(collaborative) This post has been written for anyone Preparing For A Baby. Everywhere I turn I’m seeing pregnant women and newborn babies. Becoming a parent for the first time is one of those things that no one can truly prepare you for. There are all sorts of swings and roundabouts that you will encounter. Nothing compares to the feeling of becoming a parent for the first time. It can be a mix of excitement and sheer terror as well as a combination of many more emotions. Before your bundle of joy does arrive, it is important to be prepared both physically and mentally. This post looks at areas not discussed particularly much to make sure you prepare yourself.
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Preparing For A Baby? Here’s What Nobody Else Will Tell You
Bonding Can Take Time
We assume that once our newbaby comes we will automatically bond but this isn’t always the case. Sometimes it takes a little time to bond on both sides and it’s important to remember, persistence pays. The best way for baby to bond with mum is via skin to skin contact from the moment they are born. Their senses allow them to recognise mums voice and once they are laying on your chest they also begin to learn and soon enough recognise your smell.
If bonding isn’t immediate don’t despair. Many mothers experience this. It isn’t always easy after a few days in labour as exhaustion can consume you and the trauma of the birth may also have an effect. Bonding takes time and is something that may need a little time and patience.
It Will Hurt, But, You have Options
I’ve heard some say childbirth doesn’t hurt. I can only assume they had a c-section because it’s known as the worst pain you can experience for a reason. I should know, I’ve done it 3 times one of which was back to back. Not recommended at all!!! The amazing thing is the pain stops once the baby is born although you’ll have other fun things to deal with after.
Work through options and decide what you want to do. If you opt not to have an epidural on your birth plan be warned there won’t be the option to change your mind. If you say you’d like one then at least you can decide at the time. It is important to note that there may not be an anesthetist available to do this even if it has been added to your birth plan.
There are also different injections you can have, make sure you fully comprehend the possible effects to you and your baby before deciding if you want to have these. I was given pethidine during one labour which didn’t have any effect other than leg pain for weeks after.
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Milk Doesn’t Come Instantly
When you have your first child you’ll often be a bit naive about the body processes that occur. Many of us will assume milk production will be immediate and plentiful. It takes the body a little time to produce adequate supplies meaning lots of practise. This can be pretty exhausting. Getting baby to latch on looks so easy when others do it and sometimes midwives are not as patient as one might like with their assistance. You’ll find that baby can take in a surprisingly large amount of the breast into its mouth so don’t be afraid to make sure it gets a good mouthful. If it doesn’t take in enough on the other hand it’ll hurt, even more so if you’ve already been trying a while.
They Go Through Clothes Like A Chocoholic Goes Through Chocolate!!!
Honestly, you wouldn’t believe how much clothing a baby will get through. My eldest had a few issues after birth so vomited profusely. We didn’t have half as many baby clothes as we needed and found we went through quite a few adult clothes too. I should probably add, she would feed every 2 hours, and most feeds resulted in a change of someone’s clothes. It was almost like a comedy sketch, but not one that was particularly funny at the time. If it didn’t come out one way it would come out the other.
Not everyone has the same experience some babies feed every 3/4/5 hours it is an individual thing. Needless to say, you’ll need to make sure you have plenty of clothes to hand. If you want to find some cute designer clothes, then something like the balenciaga kids collection is something that you could consider.
Don’t underestimate how much you are going to be changing your baby. By the time your baby hits one month old, you’re going to feel as though bottles and washing are all you ever do. Investing in a good washing machine would certainly be a good idea if you don’t already have one. I love my Samsung washing machine, it’s the best one I’ve had to date!
What do you think is important for a new mum to be aware of when preparing for a baby?
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The lack of sleep is something that many people warned my wife and I about, but you can’t really prepare yourself or appreciate it until you go through it. Our first was super colic and didn’t sleep for more than 3 hours at a time until he was over 5 months old. After even a couple weeks, it was obvious why intelligence agencies use sleep depravation as an interrogation tactic.
It is really hard sometimes but each child is different. Some will sleep longer than others.
great post! I do hope to need it very soon and I love it. Thank for being so open and tell things others normally choose to ignore.
Aaahhh good luck Lyosha. It’s well worth it. Love them to bits x
Having no children myself, I have to say that this was interesting. I haven’t had the chance to experience the journey (yet), so I wasn’t aware of a lot of the information you shared. That being said, I am a SUPER hands-on aunt, so the need for LOTS of clothing definitely wasn’t new to me! lol It’s amazing how many outfits they can tear through in a day, isn’t it?
Ha, yes. It was a shock the first time around especially when it came to sizing. Newborn clothes are grown out of super fast!
I think it’s great that you’ve chosen to share your experiences and advice with those who are expecting. Whilst I haven’t gone through anything like this, I’m sure at some point future mothers much prefer hearing from someone who has actually gone through the same thing rather than a doctor who has SEEN it. Even the way you’ve worded it would be a lot different, and that would be a lot more comforting to them!
Experiencing something differs greatly from just seeing others going through the process. It can help to hear from those that have experienced something similar to help calm or at least make sure you are aware and allow you to prepare.
Great compilation list to prepare for a baby and one more thing to add is the sleep cycle takes a while to get adjusted, so get plenty of rest before and be prepared for naps when the baby naps 🙂
Oh boy, does it ever. It can really throw you especially when it’s the first child.
Thank you for sharing this. This is on point and true especially about the pain. It will hurt but yes, we have options and this is the reason why I believe in the importance of a birth plan.
I agree. It is important to make sure it is prepared as early as possible and that you’ve fully researched everything.
Oh yes, I remember all of this. Most of this list happened to us. Luckily, we survived! 😀 Parenting is beautiful and hard work.
It is hard work but very rewarding too.
Yes, a mixture of joy and terror followed closely by exhaustion. Thankfully, there is much better information available these days so women can be better prepared.
Pelvic floor exercises are a must, no matter how tedious they seem.
i dont think you can ever be really prepared but these tips certainly help
Honestly, it does help to know what to be aware of. 3 kids down the line, I’ve experienced a lot and heard plenty of stories from other parents.
I wish I had been told to pack various sizes of baby clothes in my bag, because my daughter was so long that she didn’t fit into the newborn ones
I’m not sure anything can really prepare you for having your first baby and my 1st was a really easy baby as far as babies go.
It is a shock to the system but knowing things in advance can help. That’s good to hear. In most cases they are or many wouldn’t have a second.
I think they should be aware of the pain after birth if you have more than one child and the pain if you get stitches when going for a wee. I wasn’t prepared for any of that.
I think every woman should be prepared that they may end up having to be induced. I was not expecting to be induced at all but it ended up that way and it was awful. To go from no pain to 10 out of 10 within an hour was awful. Also, the lack of sleep when pregnant. Everyone assumes you will get no sleep when baby is born but actually I didnt get much when I was pregnant. Sounds awful but babies are worth all the pain and tiredness 🙂