Lin

What I learned from parenting: play and laugh more. Strangely, I almost forgot how to play. I had to watch Instagram videos for ideas 😅 I also learned that smiling and laughing help babies relax, bond, and smile back. I smile so much more now. When did we become so serious?

Random thought on AI alignment - using parenting as an analogy. We try to filter 'good' for children, but how they learn is never fully in our control. Maybe AI alignment is partly a reflection of our own contradictions: we say we care about Earth, but what have we done?

What I learned from parenting: move like a ninja Hard to know when the baby is in light or deep sleep, so evenings become a stealth mission: walk softly, close doors slowly, avoid any noises. Before, I didn't notice the sounds. Now I know exactly which floor creaks.

What I learned from parenting -> 'courage to live with uncertainty' Life so far felt somewhat controllable: school, work, relationships. But not with a newborn. Tomorrow, will he sleep ok? Will he poop? Will he cry? I don't know. I live for today, and I'm ok without knowing.

What I learned from parenting -> 'Use every part of my body'. Feeding, burping, bathing, holding… caring for a newborn is truly a full-body workout. Both arms busy? Then feet become hands! Like picking up a blanket with toes and flinging it onto the sofa to prep for a swaddle.

What I learned from parenting -> 'Non-verbal communication' Babies communicate through their bodies, facial expressions, and sounds. I’ve been learning to: - tell discomfort from pain - recognise different cries - pick up patterns in sounds, movements, and expressions

Hello, Autumn, I had an idea to share a few lessons from becoming a parent. Let me know if you feel the same. 'Focus on the fundamentals' When I was pregnant, I thought about what his future might look like in the age of AI Now, all I want is for him to have a healthy poop 🙏

New mom habit: Daily 90-min nap My body has learned to take a daily 90-minute nap for one full sleep cycle. Add that to the ~4.5 hours of sleep I get at night, I can actually scrape together around 6 hours a day. For this phase of life, 6 hours' sleep feels like a big win!

New mom habit: Thanks to my baby, been building a bedtime routine because I should lead by example Baby’s routine: feed → burp → nappy → face & neck clean → song → soothe → sleep My routine: tea → yoga → shower → diary → read in bed → sleep as much as possible 😂

New mom habit: Baby's feed time is a great window to build habits. My baby has torticollis, so after each feed we do gentle neck rotations, tilts, and SCM massage. It’s a long battle... Hope these tiny repetitions add up. One feed, one stretch, one day at a time.

New mum habit: Baby has to wear a harness 24/7 for hip dysplasia; this made breastfeeding very hard. So I aim to pump 5 times a day to keep my supply going. Yet, still not enough to exclusively breastfeed. It makes me wonder: how did families cope before formula was invented?

New mum habit: Taking photos of baby's poop. I know! Never have I ever imagined that I'd be into poop photography. But baby poop is very informative about health. Snap a photo during the nappy change, so we have a timestamped 'poop library' to track: 💩 Time 💩 Texture/colour

New mum habit: After lunch (habit trigger), spending 10 mins a day learning how to care for my baby a little better. Really like Emma Hubbard’s videos: youtube.com/@EmmaHubbard Currently reading: 'How Babies Sleep' by Helen Ball & 'Your Baby Week by Week' by Caroline Fertleman

New mum habit: Since week 7 postpartum, I’ve started easing back into gentle exercise. Every Friday, I make a booking for the local lido. So far, swimming every Saturday has helped me feel good. Just one small weekly habit to help me gradually feel healthy and strong again.

New mom habit: Every morning, while my baby naps and the sun comes up, I spend 10 minutes listening to this affirmation: youtu.be/n1s5dZPPc3c?si=ld40… In the first few weeks, I kept saying 'sorry' to my baby. Then I realised: I don't need to apologise for learning. I'm doing my best

New mum habit: Every time I rock the baby to sleep (habit trigger) -> 🏋️ Do 3 slow squats. ⬇️ Breathe in on the way down. ⬆️ Breathe out as I stand up. He's about 6 kg now, so a decent workout, keeping it gentle as my core is still recovering. Deep breathing is also calming.

New mum habit: 🍼 Every feed (habit trigger) -> Habits for my health 💧 Take a few sips of water 💪 Do 3 pelvic floor holds (5 seconds each) Important to stay hydrated (lose extra water in making breastmilk) and gain pelvic floor strength (improve support of my organs)

Getting a baby out is no easy task, but it can be done. Still feels strange walking around in my own body again (without a little one inside). I thought building new habits as a first-time mum would be impossible...but let's try Let's start a challenge to build new habits

Sharing a useful habit as a mum-to-be: Regular pelvic floor exercises Not just for pregnancy/postpartum, apparently, pelvic floor health matters to both women and men. I try to do 2 exercises each week to support my pregnancy, yes, I'll ask my husband to do them too.

Sharing a useful habit as a mum-to-be: 10 minutes of daily self-care Pregnancy can become all about the baby: what to eat, how to sit and sleep, and what to buy. This is when we need to remember to love ourselves. Enjoy one small thing each day - a snack, a novel, only for me.