Congratulations Lucy!! I always say my first child and I “trauma bonded”. It was such an intense time for us both! I was so overwhelmed in every sense I remember thinking “and I’m not enjoying this enough either! And everyone says it goes by so fast!! 😭”
The second time around you’ll have the gift of perspective you can only gain through experience. (I.e. the baby *will* eventually sleep, I *will* stop crying all the time, we *will* find a routine together, etc. And you’ll actually know it’s true!) For me, that knowledge made way for a deep joy I didn’t think I could experience in parenting. I hope and pray the same sweetness for you.
And if the newborn phase is still not your fave, who cares! You already know it gets better after that!! Best wishes! 🤍🤍🤍
Hahah 100% yes to all that. I simply did *not* get the hype. So glad you had a better experience the second time around. That's very comforting to hear, and I'm very thankful to have that perspective now, too.Thank you!!
Thank you for sharing your personal experiences, Lucy. I admire your honesty. I always look forward to your newsletters and little updates. I love your writing style—honest, yet always lighthearted and uplifting. I am cheering for you:)
Thanks for sharing, Lucy. It sounds like you’ve acquired a lot of mamma wisdom already after baby #1. I think that will serve you well with #2. Congrats!
I am currently 5 weeks postpartum with a baby boy and love to hear this!! I am one of those people who has enjoyed the newborn period but I’ve been on an ssri since before I got pregnant and supplementing with formula since the beginning which both feel cheat codes. Congrats on #2!! Cannot imagine having to also be taking care of a toddler rn, god bless ya
Ah congrats!! Oh I am SO glad you're having such a good experience! That's really encouraging to hear. Haha honestly newborn+toddler is still hard to imagine but I suppose we'll figure it out!
Congratulations!!! So excited for you and your growing family 😊 It’s wild how similar your postpartum experience sounds to my own. And I agree, the people telling us to soak up the newborn days are indeed the ones who are nuts 😅 Wishing you a smooth delivery, peaceful recovery, and joyful early days.
Thanks so much, Anna!! When Dakota and I were initially talking through our hopes to have kids I said I really was more drawn to having, like, a six year old or a teenager instead of a newborn, but turns out they gotta start from scratch! I do think/hope this time I'll be able to better appreciate the sweet, snuggly parts of newborn life now that I've seen how quickly they pass in hindsight.
Yes, same! I’ve always been much more interested in the toddler/early elementary phase. “They gotta start from scratch” 😂😂 Like you said, seeing how quickly they grow is really helping me remember that this is all fleeting (for good and for ill) and I can find parts I enjoy.
Lucy! First congrats my friend on the newest lil bb!!!
Also my thoughts/tips/advice... GRACE. Lots of giving yourself this and being reminded of it from the transition from 1 to 2. And baby wearing. I rarely baby wore with my first but I used that Solly Wrap lots in the newborn phase with my second. It helped because my first was 20 months and he was little and needed help with everything lol and lots of diaper changes, etc.
But going back to point one on grace. This is something I've learned now with baby #3 and I've realized how much I needed that when looking back when my older two were little (it seemed quite chaotic then with that transition). It's easier said than done for sure but rooting for ya mama ❤️️
T!! Thank you so much!! This is the best reminder. I never really got the hang of the Solly with Parker either but have a feeling I'll be using that a lot this time around. Gotta brush up before June haha.
My first was born in April 2020- right when the world shut down. It was a weird time and looking back I am self diagnosing postpartum anxiety but I couldn’t even go to a doctor. My 6 week postpartum check was over the phone! So crazy thinking back. With my second (he is now 2), the world was different, but so was I. I was seasoned. I knew that eventually he would stop crying. I knew that if breastfeeding didn’t work, it would be okay. He might’ve been a more chill baby- but I was a more chill mom. And it made all the difference. Thanks for sharing your experience, I read it and was flooded with memories. It’s a brutiful time.
Such a brutiful time!! I can't think of a more stressful time to have a baby than Spring 2020 - I'm so glad you're on the other side now. This is all such wonderful perspective.
