It's true that the early weeks with a new baby generally do not turn out to be the blissful time we imagine they will be! However, I think the problem is exactly that we don't allow mums to just be mums for a while. We expect that babies can and should fit into family schedules, that soon they will sleep through the night, that they will feed to a schedule and that life can soon go on as normal. Those of us who have been there know all to well that it's just not like that!! Babies are born needing to feed frequently. They need to be held constantly and reassured as they adjust to life in a big and scary world (compared to the safe and cosy uterus!). Sometimes they have reflux or other pain from their birth experience. Life in the first weeks and sometimes even months is really hard.

Wouldn't it be great if we did all get a babymoon? If family and friends, the parents' workplaces, neighbours etc all expected nothing of the couple until the baby was a bit older, and the community all stepped in and helped by leaving meals on the doorstep (so to speak), and offering all sorts of practical help. Wouldn't that make life so much easier for all new famillies?
It would be heaven mantaray. To be allowed to do that without guilt or expectation placed on you. Sure, people can say don't take any notice of other people and their expectations but most of the time it is impossible to do. First time around, I ended up with PND because I expected too much of myself. Second time around, I took all the help offered (which wasn't a whole community, just my MIL, stepmum and sisters, but it was enough) and it made it so much easier to cope. I do remember having a couple of days babymoon with both girls though. It was moments of pure bliss. But it was definitely only a couple of days, before reality set in
I try now to offer as much help as I can to my friends and family that have new babies but often people are too proud to accept it. I still cook meals for them though and anything that I can do without being intrusive. I'm glad I learnt my hard lesson the first time around. PND terrified me into accepting help with DD2. It's a shame that it took that for me to accept that I couldn't do it all myself and that it was ok for me to sit back and let other people do things.