Genuinely asking. I hear people talk about newborn smell and cherishing it but I'm at 10 weeks with my daughter and mostly I feel numb and exhausted. Everyone keeps saying "enjoy it, it goes so fast" which just stresses me out more because I'm not enjoying it and I feel like I'm failing. Is there anyone who legit had a good time during this phase?
Loved it honestly but I know I'm the outlier. My wife would've thrown me out of a window if I said that at your stage though. She hated the first 8 weeks. Every parent is different and there's nothing wrong with finding those months exhausting.
Sounds brutal but real talk - the fact that you're asking this means you probably care a lot about your kid. Some dads hate those months and still come out great. Don't let anyone guilt you into feeling a certain way.
The first few months are rough man. Everyone talks about the magical moments but they don't mention the soul-crushing sleep deprivation. Hang in there, it truly does get easier around month 3 or 4.
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10 weeks in and I'm going to be honest - the newborn smell is real but I'd take one full night of sleep over it any day. It gets better around month 4-5 when they start actually responding to you. Right now it's just survival mode for most people.
I didn't love it but I didn't hate it either. It was just kind of a blur of feeding and changing diapers. People romanticize it way too much. You're doing fine if you're just getting through each day.