The first 100 days with your baby can feel like a whirlwind, joyful, exhausting, and overwhelming all at once. You’re recovering from birth, adjusting to sleepless nights, and learning to understand your baby’s needs. It can sometimes feel like you’re barely keeping your head above water.
But here’s the truth: you’re not alone. Countless parents have walked this path before you, and many say the first three months are the hardest. To help, we’ve gathered tips from real parents about what made a difference during those early weeks. Think of this as your friendly survival guide, full of reassurance, practical advice, and reminders that “good enough” really is good enough.
1. Lower Your Expectations (and Then Lower Them Again)
Many parents start out with ideas about how life will look: tidy house, home-cooked meals, perfectly dressed baby. The reality? The washing pile grows, meals are eaten one-handed, and sleep becomes a distant memory.
2. Accept Help When It’s Offered
It’s tempting to say, “We’re fine” when friends and family offer support. But in those first 100 days, extra hands make all the difference.
Help doesn’t always mean looking after the baby, it could be someone bringing food, folding laundry, or holding the baby so you can shower.
3. Sleep: Take It Where You Can Get It
You’ll hear the advice to “sleep when the baby sleeps.” Sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn’t. But finding moments to rest is key.
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Share night duties if possible.
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Try early nights. Even 7pm bedtime for parents can help.
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Nap in the day without guilt.
4. Feeding: Do What Works for You
Feeding is often the hardest part of the first 100 days. Whether breastfeeding, formula feeding, or a mix, the most important thing is that your baby is fed and you feel supported.
If breastfeeding is painful or stressful, seek help from a midwife, health visitor, or breastfeeding counsellor. And don’t feel guilty for using formula, having an option ready can take the pressure off.
5. Small Wins Are Big Wins
In the newborn haze, success looks different. A shower, a walk around the block, or a hot drink can feel like huge achievements. Celebrate them.
6. Build Your Village
Isolation can make the first 100 days harder. Reach out to other parents, whether online, at baby groups, or through friends.
Talking to people in the same stage makes you feel less alone and normalises the ups and downs.
7. Prioritise Your Recovery
It’s easy to focus entirely on the baby and forget about your own healing. But your body has just done something extraordinary.
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Rest as much as possible.
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Eat nourishing food.
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Accept that recovery can take time, physically and emotionally.
8. Don’t Compare Yourself to Others
Scrolling through social media, it’s easy to feel like other parents have it all together. Remember, people share highlights, not the messy middle.
Every baby is different. Every family is different. Trust your instincts, you know your baby best.
9. Create Little Routines (When You’re Ready)
In the first weeks, chaos is normal. But as you move toward the 100-day mark, gentle routines can help. A bath, feed, and story before bed signals sleep. Morning walks create structure.
10. Remember: This Phase Won’t Last Forever
It’s cliché, but true: the days are long, the months are short. The first 100 days can feel endless, but they do pass.
Common Questions
Why are the first 100 days so hard?
It’s a huge adjustment, sleepless nights, recovery, hormones, and learning a new role. It takes time to find your rhythm.
What if I feel I can’t cope?
You’re not alone. Reach out to your health visitor or GP. Postnatal depression and anxiety are common and treatable. Support is available.
Is it true babies are easier after 3 months?
Many parents find things gradually improve after 12 weeks as babies start smiling, sleeping longer, and becoming more predictable.
How can I help my partner in the first 100 days?
Share night duties, take the baby for walks, and make sure they have breaks. Emotional support is just as important as practical help.
The first 100 days with your baby are intense, messy, and full of learning curves. But they’re also sprinkled with moments of joy that carry you through. By lowering expectations, accepting help, resting when you can, and leaning on other parents, you’ll survive, and even find moments to thrive.
Remember: you don’t have to do it all. You just have to do enough. And you’re already doing that.