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Parenting

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

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Original poster

Tell me about your first day/night at home

84 replies

Moonrocks6 · 16/08/2016 19:50

ok, so I have read about the pregnancy, the birth and even bits in weaning, routine and milestones but nowhere can I find any information on exactly what to do with this baby when I first get it home!

So, please share your stories with me.
What did you do? Did you put baby to bed before you or all go together? Is there anything you with you'd known/ done?

It's all suddenly becoming very real!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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polkadotdelight · 16/08/2016 19:55

We dumped my overnight bag in the house and then went straight next door to show him off! Had other friends over later that afternoon to meet him (and a glass of bubbly) then had the 'shit what do we do now' moment. All went to bed at the same time but in the first weeks one of us ended up on the sofa with him sleeping on us.

bluecashmere · 16/08/2016 19:58

The baby will dictate everything I'm afraid and it will be fine. You don't even know (unless you have a planned CS) what time you will be getting home. Sleep when the baby sleeps! Good luck.

Spudlet · 16/08/2016 20:03

We got home at about 1am () so we milled about a bit in a state of shock, faffed around for ages carefully transferring him into the crib, ensuring the sheets and blankets were perfectly arranged etc, then collapsed into bed. Then he woke up with the ceremonial First Poop, DH got up to deal with it in a manly fashion then panicked at the quantity and consistency of the meconium so I had to take over.

Then the next day we had an adrenaline rush and invited my parents and sister and b-i-l over, but unfortunately by the time they arrived (they live several hours away) the adrenaline had worn off and we just wanted them all to leave... The community midwife came to visit and I spent a lot of time with DS attached to my boobs.

Fun times!

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neversleepagain · 16/08/2016 20:05

We got home around 2pm, placed our twins on the living room floor in their carseats and dh and i just started at them for ages.

The first night and the following years is a blur. I have blocked it firmly out my mind!

Phillipa12 · 16/08/2016 20:07

Cant remember with dc1 and dc2 but with dc3 and dc4 i went straight to bed with both of them and hid from the other dc for about 24hrs 😀

AyeAmarok · 16/08/2016 20:09

Good idea for a thread OP!

eurochick · 16/08/2016 20:14

A bit different to many as ours was prem and had spent three weeks in hospital. It went roughly:

Stare in wonderment at small thing
Small thing starts yowling so feed it
Wonder what we have done
Change nappy
Wonder what we have done
Panic a bit
Watch small thing sleep
Check breathing as she is no longer hooked up to all kinds of monitors
Panic a bit more
Collapse into exhaustion

We kept her in the living room with us in the evenings. She tended to want a feed as we were going to bed so we moved her into the bedroom when we went.

LuluJakey1 · 16/08/2016 20:15

It was New Year's Eve and we got home about mid-day (I think). DS was fast asleep. We had some soup and watched him. He was still asleep. We put him in his pram and walked into the village and back, picking up a couple of treats for New Year's Eve. Then he woke up and he had a bottle. I gave him it and DH watched. Then he did a poo. DH changed him and we both grimaced. Then he had a sleep so we did too.
We just put him in his moses basket downstairs at bedtime and took him up with us. We were in bed at midnight. DH got up to look at him and say 'Happy New Year' to him and got a bit emotional. DS was asleep.

StubbleTurnips · 16/08/2016 20:16

Do you know, I can't even remember

loveulotslikejellytots · 16/08/2016 20:16

We got home about 4:30 in the afternoon. I'd had a c section, DH set me up a little table, remote control, drink, snack etc. gave me dd and went to walk the dog . When he got back we just took turns holding dd and ordered a takeaway from our favourite Indian. Dd slept more than I thought she would during the evening. We had an early night, all went to bed, both got up for night feeds and changes.

Over the next few days we had visitors and midwife. On day 6 I was feeling great, we decided to go to our local shopping centre. Was out for about 2 hours. Do not do this!!!! Day 7 & 8 I felt like I'd been hit by a bus I look back now and think, what an idiot! Why I thought this wax a good idea I do not know!

The first few months days are basically spent winging it getting to know your new little person. Enjoy it!

loveulotslikejellytots · 16/08/2016 20:19

Oh yeah... the 'oh my god, what have we done' feeling. That freaked me out a bit because I loved dd so much, but every now and again I would think, 'why did we do this, we had a really nice life before, now I'm responsible for this baby...what have we done!'

It passes, but I hadn't planned for that feeling.

