Being a parent is a beautiful feeling. Suddenly, you become the most important person in the life of a new human being.
However, bringing a new life into this world is inevitably followed by drastic changes in the life of parents. In fact, your life will change in ways you didn’t even think were possible.
Let us explore how having a baby changes your life.
Yes, there are responsibilities galore. After months of anticipation, holding the baby for the first time is one of the most precious moments. Nevertheless, having a new person to care for can sometimes be quite overwhelming. But the heart-warming feeling that you experience when your baby smiles make up for it. Besides, you’ll get accustomed to it after a couple of months.
Changes In Life After Having A Baby
Yes, after becoming a parent, your life will change. Moreover, if truth be told, you will change as a person.
Below are ways a baby can change your life and how a new parent can cope with it.
A Change in Your Routine
Caring for a new member at home will take up all your time. As a result, new parents have to apply for maternity and paternity leaves.
A baby is entirely dependent on its parents, and you will have to get accustomed to the change in your daily routine. Even when you resume working, you will have to complete the day’s work and return home on time or sooner.
There will be a new set of priorities in your life. These would include setting up playdates for your child, taking him/her for outings and devoting a significant portion of your time to your child.
It may sound overwhelming initially, but soon it will become a way of life.
A New Timeline
Yes, there will be a new timeline in place. For example, before you had a baby, you might not have taken more than fifteen minutes to get ready for a party.
But now, you would have to consider the baby’s needs before heading out. Feeding your child, bathing her, changing her nappy and getting her ready for the day will take up more time.
Even if you have someone to take care of your newborn, you will find that there are still many adjustments to be made on your part. Even saying goodbye to your bundle of joy will take up time.
So, a valuable suggestion would be to plan your day according to your baby’s schedule. For example, if you are heading somewhere with your baby, keep separate time reserved for getting the little one ready.
In fact, try to keep some buffer time in your daily schedule as it would enable you to get some me-time.
Planning Is Important
You will learn the value of planning, irrespective of whether it’s meal planning or planning your day.
Whipping up pasta at dinnertime and randomly cooking some chicken to fulfil your cravings are a thing of the past. So is instantly heading out for a movie and dining out.
You will get a better sense of control if you start making a plan for your day and stick by it. This includes devoting some time to planning and prepping your meals.
New parents rarely get time to look after themselves. However, they must not neglect their health as it negatively affects their newborns.
An important suggestion would be to use some time on your weekends to plan the menu for the week and chop and store your vegetables.
Another thing that you can try is keeping your dresses ready for the week. If you have to go out for work, keep your work handbag ready on weekends.
Be Alert Constantly
Having a baby will change your sleeping cycle. Therefore, you need to be constantly alert about whether your baby is facing some discomfort or what is making him cry.
You will also have to wake up in the middle of the night when you hear your newborn cry.
An effective way is to use pacifiers/bottles to put your newborns to sleep because most newborns are conditioned to fall asleep or fall back to sleep while sucking on something.
You can also consult a dietician and set up a meal plan for your baby after six months.
However, despite all the planning, there will be times when you feel that caring for a newborn is becoming more overwhelming, and you will not be able to cope. These are the times when you need a support system around you.
A Support System Is Important
As new parents, you will find yourself relying on your parents or in-laws for their valuable advice or assistance in caring for the baby.
Yes, it might not be easy when you are used to being independent, but your parents will be more than happy to be of help.
Your in-laws are an important source of help as well. Moreover, adjusting to a new arrangement with your in-laws will benefit a healthy grandparent-grandchild relationship.
Besides, you will have the much-needed assistance with babysitting and errand running services.
If you have doting siblings, you can request their assistance as well. If you are a single parent, request your friends and relatives to step in.
Enjoying some me-time helps you recharge and get back to your everyday life with more zest.
A Change In Your Relationship With Partner
While parenthood can be a joyful experience, having a baby can make your relationship go through many challenges.
Initially, there will be confusion about new responsibilities, who will change diapers, feed the baby, and do the household work. Moreover, the sense of intimacy in a relationship gets derailed after the arrival of a newborn.
However, in such cases, what is required is restructuring the relationship. For example, earlier, you were a couple. But now, you are parents. You need to adjust to the changes as a team because parenting is teamwork.
Parenthood is a beautiful journey where you will discover your partner anew. An important suggestion would be to set aside some time for just the two of you where you can share about what is happening in your life.
