The thing they did tell me about becoming a parent is how important it is to have as little clutter as possible. The less you have, the less to clean, and that means more time spend together, less overwhelm and more peace and quiet

No one told me how becoming a parent can make you miss your partner - even when they’re right beside you. I love being a mom more than anything, but some days I barely get to see my husband before we’re both too exhausted to talk.

I miss having real conversations, uninterrupted moments, and the simple ease of being together without a million things on our minds. I didn’t expect how much effort it would take just to have a deep, meaningful conversation with the person I love most.

My brain is constantly in overdrive, and it’s hard to slow down enough to connect the way we used to. It’s a strange, quiet kind of grief - even amid so much love and joy.

When you see the positive test after infertility struggles, it’s the happiest day of your life. You are going to be a mom. Everything is as it should be.

But no one tells you how devastating it is when things don’t go as planned. Lukas was born at 25 weeks - extremely premature. No one prepared me to see my tiny boy on life support, struggling to stay alive. No one prepared me for the nights spent holding his hand, saying goodbye, telling him it’s okay to let go. I missed all the things I dreamt of when I first saw those two lines.

The first year of Lukas’s life was spent in the hospital. It included infections, lung and heart disease, brain bleeding, cardiac arrest, open heart surgery, and everything in between. It wasn’t supposed to be this hard. But all the trauma fades when he smiles. That smile. My little warrior stayed with me.

My baby had colic and cried inconsolably for hours every day for 4 months. It was incredibly hard, and honestly, I cried with her multiple times. Out of frustration and helplessness. I constantly had this feeling of: "just sleep, so I can have some peace"

But as soon as she fell asleep, and that peaceful face appeared, I would miss her. I missed her the second she slept - even though I knew perfectly well that 10 minutes after she woke up, she would cry from colic pain again.

I feel like sleep was what connected us during those tough months. We have co-slept since day one, because when she lay next to me and slept at night (without the colic crying), I would look at her peaceful face, those little sucking movements, and I felt the unconditional love that everyone talked about. She’s now almost 9 months old and over her ‘colic’, but when I think back on those first 4 months, it’s indescribable to think that we made it through.

They don’t tell you that the first 10 days are hell and heaven at the same time. My instinct wasn’t always there when she was crying at night. I didn’t know what to do.

But also, you love your baby in a way you have never loved before. In the first months you are your baby.

‘You’ does not exist in the first months after giving birth to the most beautiful soul in the world.

No one told me how magical contact naps are! Everyone always talked about sleep training and independent sleep.

We contact napped for 7 months and now at 9 months she goes to sleep on her own without a fuss! I wouldn’t trade those 7 months for anything!