"Seven things I’d do differently if I had a baby now."

Having a baby now, would be a totally different experience.

It’s almost eight years since I fell pregnant for the first time.

Eight years… wow has that flown.

In the grand scheme of things, eight years isn’t much but, in the parenting world, I have learnt it is a long time.

I think in those eight years both feeding and sleeping recommendations for babies have changed at least twice, maybe more.

Target’s also finally got a maternity section (no word of a lie, my local Target had no maternity section back then) and baby brands that didn’t exist eight years ago are now raking in millions each year.

So much has changed and if I ever went back to have another, there are so many things I’d do differently.

Here are 7 of those things:

1. Not buy stupid crap.

Babies are big business and someone somewhere will try to sell you some useless piece of crap you will never use. Or you’ll use once and forget about. As a first time mum this is exciting. Now, this would not excite me. I want the cheapest most useful items only. Nappy bin. No. Bottle Warmer. No. Fancy, ridiculously hard to clean high chair. No. Nappies, wipes and jumpsuits. That’s basically all I’d need for a newborn.

Check out some weird baby inventions in this video. Post continues after video.

2. Take more videos.

I convinced my partner to buy me a video recorder when our first baby was about six months old. It was digital and I thought that was so cool, but even then I still only really got it out for special occasions. iPhones weren’t released until 2007 and Samsung Galaxies about 2009.

I didn’t get a smart phone till about 2010 and I generally didn’t carry around our video recorder in my handbag. I’d definitely take more videos if I had a baby now.

3. Take a chill pill and not sweat the small stuff.

Dummy dropped on the floor? Pff. Forgot to feed the child morning tea? They’ll survive. Someone else saw a milestone before you? It happens.

If your child is happy and healthy you’re doing it right. I’d absolutely relax more if I had a baby now.

4. Use those baby sleeping bags.

By the time my second was born, baby sleeping bags had arrived but they were uber expensive and definitely not as cool as the sleeping cocoon thingys they have now. It was muslin wrap or nothing for us. I’ve always thought they looked so cool and convenient I’d definitely get on the baby sleeping bag bandwagon.

5. Raise my baby, my way.

Now my friends are all having kids, the only advice I offer is “don’t listen to the damn advice.” As the first of my friendship group to have a baby I was so unsure of my choices. There will always be people telling you how to raise your child. If I had a baby now, I’d be telling those people where to stick it.

6. I wouldn’t stress when the baby got sick.

High temperatures were the worst. And croup. My poor baby and his croup. Kids get sick, it happens. The best thing we can do as parents is not freak out, be there for them and get appropriate medical help when needed. I’d definitely try and stress less if I had another one.  

7. Appreciate it.

Every single parent you ever meet will tell you to appreciate it because it goes so fast. And every single one of them is 100% right. I was a mum who loved the newborn phase and the toddler phase is super cute. But that time just flies by so quickly. If I had another I’d truly appreciate those first few years.

What would you do differently if you had a baby now?

Want more? Try:

“Lies I told myself about the second baby.”

“Your first baby shower is lovely. But a second is greedy.”