LuluJakey1 · 16/08/2016 20:19

There were several moments in the first couple of weeks where we were just a bit flummoxed by what we were supposed to be doing. He slept, had his milk, was changed and slept. He didn't cry a lot really. He quite liked just being cuddled in if he was awake. We slept when he did.

foxessocks · 16/08/2016 20:24

We got home at about 10pm. Walked in put car seat with baby in down. Cat wandered over and looked at us like WTF have you done?! Then walked off again in disgust. We picked dd up and stared at her in wonderment for a while and discussed how cute she was and how she must be the most beautiful baby ever born. Then I ate a lot of biscuits and we had a cup of tea. Opened all our cards. Put dd in her Moses basket and went to sleep (after setting a pointless alarm for four hours time ) Woke up about an hour later for an attempt at breastfeeding where I panicked whether she was getting enough and tried to wake dh up for moral support but he was pretty much unable to speak from tiredness. Put baby back in Moses basket. Then next time she woke I insisted dh get up and do a nappy change (for no real reason!). Ah lovely memories I learnt a lot that night...don't bother setting an alarm and don't change nappies unless absolutely necessary!!

I'm going to do it all again any day now - I'm excited now! It really is amazing

Strawclutching · 16/08/2016 20:26

First baby born at home. We had a lovely dinner delivered by my mum then watched TV, fed the baby etc. she then slept 12-7am!!! I actually woke her up (idiot). She didn't sleep that long again for about 2 years.

Baby number 2 we got back about 2am. I fed her and she slept till 8am. We were too wired to sleep. Lovely to be able to get up in the morning with dd1 and play/have breakfast before introducing her sister.

Original poster

Moonrocks6 · 16/08/2016 20:30

Wow. So many replies all ready.
Thank you so much.

I keep wondering when the grown ups are going to arrive and tell us what to do so am fully executing to feel this multiplied by a million!
Lovely to read everyone's stories. Keep them coming.

OP posts:

BelfastSmile · 16/08/2016 20:30

Got him home. Niece and nephew came round to see him with their mum. DH started a game of football with nephew, in the living room, using my birthing ball. Threw niece, nephew and SIL out (possibly politely; can't remember). Contemplated throwing DH out too; decided not to. Put baby in Moses basket and stared at him for a while. DH had some kind of panic over bottle teats (hadn't fully established breastfeeding, so wanted a backup option). All went to bed.

Original poster

Moonrocks6 · 16/08/2016 20:31

Executing - expecting

Stupid phone

OP posts:

rainbowrhythms · 16/08/2016 20:32

We were in hospital for 5 days and when we got home my milk was coming in and I was all over the place hormonally. I basically just spent the whole night in floods of tears.

DS slept 6 hours though, I do remember that mainly because like fuck does he do that now

idontlikealdi · 16/08/2016 20:34

Ha never sleep we did exactly the same. Put the twins in the floor in their car seats and looked at them for a while. I honest cannot remember the first night!

QforCucumber · 16/08/2016 20:41

Home 3pm, visitors at 4-6. Then stared at him for about 2 hours, ordered takeaway. Think he went down for the night about 10pm and so did we. He woke to feed every 2 hours or so (ebf)

Packergator · 16/08/2016 20:43

Our boy slept for about 11 hours that first night. I remember thinking, "Praise Jeebus, we have a great sleeper! This is going to be easy!"...soon ate my fucking words when he basically didn't sleep again for another 4 months...

rainbowrhythms · 16/08/2016 20:47

packer

The exact same thing happened with us. DS slept brilliantly for the first two weeks and never cried. I actually remember worrying and googling ''my baby is too easy is something wrong"

Now 5 months on I don't even remember what sleep is and if I so much as take my eyes off him for a second he screams like he's being murdered.

barefootbird · 16/08/2016 20:47

We came home, I set up camp in a huge armchair and didn't move unless I needed to. At some point the midwife visited and DH ordered a take away.

Guests had visited in hospital so there were no more visitors for a day or so, we had somehow managed to not buy a whole load of things that we needed so DH went out to mothercare with a list.

DC3 was my favorite, by number 3 the novelty had worn off for most family and friends (who were at work anyway) so the 5 of us arrived home and didn't see anyone apart from my parents for a whole week. It was bliss, I spent most of the time in bed while DH looked after the older two.

Trixieceratops · 16/08/2016 20:48

DS was prem and spent three weeks in NICU so we were very excited to have him home... The three of us snuggled on the sofa to catch up on Dr Who and then DH did a run to the chippy! We went up to bed and slept like demons!

loveulotslikejellytots · 16/08/2016 20:49

Newborns do sleep a lot in the beginning. Everyone says, sleep when they sleep, and you think - well that's not always possible. Make it possible. I sat and made small talk with family and friends while dd snoozed on and off all day. Then it was me (and DH) up every 2-3 hours during the night. When the baby falls asleep, make your excuses and go for a lay down! Our family and friends wouldn't have minded, they've all been there.

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