I choose to be good enough

There's no such thing as the perfect parent. Having a newborn is hard. Try to be kind to yourself.

You might not have that instant bond with your baby, but it can take time to enjoy getting to know your new baby. It takes time for any new relationship to build. There are things you can do to help the bond develop. This short video talks about things you can do to bond with your baby.

It's a time of huge change and your sense of who you are might change. Some days you might feel really good, and other days you might feel bad. Some days you might feel like you've cracked feeding, and then your baby goes through a development phase and they suddenly prefer something different or are more difficult to soothe. Keep your expectations open if your baby's feeding needs change. Also, this baby might be different to your other children or your friend's children. All babies are different.

There's a lot to learn about feeding your baby, whether it's getting baby's latch right or learning how to sterilise bottles. Try to focus on making your feeding time special when you can, however you choose to feed your baby.

For more advice and information on mental health and being a parent see Maternal and paternal mental health

For more advice on feeding see Infant feeding and nutrition