Baby Alexander's session and embracing the newborn stage
Last week, I did a in-home newborn session for this beautiful family who welcomed their third baby boy. I loved so many things about this session- the adoration for her oldest son, the sweet attachment that her middle son has for her and of course, that beautiful baby boy! This family is amazing and I was so happy to be a fly on the wall with my camera to capture some super adorable moments.
I relate so well to parents who have welcomed to their third child because I have a three children as well. Three is a good number. Sometimes I am in awe that I ever went from 0-3 kids and wonder where the time went. I remember being pregnant with the twins (who were my first two children) and having so much anxiety their first year of life. I wanted to do everything by the book and was easily rattled. I had them on a tight schedule, was very particular about feeding and I was worried about them having "bad" habits from things like being rocked to sleep. My son was especially fussy as a newborn. Twins as a first time parenting experience was nothing like I've ever experienced and I was very cut-throat in my approach in trying to make sense of raising two newborns at once.
By the time my third child was born (and a singleton!) I had a a VERY different mind set. I wanted to embrace the newborn and baby stage as much as I could instead of trying to fight it. I decided I was going to hold her 24/7 because I could. I nursed her to sleep every night for 6 months without a care about starting a "bad habit." I wore her in a baby wrap ALL DAY for the first 4 months and didn't bat an eye. I didn't worry at all about schedules or nap times until around 5 months old. I loved hanging out with her in the middle of the night during feedings, knowing that all too soon she will eventually sleep and I will miss her. I memorized the weight of her body in my arms while I rocked her to sleep for every nap and bedtime for months. I really, truly embraced having a newborn and ENJOYED it! I didn't consult one parenting book with her, I just did what felt natural to me. My experience with my third child was incredibly healing and I regret not having the same mentality with my twins. But, I am so grateful that I did have such a positive newborn experience with my third and I am so happy I just embraced the "fourth trimester" instead of doing everything in my power to fight against it.
I think the newborn stage can get a bad rap sometimes. It's so hard-yes. But it's also so pure, good and beautiful. It's tiring work, but I really believe that embracing the newborn stage for what it is instead of fighting it helps shape the experience so much.
