As a new mom, you’ve surely already had a million people coo at your baby and then tell you to “enjoy every moment” of having a newborn. To a mom who might not be delighting in every diaper blowout or endless feed or sleepless night (which, let’s be honest, is every mom!), this phrase can make you feel like you’re doing something wrong. Â Don’t worry, you’re not.
Now that I’m a few years removed from the baby stage, I have a better understanding of what people mean by “enjoy every moment.” The baby stage is notoriously challenging, and the road to toddlerhood can be pitted with everything from sleepless nights to postpartum depression to feeding and health issues. For these reasons and many more, it’s not every mama’s favorite stage. But it is a super fleeting period in the grand scheme of a baby’s lifetime, and one that really does have many lovely, unique moments. If you can’t enjoy EVERY moment, ha, these are some of the ones to treasure!
1. Their Helpless Immobility
Newborn babies can’t move much besides their arms and their legs. So you can lie them in the middle of a bed, even a twin size, and leave the room for a minute without any fear of them rolling over or off the bed. The window for this immobile state is so brief —Â by four months your little will be able to roll over, and from then until age 18 you better be on alert, mama! Â — and we bet in a funny way you will have moments of missing this helplessness.
2. The Very Definition of Snuggle
Tiny, soft, and warm, newborn babies are the kings of snuggliness. They want nothing more than to be close to mom, whether tucked up against a shoulder or wrapped up in a baby carrier. They might cry and even wail, but they’ll never fight a snuggle.
3. Food is a Breeze
Meal for a baby? Boob or bottle, done. The actual feeding might be more challenging, of course. Â But with minimal prep work and easy clean up, we bet you’ll look back on baby’s single-item mealtimes with envy once you enter the age of solid foods and picky eating. (Except for pumping. No mama ever misses that!)
4. Hello, the Clothes!
This one needs little explanation: Teeny tiny baby clothes are adorable, plentiful, and inexpensive. Which is why people love to give them as gifts, but are much less excited about shopping for bigger kids!
5. The Mobility
Getting out the door with a baby might require a lot of gear, but it’s still easier (and less exhausting!) than convincing a toddler or preschooler to get dressed and leave the house most days. Plus, once baby is in the car seat, you’re free to go wherever your travel system allows. The toddler and preschool set are not so agreeable to shopping trips, long walks in the park, and, oh, just about anywhere else.
6. Or We Could Not TalkÂ
Sure babies are surprisingly loud, with all those cries, burps and farts. But their non-verbal nature renders time spent in their company on the quieter side. You might think you can’t wait for the words to come, but trust us, you might find yourself wishing for quiet when your preschooler learns the word “why?”
7. The Naps
Baby care can be exhausting. Thankfully babies give their mamas some much needed breaks by taking plentiful naps. We know many a mama who was beyond sad when the last of those naps dropped off (around age three or four).
8. That Baby Smell
Such a magical smell, and only present in the tiniest of babies. Breathe deep, mamas. It wont be around for long.
9. Swinging and Soothing
There are a couple of reasons you don’t want to drop too much cash on a baby swing. The window for their use is so short, and there’s no guarantee that your baby is a swinger. But if your baby takes to it, it’s just the sweetest: your little, happy as can be, snuggled contentedly in his swing.
10. And About a Million Other Magical Moments!
Your little will never resemble anything like an infant ever again. It’s that rareness that makes the newborn stage so special, that makes people smile at you in the grocery store and ask you how old your sweet baby is. It’s just a magical time to be, dare I say, treasured!
What’s your favorite part about the newborn stage?
