1 – The best day of your life… or not! 

“The day he was born was so wonderful!” OK, that statement is true for some parents, but not for all. And it’s okay if for you, it was hell! You have A WHOLE LIFETIME to have a great time with your child. Don’t put pressure on yourself on the big day.

2 – A more or less obvious connection 

The bond between a newborn and his parents is magical, but not necessarily immediate. Don’t blame yourself! You have nothing to blame yourself for. Take the time you need to accept this new role and get to know this little being, who for the moment is still an unknown. Forgiveness and patience will be your best allies.

3 – Time flies 

Ah, all those pre-baby times when we said, “I don’t have time!” How dare we, right? Now we have the right, time flies even faster. The proof is in the pudding, our baby is growing so fast that sometimes we’d like to press pause.

4 – Letting go 

Children have their own agenda and don’t always listen to your own grown-up obligations. The schedule rarely goes as planned! We have to admit that we learn from them to adapt and to accept that we cannot control everything.

5 – A lesson a day 

You will be surprised by the wisdom and openness of children. They impress us with their innocence, their curiosity, their unfailing lightness and their wonder for simple things. They are a breath of fresh air and an inspiration in our daily lives.

@blakealexiss
@simplicite_ici⁠ par @oliver.fritze pour @milk_magazine

6 – Strength and inspiration 

You may be apprehensive about life as a parent and all that it implies: childbirth, postpartum, fatigue, education, going back to work… This is normal. However, you will quickly realize that the body as well as the mind have this capacity to overcome obstacles and to transform them into energy. It is not uncommon for motherhood to reveal, for example, the soul of a self-entrepreneur or to inspire new life projects that previously seemed unthinkable.

7 – An intense tiredness

While you’d give anything to get an 8-hour night’s sleep, your child doesn’t agree at all. Fatigue can quickly become your worst enemy! It prevents you from taking a step back and often deprives you of foresight. The trick, if you have the possibility, is to sleep when the baby sleeps… or to pass the baton, the time of a small nap for you.

8 – You’ll be eager to get back to work 

If you are apprehensive about returning to work, you will find that returning is actually beneficial. Finding a structure, a framework, colleagues and carrying out other tasks often does the most good. The reunion with your baby will be even better! Obviously, some parents return to work with a heavy heart and once again, nothing goes wrong. To each his own, and to each his own.

9 – Silence = nonsense 

If the house seems quiet to you, it’s first nice… then suspicious. No screams, noises from toys or small steps are often synonymous with nonsense. Keep your eyes and ears open…

10 – Stop comparing yourself  

The birth of a first child brings a flood of congratulations, joy… and unsolicited advice. Often benevolent but above all intrusive, filter what you are told. People around you tend to forget that each baby is unique, and that there is no one way to do things. Guilt and comparison are unnecessary, especially in the age of social networking. Don’t forget that it’s easy to film your cute KUMI crib while hiding the mess in the background.

In the end, if there is one thing to remember, it’s that parenthood inevitably leads to questioning, discovering and surpassing oneself. It is a unique, exhilarating and tiring adventure. An unconditional love that cannot be taught, but that will teach you a lot about yourself!