21 Things New Parents Take A Little Getting Used To

    The lack of sleep is just the start.

    Mike Spohr
    by Mike Spohr

    BuzzFeed Staff

    1. Changing diapers.

    Imgur
    View this image on Imgur

    You weren't expecting to love this part of the gig, but you weren't prepared for poo that looked like tar. Or mustard. Or smelled like something that couldn't possibly have come out of a 10-pound baby.

    2. Changing diapers in public takes some getting used to as well.

    Imgur
    View this image on Imgur

    "Um, I think I'll go change the baby in the car."

    3. Staying in shape.

    youtube.com

    It's impossible to tell which is harder: finding the time to go to the gym, or finding the energy.

    4. Accepting messiness.

    Flickr: burnedcity / Via Creative Commons

    The mess babies make in their diapers is just the start of their incredible capacity for making messes. Eventually you realize that wearing white just isn't a very good idea.

    5. Not oversharing your baby on social media.

    Flickr: quinnanya

    Resisting the urge to post every photo you take of your baby (including the ones of their ears, toes, knees, and elbows) on Facebook is almost impossible at first.

    6. Carrying your baby from room to room.

    Flickr: kellysue / Via Creative Commons

    This is insanely stressful in those early days — especially since babies' heads seem to be magnetically attracted to door frames.

    7. Sucking snot out of your baby's nose.

    youtube.com

    The NoseFrida Snot Sucker Nasal Aspirator sounds impossibly nasty, but when your sick baby is miserable you'll do anything. You do have to psych yourself up that first time, though.

    8. Listening to unsolicited advice.

    Netflix

    When you've first become a parent everyone from the little old lady at the store to the cable guy has opinions — and they're going to lay them on you.

    9. All of the laundry.

    Flickr: rosemania / Via Creative Commons

    Your family laundry pile isn't larger just because of your baby's clothes. It's also larger because of all of your clothes the baby spit up on (or worse).

    10. The lack of sleep.

    commons.wikimedia.org / Via Creative Commons

    It's hard to believe at first, but you do get used to living with very little REM sleep.

    11. Not poking your baby to make sure they're breathing.

    WOWOW

    You'll learn to chill out...or at least watch for the rise and fall of their chest instead.

    12. Saying "my son" or "my daughter."

    Universal

    It's also kind of a mind-blower when people refer to you as "mom" or "dad."

    13. Resisting the urge to buy all of the onesies.

    Cute onesies, funny onesies, inappropriate onesies...If you're not careful you'll wake up one morning with a full-blown onesie addiction.

    14. Folding baby clothes.

    youtube.com

    A normal-size pile of laundry will take you three times as long to fold if it’s full of baby stuff.

    15. Deciding whether to wake a baby to change their diaper or to let them sleep.

    Flickr: tamakisono / Via Creative Commons

    In the beginning you will spend your share of conflicted moments standing over the baby at 3 a.m., but you will soon become amazingly adept at juggling the risk of diaper rash with the need for sleep.

    16. Getting spit up on.

    youtube.com

    The good news (or is it bad news?) is that soon people will be like, "Do you know you have spit up on your shirt?" and you'll say, "Well, look at that! So I do!"

    17. Not totally losing it when someone sneezes near your baby in public.

    en.wikipedia.org / Via Creative Commons

    Eventually you'll squash the urge to pick up your baby and run until you can run no more...eventually.

    18. The fact that there are freaking holes in your baby's skull.

    en.wikipedia.org / Via Creative Commons

    The "soft spots" are totally normal and helped your baby's head to safely pass through the birth canal. You'll still shudder every time you see them for a while, though. (Good news — they'll both close within a year.)

    19. Having to pack a diaper bag like you're going off to war every time you leave the house.

    JackF / Via thinkstockphotos.com|JackF

    Spontaneous trips out the door are definitely a lot harder.

    20. Trusting your baby with other people.

    Warner Bros.

    It doesn't matter if the person raised 12 kids on their own, you still worry about leaving your baby in their care.

    21. What it's like to walk around with your heart outside your body.

    Universal

    Getting used to love this deep is more than a little scary, but you wouldn't trade it for the world.