What should we expect?

Question

I am expecting my first child and I don't know what to expect. What do I need to know to help me take care of my baby. Sadly I'm not going to have any help; my family doesn't live around here and his family doesn't really get along with his family. So any advice from parents would really help. Like which is better the bottle or breastfeeding? If I breastfeed how long should I breastfeed for? What should I expect for my sleeping schedule? Any help would be really appriciated.

Answer 1

Do you work?

If not...then for the first few months...the baby will dictate your sleeping schedule.

Sleep when the baby sleeps if you can... In the beginning you'll want to feed on demand, so if the baby want's to eat every three hours, you'll be up every three hours...honestly...it sounds worse than it actually is if you can get a nap in while baby is sleeping.

And please breastfeed, it's easy, it's best for you and for baby and it truly is a wonderful experience, As far as how long, it is now recommended to breastfeed for the first year of life, but personally I believe in child led weaning, so we'll go as long as my son wants to, we're 8 months in so far. Sadll, I work full time so I pump milk for him and my babysitter feeds him breastmilk bottles during the day, and I breastfeed him when we're together. I actually get MORE sleep BECAUSE I breastfeed, I don't have to go fix bottles, I nurse my baby back to sleep, pop him back in the crib or back in bed with us, and back to sleep we all go...its great.

And you will have help, your husband. It's his baby too, remember to take time for yourself occassionally. You can't be there 100% for your baby if you're out of your mind with exhaustion...so sometimes, daddy will have to give you a break, and that is totally ok.

You should sign up with www.babycenter.com and get the regular updates, they have really smart articles and you can enter in your due date so that the articles are age/pregnancy appropriate. And I would also go out and buy the books, What to Expect When You're Expecting AND What to Expect the First Year, they were both excellent books and they helped out a ton!

Congratulations! I was right where you are about 8 monhts ago, feel free to email me if you need help. :)

Answer 2

Breastfeeding is best - but formulas have come such a long way - If you can't breastfeed - don't get discouraged - if you do breastfeed - the recommended time is for the first year. Babies will sleep longer on formula - they will expect to feed every two hours if breastfed. Breastfeeding is best - but until you get used to breastfeeding while out in public - this can put a dent in what errands you have to run - there are stores that offer areas to breastfeed - I breastfed and bottle fed my 3 kids - 2 are twins. They got a mixture of both. Be sure to talk with a breastfeeding consultant or check out parenting seminars at your local Baby store.

Answer 3

I have 3 girls and I'm going to be honest. Don't expect much sleep. The first 3-4 weeks you're going to be soooo tired! Get your hubby to get up with the baby as much as you can and sleep during the day when the baby is sleeping!! (Everyone says this but it really will help you get through the worst of it) Most babies will only sleep for 2-3 hours at a time the first few weeks. I bottle fed my 1st two, breastfed my 3rd for a while, then switched to bottle. With bottle feeding you'll be making bottles like crazy but breastfeeding you'll be nursing and pumping constantly. Breastfeeding is obviously better for baby, but be prepared it will hurt the first few times. And let hubby know you will be sore for the 1st week or so and will need help around the house. Good luck!

Answer 4

You should expect to be very sleep deprived and tired all the time when you first a have a baby your body is already tired from the baby. It is healthier for the baby to be breastfeed and it will help you lose weight faster but there is nothing wrong with the bottle. usually you should start winging them off when they start about 9-10 months but before the are 12 months for sure. But having a baby is such an aw some experience yea you will be tired as heck but there's nothing like it.

Answer 5

Expect to wake up every 2 to 3 hours at night. My baby is now 4 months old and has been sleeping through the night for about 2 months now, pretty cool. I breastfeed only and plan to continue until she starts biting me with teeth. Sleep when the baby sleeps during the day. Also be sure to give your husband attention too, you dont want him feeling pushed aside. Make time to cuddle or watch a movie on tv with him, maybe while baby is sleeping.

Answer 6

I too highly recommend the 'What to Expect' series. They've helped me so much. I also go to Babycenter.com (http://www.babycenter.com) as they have a lot of information on there not to mention Birth Clubs (boards where moms having babies in a certain month can chat), and various support boards.

I also highly recommend checking out 'The Happiest Baby on the Block' book or DVD. That helped my husband and I during the first three months soooo much!

And try to find a local moms group in your area you can go to. The hospital I gave birth at offered a new moms support group where we met every week to talk about whatever we needed to. It helped me a lot to get out of the house, meet new moms, and get advice.

The biggest thing to prepare yourself for is being extremely tired. Newborns, no matter if they're on breastmilk or formula, eat every 2-3hours, and sometimes every hour if they're in a growth spurt. Their schedule is fairly simple (sleep, wake up, eat, poop, sleep), but they don't sleep for long stretches. You have to train yourself to rest or sleep when they do. They don't do a whole lot other than that, though, so you don't have to worry about trying to stimulate them or anything. (At least not too much since they don't like being overstimulated.)

As for feeding, it's really up to you. Breastmilk is the best for baby, but some moms (myself included) either can't breast feed, or it just doesn't work out. In my case the hormones involved with breastfeeding were causing severe migraines and making my blood sugar drop all the time. Also, my nipples wouldn't respond, and I couldn't handle being hooked up to a pump all day. So I started to use formula, and my son is now a healthy, happy 1 year old. It's your choice. Either way, don't allow people to make you feel guilty about how you feed your child. As long as your baby is fed and is healthy and happy, you're doing the right thing. Formula is at the best point it's ever been, and many babies are just fine on it. So really think about it, and decide what's best for you and your baby. There's a lot of support available for moms who do breastfeed like the La Leche League and lactation consultants.

