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aloe
Guest
Congrats!
My advice that hasn’t already been said:have meals prepared for in advance - freeze some.
My advice that hasn’t already been said:have meals prepared for in advance - freeze some.
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KellyPalmer
Guest
Do your research about best practices - co-sleeping, breastfeeding, etc. Decide what you want to do, realize it may not work out, and don’t feel bad about it.
If nursing hurts, get help right away - call a local La Leche League leader or a lactation consultant. LLL is free and will come out right away. It only takes a day for that “ouch” to become bleeding and a horrible cycle of pumping and bottle feeding and crying.
Read up on normal infant feeding and sleeping. Wants to eat every hour? Normal. Wakes up all night to nurse? Normal. Wants held all the time? Normal.
Decide on a type of sling or carrier. A local babywearing group likely has a lending library for you to try on carriers before you buy one. They will show you how to use it safely.
Read up on infant positional asphyxiation - what happens when a baby’s chin touches its chest and crimps his airway. This is a danger in car seats; the AAP recommends that they ONLY be used in cars, not as baby carriers. See above about slings.
Seek out peer-reviewed evidence for all the big controversies - co-sleeping, nursing, circumcision. Do research; don’t take things for granted (don’t accept the way it’s done without understanding why or if it works). We did this and I am so grateful.
Ignore advice. Do your research, make your decisions, and do not feel bad about your choices.
such great advice. Wish someone had passed this along to me when I was pregnant with my first.
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aloe
Guest
This is GREAT!
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Kit15
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Cat
Guest
Have FUN! The time goes so fast–you’ll leave the room and come back and your child will be graduating from high school!
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aloe
Guest
Someone told me the days are long but the years are short. I have found the days to be quite short too - just depends on the day.
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Chiltepin
Guest
My son is 5 months old. I have probably already forgotten useful advice, but here is what I retained.
- Bring a robe to the hospital so you can cover your bum for visitors (those hospital gowns… don’t)
- When you are on the hormono-emotional roller coaster, you are allowed to be selfish and take your baby back from people. It’s a new baby to you too, don’t feel like you have to let visitors hold him or her constantly if you really want baby time. I wasn’t good at this and then I would be wierd and cry.
- Velcro swaddles are your friend.
- Your feet will return to normal, it just takes a while. Buy a pair of fat shoes and do not despair.
- The itzbeen timer is a nifty little gadget good for tracking feedings and mommy’s pain meds the first week you are home (after that you aren’t freaking out about times as much.)
- Bring baby socks or scratch mittens to the hospital to put on those little hands. They are brand new to the world and will do everything in their power to scratch that pretty little face you just laid eyes upon.
- Put your husband in charge of answering texts. People start texting you like crazy about your progress. It is well intentioned, but annoying.
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