The Great 'What you wish you'd known when you had a baby' Hunt 2012

claire21

Try to leave the house an hour before you were ment to, that way you just about get out on time.

Dollymix_2

I found towelling tea towels instead of bibs were a god send when feeding as they covered them totally from the neck down and when they were sick it was only the tea towel that needed to be thrown in the wash and not a change of clothes.

sassyblue

claire21 wrote: »

Try to leave the house an hour before you were ment to, that way you just about get out on time.

So true :rotfl: that's advice you read pre-baby and think 'rubbish! l won't be like that'.

tgroom57

Baby will fall asleep when his/her feet are the same temperature as your tummy.

You can exist on 4 hours sleep but only if the 4 hours are unbroken. Sleep when baby sleeps.

CarriN_2

1. I found out when I had a 7lb baby (which I thought was pretty big :eek:) that all the "newborn" sized clothes were actually based on the premise that the average newborn was 9lb (ouch!). She didn't fit the newborn clothes till she was about 3 months old, and the 0-3 months some time after that... Tiny baby is the size you need unless you're producing a whopper (and for Mrs MSE's sake, I hope it's not )

2. Don't try to do too much too soon - no matter how lovely the day is! My DH and I taking our LO to Alnwick Garden when she was two days old, and I was only 18 hours out of hospital following a 29 hour labour, was not the worlds smartest move

3. I have to agree with the people who say don't go on the major parenting forums - they will just make you feel depressed and angry.

4. If Mrs MSE is planning on returning to work anytime soon (for financial reasons, I had to return to work when my dd was 3 months old), don't leave looking for a good childminder until the last minute...:rotfl:

5. Finally, don't underestimate how shattered you're going to be for the next 2 years or so, and make sure that both of you have catch-up naps whenever you can. I was lucky that I had an office to myself at work and worked with my back to the door - my lunch hour was a power nap in front of the computer It was only when dd started sleeping through the night that I realised how sleep deprived I'd been!

kat360

Don't feel like a failure if you can't breast feed, it's not the end of the world I wish someone had said that to me when I couldn't with my first and my midwife was being pushy. I actually physically couldn't and I felt that I'd let my child down. Not everyone can and getting berated for something I couldn't do was the worst thing ever. I don't think anyone should be able to tell you how to bring up your children except you.

Recently, I had my old next door neighbour go on a rant about how I SHOULD have done what was best for my child by breastfeeding, how my children must be ill all the while because they were bottle fed, etc. :mad: Soon wiped the smile off her face when I told her that I couldn't because of medical reasons.

Sorry for the mini rant:o

rev229

Buy supermarket own brand first nappy size, much cheap as the first few days/weeks more comes out of a bay than goes in!! Thick long nightime sanitary towels are much better than maternity pads and the thin pads. Big pants for all. PJs easier for BF! and babies 2nd night will be awful, that is just how they are!

poffigirl

I you are going to breastfeed then do it lying down whenever possible, it was great, DD2 used to have her fill and then we'd both doze off (on the bed - NOT the sofa!). That being said, if you can't breastfeed then don't best yourself up about it. I had a horrendous first three weeks with my first and ended up depressed hearing babies crying when there wasn't. All babies are different, first was a bottle baby, second was a boob baby.

janiebquick

Find out if there is a local branch of the NCT. you may not wish to go to their coffee mornings, but they have regular sales of baby clothes and equipment that are a good place to pick up bargains.

DigForVictory

I have my family's agreement that my tombstone will include the phrase "It Worked For Us". Not one of your usual mummy mantras, but so long as no one gets hurt, try anything & stick with what works. Note that what works with MSB#1 may not work with MSB#2 (forgive the presumption, but it is Much more MoneySaving to have several to get the use out of kit & clothes even if it does gruesome things to sleep patterns etc).
Oh:
Accept every offer of clothes, kit, & home cooked meals.
Never wake a sleeping baby.
Sleep whenever possible, wherever (so think hard before getting on the bike)
You will be judged (& likely condemned), so do whatever works for you. The naysayers have a hard time tutting over an obviously happy bonny baby.
All vaccinations are a Private issue & defend privacy to the hilt.
If you & MrsMSE get to sit down together to a hot meal in the next 5 years, it will be down to detailed planning. MSB will not mean to make it difficult, it's just a function of being a baby.
Finally, CONGRATULATIONS! Becoming a family is amazing.:A