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

bylromarha

gratefulforhelp wrote: »

Gina ford book only works if babe has read the book.

Not in the slightest! :rotfl:

GF was great for both mine, and lots of other friends babies too.

Not great for other babies, and/or their mums.

If OP thinks it may be for her, great. If OP thinks it's not for her, great. If OP wants to dip in and out, great. If OP wants to send it to hell and back, great.

Gina Ford only works if mum and babe are happy with it

spaghetti_monster

I'm due in Feb and this thread is great! Thanks everyone!

casperlarue

Just to remind all you mums-to -be reading this thread that the reality is never as bad as seeing it all written down.......you will forget all the pain, the leakages, the crazy hormones, the sleepless nights (and days!) the chaos and the total and utter sense of being overwhelmed at every turn...


........otherwise we'd all be only children!!

JBD

That is good advice Casperlerue. Personally I used to just take each day as it came [especially with my 1st].To me it was more helpful to get into a [fairly flexible] routine ASAP. It was also important to me to get bathed and dressed every morning and to keep the house reasonably tidy.I also benefitted from the nesting insinct just before each baby was born so got things in quite good order before the birth. I also went out every day ,all my children slept really well in their prams. Really everyone is different and what suits one person won't suit another.
Best of luck to all of you who are expecting!

SugarSpun

jacqhale wrote: »

Never have I met a baby who couldn't switch between breast and bottle, breastmilk and formula ...........

My baby won't take milk from anything but me and I think it's because we followed the midwives' advice not to introduce a bottle for the first two months. I have yet to meet a baby who suffers the apparently mythical nipple confusion, but I do know a few babies who couldn't figure out the bottle after so much time on the boob.

My daughter's 14 months old and while she is happy to drink water from a beaker or a sippy cup she will shake the milk from the sippy cup in disgust and insist that breast is best. You probably want to avoid this even if you put expressed milk in the bottle - it's very hard work.

Also, you should always have a cold drink and a snack within reach of where you're breastfeeding your baby and you need to take a jug of water to the toilet with you to dilute the post-birth stinging pee.

Jo.G

kegg wrote: »

.
Plus if you have a boy remember when putting a fresh nappy on him to make sure his willie is pointing downwards or on the first wee 9 times out of ten the wee will leak over the waistband and soak into his babygrow.

I remember this well!

Both my boys are November babies, my oldest is soon to turn 11 and my youngest about to turn 7.
So, enjoy every single minute and dont wish these tiny years away, dont say 'I cant wait until....' just enjoy every precious moment in the here and now.
Dont feel like you have to allow visitors (even Grandparents) to hold your baby, especially if they are asleep. Its fine to say 'no'.
Take up all offers of cooking/cleaning/washing/ironing.
You will bleed, a lot, and for weeks. Sometimes the bleeding stops then re-starts if you are quite active for a day.
If you have stitches a bidet is a wonderful thing! Once at home a bottle of water when weeing is a good replacement or even wee at the end of your bath.
You will have a jelly belly after giving birth.
You normally feel and look like crap after giving birth.
Not everyone experiences that mad, instant, overwhelming rush of love. Its quite normal and doesnt mean you are a bad mum.
Breast feeding is fantastic. But if you cant/dont want to do it formula is not poison and you will still have a happy healthy baby.
I dressed my babies in trendy outfits for their first Christmas. They look so uncomfortable in the photos, babygrows are definately the way to go!
Giving birth doesn't give you automatic knowledge (see above quote). There is no such thing as a stupid question and dont let anyone tell you otherwise.
Learn to nod, smile and then carry on as you are when given 'helpful' advice.
What works for you wont work for others and vice versa.
If you are happy to let your baby co-sleep, thats fine.
If you want to put your baby in his own room before 6/12 months thats fine too (both of mine where in their own rooms from 6 weeks).
Most babies dont sleep through from 6 weeks. (And anyone who is lucky enough to have one that does should refrain from happily [STRIKE]bragging[/STRIKE] telling other new mums!!)

Just remember one thing: a happy mum = a happy contented baby.

Good luck.

pukkamum

One of mine would be let OH or DH do things his way WITHOUT criticising.
With my first he would send me off for a bath and i would lie there listening to baby cry convinced he wasn't holding/comforting him right and would end up going down and taking over, i was convinced only i could comfort him properly.
It led to DH giving me a real telling off (which i deserved) and life was a lot easier afterwards especially when i realised babies crying just doesn't affect dads in the same way it does mum so he was the best one for the 3am walk round the room.

Charlie1978

I wish someone had just told me to just chill out and just enjoy my baby.

Don't let the thought of visitors/wondering how you'll fit them all in/running around after them ruin your first few days.

I'll be in hospital for 3 days this time with a C Section. People will visit when I say they can! And i'm not going to tire myself out by saying 'ok one more' just because people can't wait another day.

The important people to visit are hubby and kids. Everyone else can just wait until i'm good and ready.

Yes, i'm in a forceful mood today!

Mrs_E_plus_2

Forgot about this one.....

Get a tiny bottle of olive oil stashed away in your hospital bag, I think supermarkets do little ones, but i KNOW wilkinsons do one. Its the only thing that gets those first sticky poos off of such delicate skin.

donnaessex

pukkamum wrote: »

One of mine would be let OH or DH do things his way WITHOUT criticising.
With my first he would send me off for a bath and i would lie there listening to baby cry convinced he wasn't holding/comforting him right and would end up going down and taking over, i was convinced only i could comfort him properly.
It led to DH giving me a real telling off (which i deserved) and life was a lot easier afterwards especially when i realised babies crying just doesn't affect dads in the same way it does mum so he was the best one for the 3am walk round the room.

Oh absolutely.

I remember popping to the shops when the baby was 7 weeks old and coming home to her screaming and my husband just gently shushing her. I was so upset and grabbed her off him and walked off.

Later that night I rang my mum and told her. She said "what, are you telling me she doesn't scream when you're alone with her?" and then I went down to my husband and apologised for being such a b*tch! Dads are great for the night cuddles if you are breastfeeding as they dont have the "booby" smell!