Information, resources and reassurance for new parents navigating the highs and lows of life with a baby

The birth of a first baby is one of the biggest life transitions an adult will experience. Major life changes are always accompanied by mixed feelings and most parents feel under-equipped for the tasks of infant care and managing a household with a baby.

This website contains information about common experiences in the early months of parenthood and some effective ways of thinking about and managing them.

All information on this website is drawn from up-to-date research and the experiences of many parents of new babies. We hope that you find the site helpful as you learn to live with your first baby.

www.whatwerewethinking.org.au content was developed with funding from the Australian Government and the Jack Brockhoff Foundation. The authors have sole responsibility for the content of the website.

The site content is provided for your information; if you have comments you are welcome to submit them to:

This site is not a substitute for advice from your family doctor or another health professional.

If you feel sad, worried, or irritable most of the time, then it is important to talk to your family doctor.

For Parents »

» Introduction
» 'About Babies' Worksheets
» 'About Mothers & Fathers' Worksheets

For Professionals »

» Background Theory
» Research and Evidence
» Frequently Asked Questions

WWWT Blog »

What you give up when gaining a baby

Being a first time parent inevitably requires a degree of personal sacrifice. But as John questions, do we fit parenthood in with our former lives or do we fit our lives around being a new parent?

Mummy (and Daddy) Shaming

‘Mummy shaming’ is a social phenomenon where the actions and activities of mothers are judged harshly or criticized by others. Most commonly, this shaming comes in the form of comments or non-verbal disapproval from strangers about the way mothers interact with their children or how they spend their time...

Work at home and in the office

Let’s be frank, the workload is massive with the arrival of a baby. For Dad, it’s a challenge heading off to work each day slightly sleep deprived and possibly bearing unnoticed milk vomit on your shoulder.