Before I had Creed, I decided I would do everything I could to really enjoy his newborn days. My last baby had colic and I felt as if I was merely surviving. I don’t know that I ever truly enjoyed his early days. (That little colicky boy is 2 now and such a joy that we’ve all forgotten those months he spent screaming.)
This time, knowing I really wanted to soak up those early days because they are gone so very quickly, I told myself I had to be intentional and focused. I could not let those days accidentally slip by and then wonder where they went. So, here are a few of the things I’ve done in the 11 days since Creed’s birth to purposely enjoy his newborn sweetness.
I marvel at God’s handiwork. I often just sit and stare at Baby Creed. I gaze into his dark eyes, trace his chubby cheeks, comb his brown hair, play with his long fingers, and kiss each of his tiny toes. He is amazing and quite a testimony to an amazing Creator!
I take a lot of photos and share them! Newborns naturally lend themselves to massive amounts of photos, but the second part of this is nearly as important as the first. Part of truly enjoying my little one is getting to share him with others. I snap photos on my iPad to send to Daddy during the day. I post pictures on Facebook and send photos to others via email. And yes, Creed is the star of the blog these days (in case you couldn’t tell 😉 ).
We are making memories. I’m purposely cementing in my mind all those special moments like when our oldest daughter snuggles in close to her new baby brother and whispers how much she loves him. Or when the toddler calls his little brother “Baby Guy.” Or when the 4 year old kisses Creed’s cheeks and says, “I hope he stays fresh.” These memories will someday be part of Creed’s story.
I am remembering these early days are not about me. When my first child was born, I got caught up in scheduling him and making sure I didn’t have to change much about my lifestyle with his addition. I quickly realized I was forever changed with his birth and every subsequent birth since his. Nothing would ever be the same and I had to stop being selfish if I really wanted to enjoy motherhood.
I see so many mothers stress over those early days when baby isn’t sleeping at night and they feel as if they can’t go on much longer. When my 2nd child was born, I learned to embrace those middle of the night feedings and the fact that she wanted no one but me. I found ways to enjoy those moments rather than waste time complaining about them.
With Creed, I have a comfy chair, an iPad app that plays lullabies (SleepySounds), an oversized receiving blanket swaddling my little boy, and the mindset that these days are precious. I am soaking up every second…even those middle of the night ones.
What do you do to enjoy those newborn days?
Priscilla says
Great wisdom for new mommies. Just like homeschooling should not be solely about academics, mothering a newborn should not be solely about a rigid schedule. This time will pass all too quickly, as you know. And just in case this new one tends to be colicky, you may or may not know about chamomille drops. It’s very good for soothing the tummy.
Blessings
Amy says
Thank you! I had a friend bring by some essential oils just in case he is colicky, but so far he is not and such an easy keeper!
Barbie says
He’s so precious!
Amy says
Thanks, Barbie! We think so too. 😉
Lauren says
I was blessed with THE easiest baby in the world last time, so I enjoyed every single day. But I specifically co-sleep and wear bub in a sling a lot to enjoy him. Things feel crazy here sometimes, but I never miss out on my cuddles.
This afternoon I visited a friend who had her second child two weeks ago. She was very embarrassed at the state of her house, the laundry hanging everywhere, the semi-nude toddler, stuff on every bit of furniture. You know. But I was quick to reassure her, and anyway, secretly, I LOVED it. I love that brand-new-born stage where you live in an alternate reality. Dad’s home, peanut butter sandwiches for dinner, searching baskets for clean clothes. It’s different and kind of fun if you see it like an adventure.
Lauren says
Can’t believe I forgot to say- he is SO adorable!
Amy says
Thank you, Lauren. And yes, we are a co- sleeping family too, and once my body is a little more back to normal, I’ll sling him. Right now I don’t think my back can handle it.
