Imagine that you’ve been planning the most amazing surprise party for months and months – the kind where you get to go home with an awesome party bag, the best present in the world and a happy glow that can only come from the most joyous of moments…the only caveat being that you probably wont know exactly when this ‘surprise’ is going to be sprung upon you so you have to be ready! Goodness you’re ready. You’ve got it all mapped out, written down, decisions made. You know exactly how you’re going to behave during and after the event. It’s going to be PERFECT!!

This ^^ is your life as a mum-to-be.

The day of the party arrives, and despite there being no alcohol on the premises, you find yourself shouting and slurring like a teenager in a park after a litre of white lighting. The music is SO much louder than you’d planned it to be and you spend most of the time feeling like you need the loo. The event goes really quickly, and before you know it, you’re back home in bed with a hangover, a boob job, the worst period in the world and an inability to remember your own name because you’re JUST SO TIRED. Oh, and tears. Lots of crying tears*

*Not always yours.

This is your life as a first-time mum.

It’s hard. It’s wonderful. It’s exhausting. It’s happy and sad rolled into one. Its feeling like you’re doing everything and nothing every second of every day. It’s the highest rollercoaster with the lowest drops. You smile for the cameras and then feel physically sick waiting for the next twist and turn. You get to the end of the ride and feel so goddam proud of yourself, sometimes you queue up and give it another go!

Dear First-Time Mum, here’s what you need to know:

1) It’s ok not to be ok - The birth of a new life means saying goodbye to your old one – but it’s not always a bad thing.


2) From aftershocks to colic and reflux - You’ll quickly realise that there are so many things you weren’t warned about, here are the things that took me by surprise.


3) Motherhood can be the loneliest of times, but don’t just take my word for it – here are some thoughts from other new mums so that you don't feel so alone.


4) The early days are the easy days - the days to cherish. Here’s why.


5) Don’t ever forget why you started this journey – have a read of my ‘Poem for a new baby’ as a little reminder.

Sarah x 

PS: if you need some parent time savers check out Vicki's post, and if you’re a bit further down the line and wondering how to go about weaning your child from breastfeeding have a read of Naomi’s post.