Top Tips for New Parents

[Maru]

What are your top tips for caring for a newborn? I thought it might be good to share the things that have been real life-savers.

My top tip would be the bed-time ritual. What works for us is:

1. Wait for signs of sleepiness
2. Swaddle firmly
3. Switch on womb noise machine (Prince Lionheart Bear - but not bothering having it inside the bear)
4. Stroke baby's face with his cuddly toy (amazing how that makes his eyelids heavy!)
5. A swift retreat to leave him to sleep
6. If he starts crying or grizzling, to leave him for a few minutes (about 4) as quite often he will fall asleep. If he doesn't, go in and start again.

I got this advice from a lovely book called First-Time Parent: The honest guide to coping brilliantly and staying sane in your baby's first year

My little one is 6 weeks old.

 

[PyscoFalcon]

Always have baby wipes, nappy and clean clothes at the ready for each nappy change as you never know when they'll have exploding poo!

 

[l_maclean]

They're only little for a short time. You CANNOT spoil a newborn baby with cuddles. If you really need to be hands free invest in a sling and wear your baby.


On my iPhone - so cant see tickers

 

[littlesmoosh]

mine would be to put them down sometimes! when dexter was born if i wasnt cuddling him my OH was, cause we just loved him soooo much we didnt wanna put him down. but because he got sooo used it it just became harder for us because he got to the point where he would scream if he was put down even for a second. i totally agree that you should shower them with love, but if your not gunna put them down (especially when theyre tired) then your gunna create alot of problems for yourself.

my second thing would be: if your breast feeding introduce a bottle quickly too. (with your expressed milk in it). my midwife told me to wait a month to make sure i had breast feeding established before introducing the bottle. so i waited.. but by the time i tried him with a bottle came along he loved the comfort of breast feeding soooooo much, he flat out refused the bottle. hes nearly a year old now, is still breast fed. still waking up in the night for breast and therefor has NEVER done an overnight at a relatives without me. ive had very little sleep for a year!

 

[FirstBabyEek]

They're only little for a short time. You CANNOT spoil a newborn baby with cuddles. If you really need to be hands free invest in a sling and wear your baby.


On my iPhone - so cant see tickers

Love this! So true.

When visitors come in those first few days and ask if they can do anything, don't be polite and say 'no thank you' say yes please and hand them the Hoover!

Also stock up on home cooked meals in your freezer before your LO arrives as you won't have time to cook after
X

 

[Nutsyputs]

don't listen to all the advice people give you (including midwives etc), go with your instinct otherwise you'll end running round in circles!

 

[babybee]

Don't try and get them in a routine from the beginning. They are the boss for the first few weeks and there's no point causing additional stress by imposing nap and feed times that they won't adhere too. Rascals.

 

[Maru]

don't listen to all the advice people give you (including midwives etc), go with your instinct otherwise you'll end running round in circles!

Really agree with this! I found health professionals' advice often contradicted each other, or was even just plain wrong (quoting old wives tales etc). I also found some of them were quite pessimistic (and were wrong to be). That's not to say that they weren't lovely and helpful most of the time!

 

[CARNAT22]

Sleep when baby sleeps!

Chores can wait.

xxxx

 

[Hope81]

Whatever gets you through the day util they are around 3 m old.
If that means rocked in a pram or carried in a sling or go for a drive it dosent matter.
Whatever gets you though the day.
Ditch groups, routines say no to too many visitors and say yes to any offered help.
Newborns don't need baby groups neither routines they need whatever really gets both of you through the day lol.

 

[Chezza]

Don't feel bad about staying in your PJ's all day early on! I still do now sometimes, nearly 9 weeks in!

DH takes JJ for a bottle around 7am-ish, I have a lovely hot shower, then back into PJ's - I'll miss that when I go back to work!! xx

 

[vinandbella]

Don't be afraid to say no to visitors!

We had visiting times set and had a couple of people at each visit it took a while to get through everyone but gave us sometime to eat and sleep and get used to being a family




Sent from my new shiny iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[littlemonkey]

Believe people when they say it won't be like this forever!
Stop trying to do everything and be the person that you used to be
Never compare yourself and your baby to other mums or babies - the seemingly perfect baby is probably a nightmare as soon as they get home
Don't read books or apps that tell you what your baby should be doing - your baby is a human being not a robot! They will do things when and how they want to, not when someone they've never met says they should!
Do what you need to to get you through the day - if your baby will only sleep on you in the day, then hold them and put the telly on
Tell yourself you're doing a good job every single day!!

 

[littlemonkey]

Don't try and get them in a routine from the beginning. They are the boss for the first few weeks and there's no point causing additional stress by imposing nap and feed times that they won't adhere too. Rascals.

Agree totally! Your baby is the boss now! I even call mine sir!

 

[Chezza]

Oh yes - use a dummy if you find it helps - and don't feel bad about!

If you cant breast feed, bottle feed - and again, don't feel bad about it!!

xxxxx

 

[NinjaKitty]

Don't forget every baby is different. What works for one does not necessarily work for another. You are not doing anything wrong. Just take time to observe them and figure out your baby's likes and dislikes and everything will be clearer. You will know your baby better than anyone else.


Using Tapatalk can't see no tickers grrrrr.

 

[mablestarr]

don't listen to all the advice people give you (including midwives etc), go with your instinct otherwise you'll end running round in circles!

I would agree with this. Trust your instinct. x

 

[NavyLouise]

Don't feel bad about saying no to visitors!!! I wish I had because they caused me so much stress in the early days!

 

[Babybushie28]

* Enjoy your baby as much as possible and don't spend your energy on housework
* Don't believe the myth of nipple confusion!!! You CAN breast feed and bottle feed baby straight away if its best for you, your baby knows no different and will take food however you offer it to them
*Take as many photos as possible
*Have plenty of pyjama days
* Try to change nappies before a feed so if they fall asleep you don't have to wake them up
*Babies cry to communicate not because they are in pain, so if they cry as you are making their bottle let them cry as long as they are not in any danger. Try not to get yourself upset when they cry.

My baby is only 7 weeks so I'm sure I'll keep adding to this as he gets older!!!

Xxxxxxx

 

[pandabear]

Take lots of pictures because they change so much so quickly, make lots of memory books xx