They say parenthood is the steepest learning curve there is.

If I think back to my pre-baby days and compare them to life post-babies, I’d have to agree.

10 superpowers all parents develop in the first year

There are just so many things they don’t tell you, things you learn on the job andΒ suddenly – and expertly –Β develop the ability to do. Essentially, a set of parenting superpowers.

10 superpowers all parents develop in the first year

1. The ability to function on the least sleep you’ve ever had in your whole entire life. And you routinely surprise yourself with just how littleΒ you can get by on.

2. Pre-kids you were incapable of doing anything before your first cup of tea or coffee – now you can change a nappy, strip a bed and sort out breakfast all before your first sip. Even though you don’t really want to.

3. You can complete a surprising amount of tasks with just one hand. From emptying the dishwasher to chopping onions to applying make-up, it’s really quite amazing what you can do while balancing a baby on your hip.

4. Multitasking takes on a whole new meaning. From cooking a meal while hanging out the washing to supervising bath time while cleaning the sink, you deftly carry out multiple tasks simultaneously, often without even thinking about it.

5. You can sniff out the whiff of your own child’s nappy at 50 paces. It doesn’t matter how many other kids are about, you just know when it’s yours.

6. You only need to glance at a buggy to know how to adjust, fold and collapse it. While people without kids struggle to even adjust the handle, you’ve workedΒ the whole contraptionΒ out in one fleeting assessment.

7. You’ve mastered the art of holding all manner of things between your teeth. Without dropping them.

8. You’ve gotΒ eyes in the back of your head. And they don’t miss a thing.

9.Β You develop anΒ innate sense for spotting signs of trouble. From the wrestling of a toy between twoΒ toddlers to the baby crawling towards the steaming cup of tea, distance is no object –Β especially at parent and baby groups.

10. You now possess selective hearing. Because let’s face it, if you didn’t develop this superpower you’d go insane.

What superpowers have you developed since becoming a parent?

Gas and electricity supplierΒ npowerΒ is celebrating the superpowers parents discover in a new campaign in association with MumsnetΒ featuring Peter and Emily Andre. They’reΒ calling for mums and dads to share their parenting superpowers on the npower websiteΒ and on Twitter using the hashtag #familysuperpowers for the chance to win one of three UK theme park breaks. ToΒ find out moreΒ clickΒ here.

I am a member of the Mumsnet Bloggers Panel, a group of parent bloggers who have volunteered to review products, services, events and brands for Mumsnet. I have not paid for the product or to attend an event. I have editorial control and retain full editorial integrity.

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