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For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

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For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Parenting

My friend's having a baby boy, what advice have you got?

32 replies

UniqueAndAmazing · 30/04/2013 16:42

My friend will be giving birth to her PFB baby boy in less than a month!

I wonder if you could all post with snippets of advice for her to help her through the first few..... days/weeks/months ?

She's hoping to BF and has got some cloth nappies, so advice specifically related to those would be lovely too :)

thank you!

OP posts:

Report

exexpat · 30/04/2013 16:47

Surely she'll be inundated with unsolicited advice, like most new parents. Why don't you break the trend and give her some chocolates?

(and if she actually wants advice, tell her there's a nest of vipers lovely website which will answer all her questions)

SoupDragon · 30/04/2013 16:48

When changing a nappy, have a wad of toilet paper/muslin cloth ready. Nappy off, wad of paper on penis immediately. It's like an uncontrollable hosepipe otherwise!

UniqueAndAmazing · 30/04/2013 16:58

I'm trying to tempt her in by showing her how lovely you all are

OP posts:

AnythingNotEverything · 30/04/2013 17:00

Always point the willy down when you put a nappy on. Oh, and don't freak out if its erect

UniqueAndAmazing · 30/04/2013 17:18

boys are completely alien to me (obv only inside nappy - imagine they're the same at the other end...)

OP posts:

SoupDragon · 30/04/2013 17:51

Always check under the penis for that hidden bit of poo. It will be there.

Damash12 · 30/04/2013 20:34

Tell get to enjoy every second.
But her the baby whisper book (great breast feeding advice)
Buy a my breast friend breast feeding pillow, an electric pump and it takes 3 weeks for proper breast feeding to be established so don't give up too soon.
Ditch the cloth nappies, I spent £200 and cannot get used to them, a leek every single time.
You sound a fab friend so offer to do the ironing for her when baby arrives!

UniqueAndAmazing · 30/04/2013 22:43

hey, we do cloth nappies, much prefer them, so hopefully she can turn to us (and I've never had a leak, even when there's been so much poo in there I thought the nappy was made of it!)

I don't know what "ironing" is

I like the other bits

poo under penis, got it.

OP posts:

henrysmama2012 · 01/05/2013 21:34

Weirdly (or luckily) my LO (now 1) has never pee'd on me during nappy change. I bet I've jinxed it now

My advice - dummies!-& if she has big problems BFing-for whatever reason-do NOT feel bad about switching to mixed feeding or formula only. Baby will have a full tummy and be happy and not everyone is lucky enough to be able to and that's ok.

DribbleWiper · 01/05/2013 22:01

Second what henrysmama says about switching to feeding, but warn her that if breastfeeding hurts or is massively uncomfortable, she's probably not getting it all that wrong (after the initial stages) - that's just how it is to begin with.

Buy some earplugs so that she can actually sleep through her son's snuffling and thrashing while he's sleeping in the same room - she'll have no trouble hearing him when he actually needs her!

If poo is suspected, stick a sheet of kitchen roll under the baby's bottom before undoing anything!

DribbleWiper · 01/05/2013 22:01

*formula feeding

CreatureRetorts · 01/05/2013 22:08

No don't get the baby whisperer book. Or any book. They are designed to make you feel shit for using "props" aka as cuddling your baby to sleep. Not what you want when you're sleep deprived!

I suggest get out of the house once a day for reasons of sanity. If baby doesn't like pram, get a sling.

IsThatTrue · 01/05/2013 22:15

'This too shall pass' tell her to remember its all just a phase and it will end soon. Wether it be problems feeding/sleeping etc. the best price of advice I ever had was to chill the fuck out. With dd and ds1 I got stressed about stuff, which obviously didn't help matters, with ds2 I'm much more chilled, and he's not an easy baby but I can cope because 'this too shall pass'

PoppyWearer · 01/05/2013 22:17

If the nappy is even a little bit wet, change it.

My DS's nappy leaks way more than DD's ever did. Girl wee seems to spread over the whole nappy, whereas boy wee sits in one area (the front).

Enjoy the snuggles before they get active and discover the fun of playing football with Daddy.

frazmum · 04/05/2013 05:11

Organise her dinner earlier in the day so ready to just pop in the oven. . Newborns can have a tendency to be unsettled at dinner time.

SwishSwoshSwoosh · 04/05/2013 06:10

A plethora of nappy advice here!

My top tip would be teach/expect them right from the start to be kind & calm, as far as you can with any child, and don't go in for any of that 'boys are boisterous' sexist crap.

And get in as many cuddles as possible

Meringue33 · 04/05/2013 06:25

Slow cooker for easy to prepare meals in 15 mins while baby is sweet in mornings.

Batch cook now and freeze for after baby.

Bf can take longer than three weeks to establish! Sleep when baby sleeps. Lansinoh is your friend.

Minimise visitors for first twelve weeks so you can just sleep and feed. Oh and it all gets much better around 12 weeks.

Meringue33 · 04/05/2013 06:26

Co-sleeper sidecar cot?

GingerPCatt · 04/05/2013 07:01

Someone told me toddler boys (and probably girls) are like dogs. They need exercising twice a day. DS is much happier and better behaved if we get out of the house for a bit each day so he can run around.

MexicanHouseThief · 04/05/2013 07:10

Enjoy him. Cuddle him, sniff him, be confident that she will understand his needs and get to know him. Have faith in herself.

Oh, and if he doesn't want to sleep anywhere else but on or next to her...that's normal

exoticfruits · 04/05/2013 07:15

Don't bother with the books- he won't have read them!
Take any help going- especially of a practical nature like cooking, ironing etc.

PurplePidjin · 04/05/2013 07:36

Double the booster under the line or fire

Check under all dangly bits for rogue poo

Don't buy £200 btp sets when you don't know what shape your baby is

Time spent feeding a baby or facilitating sleep is time well spent.

Get a decent sling and be confident using it - stretchy wrap for the early days when all they want to do is be back inside, none of the commercial bollockses.

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PurplePidjin · 04/05/2013 07:37

line of* fire

PoppyWearer · 04/05/2013 08:26

The dog analogy is completely true for my DS (but not all are like that...apparently).

All I'll say is once he can move around....keep the toilet roll hidden!

Sparklingbrook · 04/05/2013 08:31

Boy babies are brilliant. I liked the first one so much I had another.

I was not prepared for standing on the sidelines at junior footy 5 years after giving birth, and indeed still at nearly 14 years post birth. So she may want to be prepared for that.

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