To ask for the best advice you got for newborn babie?

[Winterwoollies]

Ok, ok, don’t yell at me, I know this should go in another area, but I want to tap into the full Mumsnet knowledge pool and we all know this is the most highly trafficked area of Talk.

I read a comment from someone about soothing night-time screamy babies with colic the other day and it prompted me to start a notes file with good newborn baby tips. It involved putting them upright in a baby sling and going for a really good walk before bed to soothe reflux. It seemed worth remembering!

So, with that in mind, does anyone have any nuggets of useful, even obscure, advice for newborn babies and a newborn parent?

I have an unexpected baby due in the summer and am keen for some sisterly (or brotherly) advice.

Thank you!

Again, please don’t yell.

Primark do cheap nighties with button necks - good for boob access while also maintaining your dignity should you end up staying in hospital for a little while, nothing right around your middle if you have a section or just feel tender, nothing chafing your bits (which will be feeling a bit bashed about if you deliver vaginally, is that a word?) and cheap enough that you won’t care if you leak onto them or anything. Or they did when I gave birth anyway. They’re a good shout.

New get too complacent or too down about your baby, whatever they are doing, good or bad, is just a phase.

realising that there is a fourth trimester - if we didn’t have such large brains, human pregnancies would be for 12 months, not 9.

www.cuh.nhs.uk/pregnancy-labour-and-birth/pregnancy/parent-education-classes/parentcraft-antenatal-education/postnatal

Following as my first is due in August 💕

Learn how to safely co-sleep/bedshare - even if you have no plans on doing it, the likelihood is that you will at one point or another drift off while feeding at 3am in bed, so it's helpful to know that if you do that the baby will be safe

Fed is best

Agree on Tena Ladies! So much better than maternity pads and much softer - found maternity pads far too scratchy when it was still stitched up delicate down there! Also only thing that worked when my waters broke and I was still waiting to go into labour!

If anyone offers help - accept it. Buy a perfect prep machine- makes feeding so easy.

Life will never be the same again!

Keep the house noisy and let your baby sleep with noise going on. That way your baby will learn to sleep whether its noisy or quiet.
My friend gave me this advice and both kids would sleep anywhere

My best advice would be to get in every picture no matter what you look like. Because looking back theres not enough pictures of me and my newborn and I would've liked some more.

Combination feeding is possible and if you want to bf but it's tricky, then it's always an option. It doesn't have to be formula or breastmilk, both is great too.

Record milestones on email to yourself during night feeds. Sort photos then too.

Oh and even if you have a great latch, bf will hurt your nipples at first. So long as they are pink and not distorted it's ok. Your nipples are not used to be chomped on, they toughen up but get plenty of ibroprofen, paracetamol and lanolin in for before!

Wear loose fitting normal tops, not special nursing clothes, for BF.

Nursing clothes are a faff ( so many layers or clips!) when you could just pull up one layer, with a muslin for discretion if you want it.

Only exception is bras.

Best clothing I had for bf were cheap stretchy vests from H&M - the cheapest and thinnest they had. Wore one under a normal top, then to feed I pulled the top layer up and the vest down, so my stomach was still covered.

I had some special bf vests too but they were a lot thicker and were nasty fabric, and the clips showed under clothes. I much preferred my cheap cotton ones.

Don't let people judge you because they did things differently. One you have a baby every man in town and their dog knows what's best for your baby. Listen to your instincts.

Best advice I ever got - the baby hasn't read the baby books. Not saying you shouldn't read them, just be aware that everything might not go like the books say, and that's ok.

The one thing I'd say to any new mother is to trust your instinct. 9 times out of 10 I knew what the right decision was. If it feels wrong, don't do it!

Except vaccinations. Do those even though you won't like them

Find out where your nearest breastfeeding support cafe/group is and go to it.

Point a baby boy's willy down in the nappy.

Read about the fourth trimester.

Learn how to safely co-sleep. Even if you don't choose to co-sleep, that knowledge could save your baby's life if it's an alternative to falling asleep in an armchair etc.