Gaining A New Perspective
Parenthood helps you gain a new perspective on life. As parents, the world might seem to be a dangerous place for your baby, but at the same time, you will learn to view things through the eyes of a person who is new in this world.
Kids get amazed by every new thing that they encounter. Their questions can awaken your curiosity.
You might also experience a change in reality. For example, you might prefer the countryside after becoming parents despite being city-dwellers throughout your life.
Developing More Patience
Managing your bundle of joy will not be easy because your patience might get tested repeatedly. In addition, waking up in the middle of the night to baby cries might be irritating. Changing diapers might annoy you after a point.
But, gradually, the hours that you devote to your baby will enable you to develop more patience.
You will learn to manage your emotions and control your frustrations for the sake of your child. While setting a good example, you will develop empathy, compassion and better listening skills.
Gaining A New Identity
You will become a Mom or Dad after a newborn enters your life. Your baby might not be able to address you as Mumma or Papa instantly, but when you hear it for the first time, your heart will melt for sure.
However, at the same time, it might be challenging to adjust to a new identity, especially one that is loaded with responsibilities.
Getting used to people identifying you primarily as parents might be difficult as well. A suggestion would be to interact more with new parents in the same boat as you. It will get easier with time.
Developing Healthy Habits
Having a baby catalyses mature personal growth. As a parent, you will feel obliged to lead by example.
You might have grabbed a chicken burger and fries for lunch and ordered Chinese for dinner as a couple, but now it is a thing of the past. Your child will learn the importance of eating healthy if he sees you consuming a balanced diet.
Yes, boxed meals and fast food remain tempting options because kids eat them without any fuss. Still, as responsible parents, you will feel the importance of introducing your child to a balanced nutritious diet and various flavours from childhood.
As a new parent, you might be pressed for time, but at the same time, it is essential to devote some time for ‘self-care’. Going to the gym, practising yoga, waking up early, eating healthy and looking after yourself are crucial if you wish to be the best parent that you can be.
Saving More Is Important
You will feel the need to save more money because raising a family has its expenses. Apart from saving for retirement, parents need to pay for their child’s education.
So, while there will always be things to buy or splurge on, it will be best if you have a financial plan. Create a budget and stick to it.
Social Bonds Will Change
As new parents, you will experience a complete rearrangement of your social life. You will notice a tendency of people to converse with you exclusively on parenthood.
You will find relatives giving unsolicited advice. You might also lose a lot of friends because not all single people wish to mingle with new parents.
At the same time, you will also find new friends emerging in the form of other new parents.
After you have a baby, it is natural for people to relate to your parenthood as your primary identity. But maintaining relationships that nurture you as an individual is also very important.
Planning For A Trip Will Become Difficult
Once you become a parent, you need to consider your children’s inclinations while choosing holiday destinations.
Infact planning for a day out will not be easy because kids might disagree with your decision to visit the science city or zoo. Even a particular restaurant might get vetoed by your child.
An important aspect of parenthood is synchronising your child’s preferences within your plan.
You Will Appreciate Your Parents More
After becoming a parent yourself, you will understand how difficult it is to raise a child. Parents have to teach their children everything from cultural traditions and manners to daily chores.
Once you get hands-on parenting experience, you will appreciate your parents more because only then will you understand what a difficult job your parents had.
An invaluable suggestion would be to seek your parents’ help and advice on parenting.
Your Life Will Gain A New Meaning
If you have been wondering about how does having a baby change your life, the answer in one sentence would be – it helps your life gain a new meaning.
Relationships and committed parenthood lend a purpose to our lives. Raising a new being entirely dependent on you helps form meaningful connections, contributing to your happiness.
In other words, when you hold a baby, you hold the world’s future in your arms.
Becoming a parent might seem daunting and overwhelming. It is not easy to take up and manage the responsibility of someone else’s life. However, when a baby comes into your life, you get a chance to create a better world.
Yes, having a baby will change your life. It is sure to become extremely hectic and complicated. Some parents take to parenthood instantly. But if you take time to adjust to the changes, don’t worry. Every parent has a different pace of adapting to a baby at the house.
This blog has enumerated some of the crucial changes a new parent will face. However, once you look at your toddler and experience unconditional love, you will feel that all the changes are worth it.