the Clueless Mum

What do you tell someone who is thinking about having a child?

The truth?

Scare them into running straight to the hospital to have the baby maker removed? The truth is scary but doesn’t it all come hand in hand with having children?

The comedian Michael McIntyre hit the nail on the head with his sketch on life with and without children.

People who don’t have children have no idea, really they don’t. Michael explains how people without children leave the house... “Shall we leave?” “Yes, lets” then they leave the house. People with children are placed in a chaotic mess that makes simply leaving the house a war zone, with missing shoes and tantrums. Very funny, yes and also very true.

Last minute plans are a thing of the past and outings that don’t involve soft play or bags packed with everything (just in case) become reality.

But... and this is a big but those little snot bags can be really cuties at times and it’s those moments, those little moments that make it all worthwhile.

I remember when CC was little, she was a hard baby. She cried a lot and wasn’t happy unless she was having my attention 24/7, she often screamed from the moment she woke up till she went to sleep...but she would only sleep for 3 hours then cry all night too. It was hard.

One extra hard day I was putting my little “angel” to bed and as I walked out the room she said “I love you” well I turned into a bubbling mess. It had happened finally, some sign that she actually liked me and wasn’t trying to kill me with lack of sleep. That day sticks in my mind and I find it hard to remember the bad things, just the good.

Having a chat with a lady who is actively trying now for children I had no advice on how to be a mother, it’s you that has to figure that out.

If you want to baby wear or cry it out, breast or bottle, homemade meals or pouches none of this is wrong! Yes, feel free to talk about what you did but don’t preach.

When you are a first time mum you constantly think am doing it wrong, well you’re not! It’s easy to listen to others stories of how the baby sleeps all night and that breastfeeding was so easy for them and think you are failing; chances are they are lying or have a large base of helpers that some aren’t as lucky to have.

The good out weights the bad but the bad times are very bad and the good times are amazing.

Am going to give an example of my children,

• I breastfed CC but bottle fed Cassi

• I tried every sleep routine with CC but didn’t with Cassi

• I kept CC to a strict schedule but I let Cassi make his own

• I fed CC baby led but Cassi with pouches....

Both my children are happy, healthy and not feral...most of the time.

It’s hard to give advice, it’s not the same for everyone. Every child is different, they are little humans remember that. We like different things; we have different likes and dislikes just as children do.

So what do I say to my friend asking for advice...Dont ask me, I have no idea what am doing!