Stacie @ No Idle Bread says
Lauren,
You are so right. . .it is an alternate reality. My husband and I sleep downstairs during the new born phase so I don’t have to go up and down so often; homeschool is SUPER relaxed, Dad is home, my mom comes and stays for a few weeks, dinner is, well, as long as it’s edible. It is kind of like an adventure in many ways. Thanks for fresh perspective, because I’m getting ready to enter the alternate reality soon!
Lauren says
Ah yes- I have struggled with my back more with each baby (I’m only on baby 3 though!). I am trying to build up my core muscles between each pregnancy and praying for the best! I’d love to be a mother of many, so I love to hear how other, more experienced mothers, look after their bodies and recovery.
Amy says
I went shopping yesterday and have had to do a lot of sitting today because of my back aching. And yes, my core is the issue for sure. I am planning on doing some posts on what I’m doing to get back in shape and hopefully be in better shape than I was this time if, Lord willing, we are blessed again with another baby. 🙂
Jamie @ Love Bakes Good Cakes says
So precious, Amy! Thank you so much for the party!
Elizabeth Ours says
He’s so Adorable! I love newborn baby looks, smells, sounds — soak every bit of it up, because, as you KNOW, it flies by so fast even when trying to savor it! Love that time when life slows down and centers around the new baby! Like you, I learned to savor those middle of the night feedings — especially when my days were so busy and noisy that I couldn’t really just FOCUS on my precious baby! I’m a bit jealous, as my new baby days are over! But, I was so BLESSED to get to enjoy that precious time ten times! looking forward to grandchildren . . . . .
Amy says
Thanks, Elizabeth! And yes, they grow up so fast you barely have time to catch your breath!
Charlotte Moore says
How precious!! Love the pic of him sleeping and dad in the floor by him. Thanks for sharing. YES, the time swiftly passes by. I am a grandmother of 3 and 2 are grown. We even have our first great grand daughter and I have tried to grasp all I can from her. She is already 13 months. Hard to believe.
ENJOY!!!!
Amy says
I love that picture too. 🙂
Andrea says
We treasured our newborn days with on-demand feedings, co-sleeping, constant cuddling and holding by someone – mom, dad or siblings. We didn’t go anywhere for WEEKS! Homeschooling went on hold.
We hold our children a lot. Always have. We rock in the middle of the night; we do everything the so-called experts tell us not to do. And we know that we, both Mommy and Daddy, spend as much time loving our children as we can. We don’t want to look back and regret.
Our poor firstborn – we did the same thing you mentioned, tried to get her to conform to our life. But even with our first child, I remember my Mother saying “you can’t hold her all the time.” And my reply was “why not?” Through the years it has been deeply impressed upon me that these children are God’s children. He has given them to us for a short time, to care for them FOR Him, for HIS glory. If we are caring for someone else’s child, don’t we want to protect and nurture them, treat them like royalty? We don’t want our friend’s child telling them “she yelled at me! She wouldn’t even take the time to look me in the eyes to talk to me.” How much more would we shrink with remorse for one our little blessings to go back to their Heavenly Father and say “well, they didn’t really seem like they had time for me…”
Amy says
Interestingly, I have found that my babies naturally ease into their own schedule. If I had been less uptight with my firstborn, I would have found that out. 😉
Cynthia says
Precious!! I blogged about this a while ago. Since our sweetie is our last biological child, I have been very intentional about savoring the moments instead of focusing on the milestones. I love looking into her eyes, and sniffing her belly with every diaper change (after a fresh diaper is on…not before), Watching her older sisters love on her, oh my! So many beautiful moments! The middle of the night feedings have become my favorite.
Congrats on a beautiful addition.
Amy says
I often wonder when the last baby will truly be the last baby. Drink it all in!
Cynthia says
Oh, and I am!
Tami says
Yay!! Congratulations to you all, Amy. So happy for you and these beautiful baby moments….
