What do you wish you had known with your first newborn?

fantasia322

clairehi wrote: »

I agree there is no need for anyone to feel guilty about not BFing BUT suggest that if you do want to BF, make sure before the baby is born that you have contact details for a good BFing counsellor that you can call on if you have problems.

there are lots of mums who give up BFing unwillingly, because they are having problems with it that could be solved if they had got the right advice and support. Don't blame yourself if you dont find it easy - but feel free to blame the healthcare professionals if they give you cr*p advice which means that you cant find a way to carry on with it....

my advice would be that if you want to BF, try and stick with it for a month. by then you will have got through the hardest part and it will be so much easier than bottles.

There are aslo a lot of Mums who are made to feel guilty by health professionals if they stop breastfeeding for whatever reason.
DO NOT FEEL GUILTY, you will know at the time what is right foryu regardless.
There is a LOT of pressure on new mums to breastfeed granted it is best if you can make it work. But they need to take the pressure off if you dont want to breastfeed. I state again Formula fed babies thrive just the same. Am a mum of 5 all combi fed and they are all healthy and thriving and great kids.

Lurleene

When you pack your hospital bag, make sure you take some maternity trousers for going home in. You may suddenly feel stones lighter after the birth, but you won't be fitting into your jeans any time soon!:)

ClaireLR

Loving this thread - I'm also due to have my first in just over 3 weeks! Hope people keep posting their advice, I'm enjoying reading it all!

fantasia322

Lurleene wrote: »

When you pack your hospital bag, make sure you take some maternity trousers for going home in. You may suddenly feel stones lighter after the birth, but you won't be fitting into your jeans any time soon!:)

Oi lol I did, they were tight but I got into them

mummyroysof3

Lurleene wrote: »

When you pack your hospital bag, make sure you take some maternity trousers for going home in. You may suddenly feel stones lighter after the birth, but you won't be fitting into your jeans any time soon!:)

it is also a good idea to pack more than one set of trousers, i had made a mess of a pair before i even left the hospital and i was only there a couple of hours post birth:o

donteatthat

fantasia322 wrote: »

Oi lol I did, they were tight but I got into them

Yes I was in mine too pdq. But my baby was 11 weeks early so only 2lbs 11 :eek:

clairec79

Lurleene wrote: »

When you pack your hospital bag, make sure you take some maternity trousers for going home in. You may suddenly feel stones lighter after the birth, but you won't be fitting into your jeans any time soon!:)

Don't hate me too much, but had the baby on Friday evening and am in my jeans today - still got a bit of a jelly belly though

LilacPixie

Lurleene wrote: »

When you pack your hospital bag, make sure you take some maternity trousers for going home in. You may suddenly feel stones lighter after the birth, but you won't be fitting into your jeans any time soon!:)

that is so so true.

toddles*

Big tip- Paper plates, bowls, cups, plastic spoons. I bought a huge stash of these for when the baby was born. Washing up was such a horrible chore and it took that one chore away. Esp when I was breastfeeding you need to eat about 500 extra calories a day so I was eating constantly, toast etc so just used a paper plates.

Also when your milk comes in after 3 days of giving birth I experienced quite a severe fever. Hot/cold dizzy spells and my OH called the midwife at 3am as I was so poorly, she just laughed it off but how were we supposed to know!!! I was ok by morning.

floss2

DS1 & DS2 both in 20's but I never forgot:

a) labour can hurt but it's worth it - you get a baby after all that effort
b) driving in the car helps them sleep - even to Rainbow & Foreigner (DS1 prefers rock music even now!)
c) it's not a challenge to have a brand new baby AND a perfect home - you CAN have dirty hair / messy home / washing-up piles
d) you will probably get piles
e) you don't have to wait 6 weeks to have sex - and you don't have to be at it exactly 6 weeks later, everyone is different
f) baby won't mind if they sleep in a room without matching cot / bedding / curtains etc
g) if you have room, borrow a big pram - they are fab for pushing so you get back into shape while walking miles, babies love them for sleeping & you can put your shopping on the bottom
h) remember that not all babies have the same sleep pattern - DS2 would have been an only child if he had been born first!

And finally - take lots of photos, because they grow up, and when they are a teenager and giving you lip, you can show their GF/BF all those baby pictures!