I am 31 weeks and just curious about if there is anything that some of you wish you knew, or wish you would have done. I am trying to get organized before baby comes and i realize that i am going to be oblivious to what is comming. i just want to try everything i can to prepare. thanks
2007-04-12 05:26:12 · 25 answers · asked by wondering 2 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
I wish I would have slept when the baby did instead of trying to be supermom and clean the entire house. I spent the first two months in a blur because of exhaustion. The housework will still be there after you wake up, so definitely nap when your baby does. It will make everything else seem easier.
2007-04-12 05:30:35 · answer #1 · answered by Angie1030 2 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Do what you feel is right for your baby. I kinda felt like I needed permission for a lot of things at first or I felt like I should do things the way other people suggested. I would have to remind myself that even though they have experience this is MY baby. If I want to have her sleep in my bed, then she will. If I know my baby likes to face out while being held because she can't see everything in the traditional shoulder burping position, then "Darn it, Gramma, I said turn her around, she doesn't like it that way!" LOL.
If I think "crying it out" is just mean, then I will do things my way. Your baby needs you. Babies cry because they need you. Don't ignore that.
You have carried that baby with you for 9 mos and you will be with him/her more than anyone for the next few as well. YOU know best.
Also, remember that a baby is just a small person. You will worry. You will always worry. But don't over do it. You are a human and so is your baby. S/he is not some alien that you don't know anything about. S/he has the basic needs all humans do.
2007-04-12 05:52:14 · answer #2 · answered by ladybug 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm sure it will all fall into place for you. You will be a great mom. However, you will need to sleep as much as possible when baby is sleeping, and don't be like me, that's when I tried to hurry up and get cleaning, cooking, etc., done. Don't worry about all those things. You should start preparing the father to take on some of the responsibilities also, this will help you in many ways. Have him prepared to make bottles, feed baby, change diapers and so forth, and you will do a great job!!!!!! Congradulations!!!!!!!!
2007-04-12 06:28:46 · answer #3 · answered by Sha-Na-Na 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I wish I knew about this book. It's a great book that helps you with all of the sleep issues that you will have with your baby.
Also, I wish that I would have prepared more frozen dinners before the baby was born. Afterwards, somedays, you barely have time to eat a sadwich!
Make sure your house is clean, take time for yourself my dear, relax, sleep and pamper yourself cause you won't have much time in the first few months. Don't sweat the little things!!
Make sure your bags are packed in advance and have a great camera ready too!
2007-04-12 05:40:05 · answer #4 · answered by Allie D 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
One thing is that you'll really be stuck at home a lot, breastfeeding. And, many women don't realize that breastfeeding can be really difficult, painful and frustrating in the beginning. Learn as much as you can now about breastfeeding, pumping, how to deal with a clogged milk duct, bottles, feeding,etc. Post all the phone numbers you will need in one easy place, like doctors, lactation consultant, pediatrician, etc.
Set up a little station for yourself, like in the living room, where you will have easy access to the TV remote, pillows, blankets, kleenex, food, water, the phone.
Also, join a mom's group as soon as possible. You will be amazed how much you can learn from the other new moms! I stayed home for the first 4 months (I had a preemie) and didn't get out much. I was overwhelmed and exhausted. I wish I had gotten out more and spent time with other new moms. Once my baby started Daycare, I learned so much from the daycare providers and other new moms.
I also wish I had not feared putting my baby in daycare so much! I was really, really dreading it. It turned out to be a wonderful thing! She loves it!
2007-04-12 05:34:11 · answer #5 · answered by purplebinky 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I wish I knew how deprived of my freedom I would feel after the baby comes. Honestly, I had no idea. I was so resentful that I had no time for myself. I'm a person that needs some private time in order to function well and when I was deprived of that, I got extremely frustrated. What you can do is ensure temporary help since now - somebody who can take care of your baby for a couple of hours every week so you can feel like your normal self at least for while. Of course, if your husband joins that help, that would be great.
2007-04-12 05:33:23 · answer #6 · answered by petyado 4 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Great answers so far. I agree with sleeping as much as possible, as well as relaxing before the baby is here rather than obsessing about going into labor. I also wish I had known to go into things with less expectation of how I wanted it to be (like labor). I had a plan of how I wanted it to go, it didn't, but I didn't care anyway. I would say to know your options, be educated, but be open to whatever happens.
2007-04-12 07:17:31 · answer #7 · answered by berrel 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I wish I had slept more and stopped worrying about when I was going to go into labor. I had myself so frazzled about going into labor that I didn't get much rest. Being exhausted before labor did not make the 23 hours there of any easier!
My advice, eat healthly and rest as much as possible. And enjoy these last few weeks spending time bonding with your partner and taking a time for yourself.
Good luck & congrats!
2007-04-12 06:34:45 · answer #8 · answered by CatTech 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Two Things: 1) I wish I would have had my husband take one last picture of me pregnant when we left for the hospital. It would have really completed our scrapbook. 2) I wish someone would have told me to pack for the hospital as if you'll be having a c-section or some sort of extended stay - just in case. I brought just enough for 2 days because I assumed I'd be having a natural and uncomplicated delivery. I ended up having an emergency c-section and stayed in the hospital for 5 days - and I only packed 1 nursing bra! I had to send my husband home to pack more things for me.
2007-04-12 05:47:52 · answer #9 · answered by keebra81 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I wish I wouldn't have worried so much about certain things. I imposed my fears on the baby (meaning the baby didn't have those fears - I did!) and I over-thought a lot of things that I should have just left alone. Humans have been having babies for millions of years and some stuff just falls into place naturally.
I also wish I had prepared for the first day I brought the baby home more. Since she was my first, I was very uptight and when she cried I just freaked out wanting to soothe her somehow. It was a hard lesson to learn that sometimes, babies just cry! The first day home was a nightmare though! Try to make things as easy as possible on yourself for that day.
If you are not breastfeeding, the hospital has formula that is already in bottles with nipples for the bottles that are individually sealed. These are great for night-time feedings!!! Don't refrigerate them - they are vacuum sealed. I set the case next to my bed and just popped one open and put on the nipple and was ready to go when the baby needed to eat in the middle of the night. If I had a bottle in the fridge, it would have been very hard to heat it up and do everything that was needed in the middle of the night (especially with a hungry baby crying in the background)!
Do not let the baby sleep with you in your bed!!! This is a bad bad bad habit that is very hard to break. The baby needs to be in his/her own bed to learn how to nurture him/herself to sleep. Also, remember to never lay the baby down to sleep on the stomach and don't have a bunch of soft stuff in the crib.
Good luck!!! :)
2007-04-12 05:36:00 · answer #10 · answered by searching_please 6 · 2⤊ 2⤋