Remember your well being is just as important. which does mean you need to know when you need a break too. A baby can cry for it a bit. It will be fine.

A friend still speaks fondly of the time I popped around because she had got out of hospital with her baby and it turned out I was the first visitor so she passed the baby over and went off for a shower. As long as someone semi-competent is keeping an eye on them, you know the crying isn't some disaster that requires immediate attention.

I'm not sure where everyone else was but I think they were letting mum and baby have bonding time, when mum really wanted some non-baby time. So don't be shy about asking for help. Or telling people to stay away if that's what's required too. If you leave people to their own devices it's probably not going to be exactly what's needed at any one time.

Thanks, I think I needed to hear that. I definitely have a tendency to try and 'over-perform' and it doesn't usually help! Will try and take it steady