The Best Advice for Future Parents
I’m not here to talk about specific baby bodysuits, diapers, cribs, or other “must-haves.” There’s a time and place for all that.
The single most important thing for future parents to remember is to fully experience and cherish every moment.
Sure, in the beginning, you might feel overwhelmed. Sleep deprivation can leave you dazed, like you’ve been swept into a whirlwind of tears and sweetness all at once.
But when your baby sleeps — when they drift off on your chest or shoulder — breathe deeply and commit their scent to memory.
Yes, they might struggle with colic, and you might not know how to ease their pain. But when you hold them, wrap your arms tightly around them and let yourself memorize the feel of their tiny body.
Sometimes, if your baby is anything like mine, they might refuse to sleep altogether! They’ll be laughing at 2:00 AM, inviting you to play, and you’ll feel like tearing your hair out because you’ve got a full day ahead.
Even then, take a moment to soak it all in. Memorize their smiles, their giggles — every little detail.
Do this, even when it feels hardest.
Because tomorrow, they’ll already be a little different, and the baby they were yesterday won’t come back. Yesterday, they couldn’t push up on their hands; today, they’re doing it. Yesterday, they couldn’t hold their head up; today, they’re managing for a few seconds.
Don’t rush the milestones. Don’t think, “I can’t wait for them to sit up,” “I can’t wait for them to walk,” or “I can’t wait for them to be more independent.”
Time moves quietly, and before you know it, the tiny 3-kg bundle you brought home from the hospital is gone. In their place, you’ll find a little one clumsily trying to crawl across the bed at 2:00 AM.
Since realizing this, I’ve been trying to follow my own advice — to hold onto every moment, no matter how hard it gets.