Lucy, I love this so much and so glad you shared your experience. Motherhood breaks us and remakes us in so many ways and it’s so helpful knowing we are not alone! Sending prayers and good thoughts from the Summey household as you all transition to baby #2 💕
Congratulations Lucy!! I always say my first child and I “trauma bonded”. It was such an intense time for us both! I was so overwhelmed in every sense I remember thinking “and I’m not enjoying this enough either! And everyone says it goes by so fast!! 😭”
The second time around you’ll have the gift of perspective you can only gain through experience. (I.e. the baby *will* eventually sleep, I *will* stop crying all the time, we *will* find a routine together, etc. And you’ll actually know it’s true!) For me, that knowledge made way for a deep joy I didn’t think I could experience in parenting. I hope and pray the same sweetness for you.
And if the newborn phase is still not your fave, who cares! You already know it gets better after that!! Best wishes! 🤍🤍🤍
Hahah 100% yes to all that. I simply did *not* get the hype. So glad you had a better experience the second time around. That's very comforting to hear, and I'm very thankful to have that perspective now, too.Thank you!!
Congratulations on Baby #2!
Thank you for sharing your personal experiences, Lucy. I admire your honesty. I always look forward to your newsletters and little updates. I love your writing style—honest, yet always lighthearted and uplifting. I am cheering for you:)
Thank you so much, Patti!! Hope you're doing well.
Whaaaaa??? CONGRATS! And what a lovely share. Sending you big hugs from Tennessee.💜
Thanks for sharing, Lucy. It sounds like you’ve acquired a lot of mamma wisdom already after baby #1. I think that will serve you well with #2. Congrats!
I am currently 5 weeks postpartum with a baby boy and love to hear this!! I am one of those people who has enjoyed the newborn period but I’ve been on an ssri since before I got pregnant and supplementing with formula since the beginning which both feel cheat codes. Congrats on #2!! Cannot imagine having to also be taking care of a toddler rn, god bless ya
Ah congrats!! Oh I am SO glad you're having such a good experience! That's really encouraging to hear. Haha honestly newborn+toddler is still hard to imagine but I suppose we'll figure it out!
Congratulations!!! So excited for you and your growing family 😊 It’s wild how similar your postpartum experience sounds to my own. And I agree, the people telling us to soak up the newborn days are indeed the ones who are nuts 😅 Wishing you a smooth delivery, peaceful recovery, and joyful early days.
Thanks so much, Anna!! When Dakota and I were initially talking through our hopes to have kids I said I really was more drawn to having, like, a six year old or a teenager instead of a newborn, but turns out they gotta start from scratch! I do think/hope this time I'll be able to better appreciate the sweet, snuggly parts of newborn life now that I've seen how quickly they pass in hindsight.
Yes, same! I’ve always been much more interested in the toddler/early elementary phase. “They gotta start from scratch” 😂😂 Like you said, seeing how quickly they grow is really helping me remember that this is all fleeting (for good and for ill) and I can find parts I enjoy.
Lucy! First congrats my friend on the newest lil bb!!!
Also my thoughts/tips/advice... GRACE. Lots of giving yourself this and being reminded of it from the transition from 1 to 2. And baby wearing. I rarely baby wore with my first but I used that Solly Wrap lots in the newborn phase with my second. It helped because my first was 20 months and he was little and needed help with everything lol and lots of diaper changes, etc.
But going back to point one on grace. This is something I've learned now with baby #3 and I've realized how much I needed that when looking back when my older two were little (it seemed quite chaotic then with that transition). It's easier said than done for sure but rooting for ya mama ❤️️
T!! Thank you so much!! This is the best reminder. I never really got the hang of the Solly with Parker either but have a feeling I'll be using that a lot this time around. Gotta brush up before June haha.
My first was born in April 2020- right when the world shut down. It was a weird time and looking back I am self diagnosing postpartum anxiety but I couldn’t even go to a doctor. My 6 week postpartum check was over the phone! So crazy thinking back. With my second (he is now 2), the world was different, but so was I. I was seasoned. I knew that eventually he would stop crying. I knew that if breastfeeding didn’t work, it would be okay. He might’ve been a more chill baby- but I was a more chill mom. And it made all the difference. Thanks for sharing your experience, I read it and was flooded with memories. It’s a brutiful time.
Such a brutiful time!! I can't think of a more stressful time to have a baby than Spring 2020 - I'm so glad you're on the other side now. This is all such wonderful perspective.
Lucy, I love this so much and so glad you shared your experience. Motherhood breaks us and remakes us in so many ways and it’s so helpful knowing we are not alone! Sending prayers and good thoughts from the Summey household as you all transition to baby #2 💕
Thank you so much, Kelli! That is perfectly said.