get's better. I do remember having experienced some post partum depression. The hormones just go way out of wack. I will warn you too that if you are breast feeding expect a bonus round of post partum when you stop. I breastfed my daughter for a year and she is now 13 months. It took a little bit for my hormones to level off. But what you experienced is totally normal. You had just experienced a huge life change and your body was probably exhausted trying to adapt and such.

Answer 4

I loved the newborn stage. Here is this precious little life who is so totally dependant on you that it is somewhat scary. I can understand some people not really liking that stage much, especially with firstborns. It is so much work & so much responsibility that it can become totaly overwhelming & extremely tiring. Each stage though was my favorite. You know the old saying "babies are cute, they have to be, it insures their survival." Enjoy yours, they don't stay little very long. You can go to the bathroom & when you come out, your baby will be graduating from school & if you turn your back any longer than that, he/she will be getting married. It sure seems that way anyhow.

Answer 5

You are not alone. There was a whole show on Oprah about that (a little more indepth of course).
I not only didn't love the first 8 weeks, I really didnt' love the first 8 months (approximately). Let's face it, we're tired, stressed, usure of our own parenting skills, taking our poor infants to get shots and watching them cry, we're full of spit up and baby food, and our babies dont' interact with us all that much. Don't get me wrong, I love babies, and I wish I could have my kids as babies again for a day.........but I loved parenting MUCH more after they started walking, talking, showing their true personalities.
Unfortunatly, we're made to feel guilty by other mothers with those "easy" babies, and by grandparents who are smitten with our children and yet get to give them back when they start crying uncontrollably. My first son was colicky for 3 months and I thought I'd shoot myself.......I look back and feel as if I was robbed of my most happy moments as a first time mother.
Dont' feel bad. Babies are sometimes difficult. Enjoy your time now and let yourself enjoy some other stages throughout your child's life......even though you might hate other stages. It's ok. And it's NOT post-partum depression.

Answer 6

I felt the same way the first couple of weeks until I got used to it. Now I am suffering with a colicy baby so I think newborn stage is pretty hard. I think it probably gets harder though but no matter how much she cries she is the most precious little baby ever. I love her so much.

Answer 7

Thank you! I'm not the only one! My son is 3.5 months old right now too. Aren't they more fun at this stage? I didn't enjoy the newborn stage. I mean I loved my son and all the time I got to spend with him but now he is just so much more "alive" and fun to play with.

I understand completely where you are coming from on this!

Answer 8

I didn't. I had baby blues really bad, and it was kinda a daze to me. Plus you are still recovering from birth and that with how tired you are with all the night feedings, etc.. kinda ruined it for me. Now I look back and wish for that time back because I now know how truly precious it was, and hopefully for the next baby I'll enjoy it more.

Answer 9

Loved all my kids, change diapers, fed them, the whole deal. But, Like you, I did not , and still do not like newborn stage IN COMPARISON to say, toddler. I really like teaching the kids, and hearing them say things. Now, my Daughter has two kids. And, guess what, I still don't miss the infant years. My wife was the exact opposite of me. She would just as soon see them stay infants forever. Different strokes chica. Don't sweat it.

Answer 10

My daughter was premature and had to stay in NICU for the 1st month of her life. I was so heartbroken to miss all her very first moments. But I absolutely loved it when she came home. My husband helped out a lot, so I am thankful for that! Because if he wouldn't have, I probably would have not enjoyed it so much!