Amy says
Thank you, Tami! 🙂
Katherine says
Thanks for sharing. Not going to lie…I may have gotten a bit teary-eyed! We have a one month old and a 16 month old, and I’m so tired sometimes I really do forget to enjoy them. I hate to admit this, but sometimes I don’t like having a baby! I love them both dearly, but it’s hard to remember when you’re covered in milk and spit-up and haven’t had time for breakfast. This post was a good reminder to be joyful and enjoy these little ones….even when it’s really hard 🙂
Amy says
I’ve been there too! You can do this with the Lord’s help! Love those babies and let the extras that don’t really matter go. You’ll find your groove eventually. And as an encouragement, that was exactly the age gap I had between children when I had that deer in the headlights moment where I was just sure I couldn’t keep going. God sent some amazing mentors alongside me (many were online friends) and I learned how to relish motherhood!
Dyan Croushore says
I am so glad to have the reminder to slow down (they kind of force you to, don’t they)! I had planned to get back to school after two weeks, but our newest addition, Lillian, has made me reconsider that plan. She was born on January 7th, and is very loved! You are right, they do make things different forever, and they do deserve to be cherished. I struggled with my first one as well, being self-centered, and focusing only on how the colic and sleepless nights affected me. Even now, as I care for my 7th, I struggle with feeling frustrated with the slowness of recovery. Thank you so much for the reminder that it is not only okay to slow down, but it should be done! We cannot go on as if nothing but the family size has changed. So what if school goes on into the summer! Here is a link to a great article called, “The Baby Is the Lesson.” http://www.lovetolearn.net/policies/baby.lasso It is good for gaining an eternal perspective! May God continue to bless you and your sweet family!
Amy says
Thank you for sharing the link, and I appreciate your saying how slow the recovery has been! I get over one hurdle and another shows up!
kimberly says
i just recently started reading your blog and I have to say it encourages and inspires me!! I find it intriguing that you have just delivered your precious bundle as I am due with our 4th baby on this earth on February 28. Thank you for your packing list and encouraging words- this post is a good reminder of all the joys that are ahead and how we need to stop and embrace them 🙂 Your little guy is beautiful and I love his name!
Amy says
Thank you and welcome! Enjoy those final weeks of pregnancy. I always look back on those days fondly, despite all the aches and pains.
LauraJean says
He really is a pretty baby 🙂 Enjoy.
Jennie Wright says
Beautiful! Newborn days are full of WONDER!
judi says
I wish I could have savored our baby’s newborn days more but I felt a lot of pressure to make having a newborn as convenient as possible for my husband. He went back to work the day after I got home from the hospital even though I had a c-section and he was upset about the pregnancy in the first place. We won’t be having any more and I’m a little sad that I wasn’t able to stop and really treasure up those moments. 🙁
Amy says
((Hugs))
Anissa Kauffman says
We usually have what we call a “babymoon”. We lay around and coo at the baby. This usually lasts for two weeks! I buy cute new lounge/ pajamas because I wear pajamas the first two weeks to remind myself to REST. We watch movies and just let life stand still!
Amy says
Love it!
Stacie @ No Idle Bread says
This is so sweet! Lord willing, in March I will have my newest bundle to hold and I thank you for reminding me to take in the sweetness of the early days. They go by SO quickly!!!
I love how your little one said, “I hope he stays fresh!” Too cute!
Amy says
Can’t wait to hear your good news, Stacie!
Kate @ Modern Alternative Mama says
Ours are coming again soon. 🙂 We have around 6 weeks left…maybe less, if baby’s early! (And mine have tended to be so far.) The biggest thing I am doing right now is to make sure I have everything prepared. I’m freezing and canning a lot of meals. I’m preparing some activities and school stuff for the older kids. I’m lining up help with the day-to-day household stuff and also friends to come and play. I’m organizing “postpartum” bags for me and for baby so everything I really need is one place. I’m doing more than I ever have to prepare. Our life was so hectic and insane after my third was born that I felt I didn’t have the time I needed to enjoy him when he was small, nor to recover personally. I decided before I even got pregnant this time that I was going to be a little selfish. 🙂 I plan to pass off as much of the ‘necessary but not fun’ parts of life to anyone who will take them — the cooking, the cleaning, etc. It will be my job to sit and snuggle baby, talk to and play with older kids, really all the ‘fun’ stuff! Sitting and talking and being in relationship with all of them and watching them with each other will be my priority in the early weeks. All that other stuff can wait. The cooking, the laundry, the cleaning up…they don’t need me. For a few short weeks, I will not feel guilty for not doing them. I will just enjoy my children — all of them — and watching them get to know our newest little one.