If you do breastfeed, it's again up to you how long you do it. Some moms do it until the baby starts on solids, some stop at a year, and others continue until they believe the child is ready to stop. It's a totally personal choice, and again, don't let others dictate what you think is best for your baby.

I hope all the advice here helps at least a little. The biggest thing to always remember is that you should always listen to your instincts and trust your gut. You'll learn to know your baby better than anyone, so while it's good to get advice, in the end you have to do what you think is best for your baby (as long as it keep your baby healthy and growing).

Answer 7

expect to be tired the first few days you don't notice it but it will catch up with you so get as much sleep as you can.they say breast feeding is best if even for only a short while but it is difficult to know how much they have eaten and when they will need feed again.you can top up feeds with bottles a lot of people cant breastfeed don't worry bottles won't harm your baby some do better on them.
make your choices now before the baby comes and try to be confident with your choices or someone else will make them for you. good luck and congratulations try to enjoy your baby when first born they grow very fast.

Answer 8

Forget about you having a sleeping scheduel for while.
Be prepared to be DOG TIRED.
To bring baby home from the hospital you will need a baby carseat.(by law you have to have one).
Breastfeeding is best, if you can handle it.. but you'll need a breastpump to pump your milk to put in bottles for when you go to the mall...etc.
If you can't handle breastfeeding..like it hurts to much.(and yes, this is something you'll have to adjust to, after a while it dont hurt)..When you go to have the baby, tell your Dr. and the Nurses that you want to breastfeed, they'll need to know this.
Also, don't get upset, if at 1st the baby don't take to your breast, not all babys do it right away.
IF after you've tried every thing and the baby still don't want your breast, then go with a bottle. It's no fault of yours, just some babys do that.
Remember, babys cry for EVERYTHING, this is their way of talking, and getting your attention.
They cry when they are hungry,(new borns will want to eat about every 5 to 6 hrs), give the baby about 1/4 of the bottle then burp the baby. hold the baby up by your shoulder and gently pat the baby on the back...sometimes baby spit up as part of their burping...After baby burps feed and burp till baby is done...Get a rocking chair, babys love to rock and you'll like it too.

Answer 9

Real Babies
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Straight Talk About Real Babies
Defining New-mom Expectations
http://breastfeed.com/resources/articles/expectation.htm

Frequent feedings may be biologically more normal than the three-or four-hour schedule new parents expect
http://www.todaysparent.com/article.jsp?content=1266685

Breastfeeding vs Formula
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Hot Milk
The unbottled truth about formula
http://www.todaysparent.com/baby/breastfeeding/article.jsp?content=20030807_101250_216


Breastfeeding and Public Health
http://www.massbfc.org/pubhealth/

What Breastmilk Has That Formulas Don't
Why breastmilk will always be better than formula.
http://www.drjen4kids.com/soap%20box/what%27s%20missing%20in%20formula.htm

A Natural Family Online Special Report:
The deadly influence of formula in America
http://www.naturalfamilyonline.com/articles/312-formula-report-2.htm

What Every Parent Should Know
About Infant Formula
http://www.breastfeeding.com/reading_room/what_should_know_formula.html

Selling Out Mothers and Babies - Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes in the USA
http://www.breastfeedingtaskforla.org/ABMRisks.htm



How long to breastfeed:
"If the child is younger than two years of age, the child is at increased risk of illness if weaned."
American Academy of Family Physicians
http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/policy/policies/b/breastfeedingpositionpaper.html

Extended Breastfeeding Fact Sheet
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/bfextended/ebf-benefits.html

Why Mothers Nurse Their Children into Toddlerhood
http://naturalchild.com/guest/norma_jane_bumgarner.html

Extended breastfeeding: Are there still health benefits?
http://parenting.ivillage.com/tp/tpweaning/0,,3x5j,00.html

Breastfeed a Toddler—Why on Earth?
http://www.kellymom.com/newman/21bf_toddler.html

Infant Sleep:
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Studies on normal infant sleep
http://www.kellymom.com/parenting/sleep/sleepstudies.html

Sleeping Through the Night
http://www.kellymom.com/parenting/sleep/sleep.html

8 INFANT SLEEP FACTS EVERY PARENT SHOULD KNOW
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/7/T070200.asp

31 WAYS TO GET YOUR BABY TO GO TO SLEEP AND STAY ASLEEP EASIER
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/7/T070300.asp

SLEEP-TRAINING - Buyer Beware
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/7/T070700.asp

SLEEPING SAFELY WITH YOUR BABY
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/10/t102200.asp

CO-SLEEPING: YES, NO, SOMETIMES?
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/7/T071000.asp

Answer 10

I have a 3 week old first child and I bottle feed, they sleep longer when they eat formula.
Buy the book "What to expect the first year" it is great.
Also I could not live without my cradle swing, pack and play, and he sleeps in a bassinet on our room at night. He has a nursery but has not slept there yet.
As far as sleeping I go to bed around 10, my husnad feeds him between 11-12 and brings him to bed. I get up around 2 or 3 to feed him, and then again around 6 or 7. Not too bad I get around 5 hours a night