If baby goes rigid or floppy, or has a temperature, phone 999/get to A&E now.
Other than that, whatever's wrong, no matter how much screaming's involved... Baby's okay. Instead of panicking, phone NHS helpline if you're in any way concerned. They'll set your mind at rest, and it doesn't matter how many times you call them
If baby has got a temperature, you'll know. There's a difference between "ooh, the baby feels warm", and "omg the baby's on fire!"
Go out now and get saline drops, a booger sucker (only the top class medical terminology), baby olbas oil, an oil burner, and some tea lights. Some olive oil or vasaline (sudacrem/bepanthen are a waste of everything). I have now got Metanium nappy cream as for the first time in 7m, Cay's got nappy rash from squiffy bum, and the Metanium has made a massive improvement. Some baby calpol and nurofen (Cay hates calpol, is quite happy with nurofen). Gripe water.
Sooooo much better to have these in the house and never look at them again, than desperately need one or the other at 3am with no possible way of getting it.
With the oil burner... Put water in the top with a couple of drops of olbas oil, put a tea light and a lighter by it, and put the lot somewhere near (not right next to) baby's night time area. When baby wakes for a early morning 2/3am feed, light the candle. The vapours will help clear baby's nose.
Also, if LO is snuffly, raise the head end of their cot/whatever by a little bit (pillow under mattress, books under cot legs) as this will help the mucus drain away.
Practise using the booger sucker on OH... It's tricky at first to click that you gotta hold the other nostril closed at the same time.
If you have breast milk... Don't just feed it, shove it everywhere.
Snuffly baby? Drop of breast milk up each nostril.
Cut on baby's skin? (They scratch themselves so much!) Wipe with breast milk on cotton wool/whatever.
Nappy rash? Smear on some breast milk.
It's an AMAZING healing aid, full of personal antibodies an stuff.
Keep an eye on local Facebook selling sites for (everything) half-used nappy packs. Get half packs of every brand you can get your hands on and figure out what works best.
Personally... Pampers stink, and look ridiculous... Fit all funny. Every other brand works pretty well. Aldis own are amazing.
Don't waste money on baby nail clippers, use your own. When baby is asleep, nip half way across each nail and tear it off.
Do one hand on nap and the other the next, if need be.
Everyone's "image" of a baby is actually of about 6m-ish. Your newborn baby for [weeks] will eat, sleep, cry, poop.
That's what they do.
That's all they do.
They want to look at you and daddy, and sleep. And eat. And poop. Lots.
Toys mean nothing to them at this time.
Sleeping bags are immeasurably better than blankets, certainly at night time.
When people give you advice, look thoughtful, tell them you're definitely gonna give it a go, and ignore them (if you wish). You'll be amazed at the crap people will come out with.
Use the carry cot part of your pram for longer than when baby out-longs it.
If you don't want to put LO in a pushchair/thing just yet, but they have good head control, sit them up in one end of the carry cot. They'll be able to see around, and absolutely love it.
For the love of dog, don't panic about "well, baby A is two days older than my LO, and A's already competing in triathlons while my LO can't even hold her head up". All babies are different, and learn at different times.
How many teenagers did you go to high school with that had to wheel their head along in a cart beside them because they never learned to do it alone?
(If anyone here says they knew someone like that... Lol).
Baby will cry.
And cry.
They can't talk, wave you over, come tug at your sleeve... They can cry.
They'll cry because they're hungry/sleepy/wet/hot/cold/just want to. That's literally their only way of getting your attention.
Just because baby is crying, it doesn't mean there's anything wrong.
Love them, cherish them, take pics of everything. They grow so damn fast.
Bugger the housework.
TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS.
I'm the least maternal person in the world (well, was), and I can tell you, instinct will take over, and you will be surprised at how often what you "feel" is right, will actually be right.
)