Amy says
Love your attitude! It won’t be much longer! 🙂
Josi says
Oh how these babes don’t “stay fresh” for long! Thus the reason to slow down and enjoy them. Good for you for being so intentional! I love the reader that buys herself new jammies for the first two weeks after baby’s birth. I so wish that the blog world would have been around during my baby years so I could have seen some of the great things that moms come up with. I lived under too many unrealistic expectations… probably still do but that’s where the encouragement from others helps me stay more on track these days. Hope your recovery is going well. 🙂
Gena says
My sweet 8th baby is now 7 months old. I’ve done my best this time to soak up all the moments, knowing they will never return, and that she is my last baby. Babies are amazing. They change our lives completely, and God trusts us to raise them!
God bless you and Creed!
–Gena
Ichoosejoy.org
Elise Daly Parker says
Ahhhhhh…all I can do now is remember them. My youngest is 18. Keep up your intentional joy in your newborn. It does go quickly!! Bless you!!
Angela H. says
Thank you so much for this post! I’m around 10 weeks away from welcoming baby number 5 to our home. I’m reveling in the waning days of my pregnancy, trying not to get overwhelmed by my tiredness and the needs of my four children, and enjoying the life growing within me. I can’t wait to baby gaze, nurse, and spend those quiet moments in the middle of the night feeding and co-sleeping. Congratulations on your newest addition and enjoy those fleeting newborn baby days!
stephanie says
Good for you. It’s such a hard thing to stay focused on in the thick of things. Your family is beautiful. Your daughter resembles you very much and is a gorgeous young lady
Amy says
Awww, thank you! 🙂
Michele says
Very encouraging to anyone to slow down and enjoy those moments with their children. Creed is so adorable and reminds me so much of one of my sons.
Emily says
I am looking forward to baby #3’s arrival in about 10 weeks – our third boy! I am so looking forward to not being pregnant anymore, I remember after my second was born the sudden boost of energy I had. I felt SO GOOD within a few days after delivery. Sure I did a bit of “nesting” before baby came, but I was so big and not sleeping well – after he was born all my energy came back and I was so happy and sleeping better, even though I was being woken up every hour to nurse.
Maybe because of this I think I spent a little too much time zooming around and not enough time relaxing, really recovering (I bled for a long time because I was always on my feet), and enjoying him. Plus I had a toddler to take care of. This time I will have two toddlers to take care of, but even though he’s only 3 my oldest can help me out a little bit and bring me things now. I will try to relax, babywear a bit more (as long as my back lets me), and just enjoy the blessing of a THIRD son. This post made me excited all over again for him to come, pregnancy hormones have had me a little depressed lately. Thanks for the encouragement 🙂
Sheila says
He is beautiful! I totally agree with you on enjoying those newborn moments.that go by soo quickly.
Nutmeg says
Meg,
Beautiful picture of you and Creed!!!!
Love, Gram
Chrissy says
So many of my friends talk(ed) about scheduling and setting up date nights and getting them to take a bottle…..blah. I didn’t say anything but I didn’t get it. They are tiny like that for just a nanosecond….it will never be anything like that again. Soaking it up seems imperative and always has. Not always easy when you are running on so little sleep but as you have more babies you learn to deal and to enjoy it. The alternate reality thing is a good one..it is very much like that. I also like that everyone’s expectations of house cleanliness are lowered. 😉
My youngest is four now….I miss the baby cheeks and the quiet snuggles. Everything except the diapers. Lol!