Upping my skill set

I always like picking up new knowledge, regardless of whether it has too many practical applications. But I don’t think I’ve managed to acquire quite so many new skills in such a short space of time – and not just the ones I’d expected like how you actually hold a newborn and breastfeeding technique. And while Minnie is the only recipient at the moment, I’m hoping to find a few more uses.

• The ability to cope with broken sleep. As someone who firmly believes I need nine hours to function, jet lag will never seem quite as bad when a three hour stretch seems faintly luxurious. Which brings me on to…

• Learning how to nap. Something I never used to be able to do. Day was for being awake, night for sleep, and trying to nap was usually fruitless or left me feeling mildly drugged/hit over the head with a comedy cartoon frying pan. Except on planes.

• Increased ambidexerity. The things I can now do one-handed while trying not to disturb a breastfeeding baby. I strongly suspect this is one skill I shall continue to hone until I can practically cook a three course dinner with one arm out of action.

• Unexpected reserves of patience – when Minnie *still* won’t settle. Not bottomless, mind you. And once you take the hormones and besotted maternal feelings from the equation, I’m not convinced this will extend to eg travel delays. Especially combined with the sleep deprivation. But you never know.

• A more casual attitude to my own appearance. Tracksuit bottoms, a vague attempt to do something with my hair – I’ve even been out without make-up on (shock…). I’m hoping to raise the bar a bit before too long – I do have standards – but this bodes well for lighter packing and even quicker times to get ready. Not that I’ve ever been hugely high-maintenance.

• Bat-like hearing – currently being used to detect the tiniest snuffles from Minnie but probably extends to being able to hear a mouse sneeze. Not yet sure how this will be useful but there’s surely a practical application.

• A talent for speed eating – either she’s finally asleep and I can guzzle my much-delayed meal or I’m frantically trying to munch through it before she wakes. Probably not a skill my digestion appreciates admittedly!

And that’s all in the space of about a week. Who knows what the coming ones will bring.

Image: Sean MacEntee/Flickr