Family Life People

What I Wish I Had Known Before Babies

Don’t we all wish we had the beauty of hindsight especially when it comes to our children and how to bring them up. Here is my list of ‘What I wish my mother had told me about…babies’

  1. You won’t find a buggy that does everything but make sure you find one that folds easily!
  2. Never discuss your baby names unless you are telling your chosen name. Everyone knows a bully at school/a great Aunt that had bad breath etc with that name and you don’t need to hear it
  3. Prenatal baby group friends are great. There is nothing better than having a baby at the same time to compel a friendship and hopefully it will last past the baby phase
  4. To establish breastfeeding, if possible get that baby latched on ASAP. Frequency frequency frequency
  5. Check for tongue tie. Impossible to breastfeed successfully if they are even slightly tongue tied
  6. Fairy liquid is an adequate substitute to sterilising when it comes to cleaning baby bottles
  7. They aren’t distressed when they are crying unless it’s a prolonged and sustained period of time
  8. Short sharp cries = hungry
  9. Long low wail = tired
  10. If your baby has reflux, hang on in there – it does get better with time
  11. Teething pain is worse before the teeth cut through so be sympathetic from as early as 3 months
  12. If your baby is doing explosions up the back – go up a nappy size
  13. Cheap nappies are a false economy
  14. If your baby is sucky you need a dummy. Go cold turkey by 1 year so you don’t have to get into dunmy fairy territory
  15. Take videos even if you think the gurgling is dull at the time. Often better than a photo down the line
  16. Don’t compare your baby. Your baby is the most advanced and beautiful so don’t worry if it seems others can’t see it
  17. Monitors might seem slightly neurotic but oh it is so much easier than questioning your ears every few minutes
  18. A baby sleeps in cycles of 45 minutes, therefore be quiet/keep car moving 45 minutes in to their 2 hour lunch time sleep
  19. Babies will stay sleeping in the car if you stop within the first 15 minutes of sleep but touch and go nearing the half hour mark
  20. Trying to get your child into a routine too quickly is futile as they will change as soon as you have told someone they are in a routine
  21. Ditto to ‘sleeping through the night’
  22. That I only just realised that ‘smug’ mother wasn’t saying baby slept 7-7 at 4 weeks – the definition increases with each week!
  23. Don’t spend too much money on baby clothes as they grow so quickly. Invest more when they slow down.
  24. The more you try and keep your old life as is the harder it will be
  25. Embrace it and don’t wish it away as it is such a short phase of your life

On that note, do what works for you as deep down you knew what you were going to do anyway!

 

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