Things you wish you had known before baby was born.

unforeseen

Anyway.....any recommendations on prams? Ones that might last say 30 years incase my son in the future needs pushed home after a heavy session in the pub

Silver Cross. They were built to last. 
When it has outlived its usefulness then the wheels get re-used for kids buggies, or gambos if you are from S Wales (do kids still make them these days?) 

strawb_shortcake

Inflatable tyre pushchairs are great until you get a puncture then they are a nightmare, you could get some gunk to go in but they had mixed reviews - may be better now.
Silver cross are good, though I find the newer ones a bit samey. 
Our last pram was a Brio and it was brilliant, could not fault it in the slightest 

WickedWitch123

I would say don't expect 50/50 shared parenting but that's just from my bitter experience. 
The advice about not comparing your baby or your parenting to others is excellent advice.  They'll always be the baby who sleeps through from day 1 or the baby who can do pi at 2 days old.  Ignore it all!

couriervanman

Enjoy it because before you know it that cute baby will turn into a stroppy teenager 

HanPop

I’m pregnant with number 4 and our pram has lasted for years - it’s a Quinny Moodd.
one piece of advice my health visitor gave me when I had my first that saved me a lot of money was not to buy ‘follow on’ formula milk. Once they are 12 months old they can drink cows milk. The only reason follow on formula was created was because companies are not allowed to advertise first baby milk so made people think they needed this follow on milk from 12 months so that they could advertise it and make money on a product no one needs. Just buy cows milk from 12 months and give baby vitamins, much cheaper.

Mojisola

HanPop said:

Once they are 12 months old they can drink cows milk.

Just buy cows milk from 12 months and give baby vitamins, much cheaper.

But it should be whole milk until age 2, not semi or skimmed.

CreditCardJunkie

Birth trauma is a real thing and nothing to be ashamed of. I felt like because none of the midwives/drs came to me and mentioned how horrendous it was that it couldn't have been that bad.
After going to a fabulous therapist, I learned it was that bad and it really helped me move forward. Worth every penny!

ZaSa1418

HanPop said:

I’m pregnant with number 4 and our pram has lasted for years - it’s a Quinny Moodd.
one piece of advice my health visitor gave me when I had my first that saved me a lot of money was not to buy ‘follow on’ formula milk. Once they are 12 months old they can drink cows milk. The only reason follow on formula was created was because companies are not allowed to advertise first baby milk so made people think they needed this follow on milk from 12 months so that they could advertise it and make money on a product no one needs. Just buy cows milk from 12 months and give baby vitamins, much cheaper.

Great advice but most 'follow on milk' is from 6 months nowadays so they can advertise.
Breastfed babies do no need follow on milk nor cows milk and you can breastfeed for as long as you chose. 
You can not spoil a baby, you are not making a rod for your own back and do not listen to great aunt or whichever family member tells you they put baby porridge in bottles when baby was 4 weeks and they are fine. Guidelines have changed! 
Research the 4th trimester, it is a huge help. 

HanPop

ZaSa1418 said:

HanPop said:

I’m pregnant with number 4 and our pram has lasted for years - it’s a Quinny Moodd.
one piece of advice my health visitor gave me when I had my first that saved me a lot of money was not to buy ‘follow on’ formula milk. Once they are 12 months old they can drink cows milk. The only reason follow on formula was created was because companies are not allowed to advertise first baby milk so made people think they needed this follow on milk from 12 months so that they could advertise it and make money on a product no one needs. Just buy cows milk from 12 months and give baby vitamins, much cheaper.

Great advice but most 'follow on milk' is from 6 months nowadays so they can advertise.
Breastfed babies do no need follow on milk nor cows milk and you can breastfeed for as long as you chose. 
You can not spoil a baby, you are not making a rod for your own back and do not listen to great aunt or whichever family member tells you they put baby porridge in bottles when baby was 4 weeks and they are fine. Guidelines have changed! 
Research the 4th trimester, it is a huge help. 

Yea of course breastfeed if you want/can, if not there is no shame in formula (I once had an older lady shout at me in Tesco for formula feeding my 2 week old premature son, she was awful and I was hormonal and tired and it really upset me). Yes most follow on milks say from 6 months but my health visitor told me to stick with the first milk for 12 months then switch to full fat cows milk and vitamins at 12 weeks.
i also agree about a comment another poster made regarding mums seeming to be in competition about their children and how fast they can crawl/walk/talk etc. As I have 3 already I can assure you that they all develop differently and that unless there is an issue they all catch up in the end. When playgroups etc are open again I strongly advise going to one not just for baby but for yourself, they’re very useful and you can chat to other mums about things that might be concerning you etc, I had no friends that had babies and I needed some mum friends who understood what I was going through.

yellowbear

Follow-on milks were 'invented' by formula companies to get round advertising laws.  Companies are not allowed to advertise first stage milk so they market it as follow on milk. There is absolutely no difference in  X brand first stage formula and their follow- on milk.
There is also no difference in any of the formula milks. They have to by law contain the same basic ingredients. No brand is better than another. No brand is closer/closest to breast milk than another.