You've waddled through the summer months of your pregnancy (congratulations!) and baby is here - just in time for the colder weather. And while there's nothing quite like warm newborn snuggles, having a bub in winter has its own set of specific challenges.
1. Sorry! No sick days for mummy.
Hello winter, and hello catching every bug that's going around - especially if you have little ones in childcare. Remember when having the flu meant snuggling up in bed with a box of tissues while you binge-watched your favourite Netflix series? They were good times. Now, however, sick days, are a luxury of yesterday's past. If you've ever battled a flu with a newborn, you'll know just how dire they can be. Not to mention the stress of protecting your bub from getting their first cold ...
2. Dressing bub is way more complicated:
The summer baby's wardrobe is simple: nappy plus singlet and you can't go wrong. When the cold weather hits, however, dressing bub feels far more complicated - especially if you're a first time parent.
You want them to be warm enough, but not too warm. Do they need a singlet plus a onesie plus a jacket? What about a beanie? Do babies need beanies? How many blankets do they need in the pram? They just exited the warm womb for this cruel cold world and it's your responsibility to make sure they don't regret it. The pressure!
While it can be quite overwhelming at first, here's a useful tip: try the same number of layers you're wearing, plus one extra layer for bub.
3. 'Tis the season for the Sock Fairy.
If you're constantly looking down to find your baby rocking one sock, you're not alone. The struggle is real. Winter is the Sock Fairy's time to shine. What a lovely collection of itty-bitty-tiny-adorable baby socks she must have.
4. Night sweats and night feeds are oh-so brutal.
I'll never forget waking up, drenched in sweat in my hospital bed just hours after my June baby was born. No one had warned me about the (completely normal) post-partum night sweats, which left me shivering and peeling off wet layers for the next fews weeks, in the middle of the (freezing) nights.
If you're lucky enough not to experience night sweats, however, you'll soon be initiated into the world of the cold night-feed. Thankfully bub makes a pretty effective hot water bottle!
5. It's harder to leave the house
While you may have had maternity-leave visions of long pram walks in the bright sunshine, the reality can be rather different. It's hard enough as it is to leave the house before midday with a new bub, harder still when it's grey and drizzly and you have to get out of your ugg boots and trackies. Not to mention the stress of nailing point 2 ...
While it might be more of a challenge, when you do eventually make it outside, that cool crisp air certainly helps reinvigorate your sleep-deprived self.
6. Mothers' Group catch ups can be tricky:
You know those idyllics photos you've seen on Facebook, the ones of tiny babies from Mothers' Group arranged in a circle on a picnic rug in the park. The cooler weather, however, means fewer park catch ups with your new mum mates, and more crowding your prams into cafes (with accompanying side-eye from other patrons).
Challenges aside, all those koala-snug cuddles certainly make those chilly winter months easier to cope with.
And who can resist the lure of cute outfits like this one ...