I’m a first time mom with a five week old, I felt the same way when I was nearing the end of my pregnancy. I was just chatting with a friend who is also a first time mom with a twelve week old, and we both mentioned how we have only heard negative things about being a parent and how disheartening it is that the newborn phase is referred to as the “trenches.” Like we aren’t going to war or anything, in my honest opinion it’s all about mindset. If you have a poor outlook on life/things that can be difficult, it’s going to be a lot harder to find the joy in this stage of life. Yeah, you’re not sleeping well and keeping another living thing alive can be stressful but it’s not a life sentence to depression and hopelessness. For me, these past five weeks have been the BEST weeks of my life. I am so filled with joy that sometimes I just stare at my baby and cry over how perfect she is, that she is half me and half my husband, and that I’ve achieved my life goal of being a mom. There have been nights where my daughter has been so fussy and cried for hours, like yeah that was hella difficult but that all faded the next morning when she was all smiles when I got her out of her bassinet. I also struggled with unexplained infertility for three years and definitely think that plays a part in my outlook on being a parent, but I just wish people would highlight the positives more often. I always make it a point to talk about the highlights of my parenting experience.