What unnecessary things did you do as a first time mum? (Lighthearted)

[SPR1107]

With number two on the way, just having a think back about some of the things that I used to do with DS as a first time mum, that were unnecessary, and only made my own life harder!

I wonder if any others would crop up that I haven't recalled doing.

For example... putting a clean pair of pyjamas on him every single night, up until about a month ago (he's 2.4). No wonder I couldn't keep up with the washing!

Changing his nappy as a newborn, every single time the tiniest bit of blue line appeared on his nappy.... we went through over 20 nappies per day in the first week!

Washing all his clothes on the 'baby' setting on my washing machine, took nearly three hours per load, until my mum pointed out, that a higher temperature would kill germs just the same!

I was Rudolph but have name changed since I posted that.

The prop baby came about because a midwife said in the parenting classes that lots of people do not offer correct head support to newborns and how their head was floppy. I had a nightmare about the baby being in somebody's arms and then her head just falling off......I had the song "Polly had a dolly" going around my head every night and it drove me crazy. Sadly for the family that had to put up with me, the best way for me to stop my anxiety is to put a plan in place to make sure it is addressed so I don't worry.

So. First time visitors had to come in (having not smoked for at least 30 minutes) and remove their coat in the hallway to reduce pollutants. Then they had to show proper head support while both lifting the doll and snuggling it. Then a quick but thorough rub with hand gel and I would watch them like a hawk literally assessing them with pointers thrown in. After three minutes I snatched my gorgeous PFB back and gave them a big whiff to make sure they still smelled pollutant free and hadn't run out of baby smell.

My mother humoured me, she was at the hospital ( I brought this policy in from the second she was born). Her Dad looked somewhat bewildered as he had children previously but went through with it much to the midwives not so silent guffaws. Two days later we went home and got our first guests......my Nanna Burst out laughing, declared she was going to wet herself and pointed out that she had raised 8 children and never lost a head on any of them. I persevered for 2-3 more days before realising how totally barmy I was. I went on to have 3 more kids and amazingly they all kept their heads in tact without a prop baby.

I have been known to do all manner of things to help control my anxiety. This is totally outing to anybody that knows me but I was petrified I was going to somehow drive off a road and into a river or canal and with 4 kids it would be a nightmare getting seatbelts undone and car seat straps sorted out......so I bought a job lot of safety hammers and fitted them to each and every door pocket in not only mine but every family members car doors.

I won't even start about the emergency zombie plans I have in place or my letter to the council asking what plans THEY have in place should the undead rise from the ground.

Did the council respond?!

I have an 8 month old (who was ebf so many long cluster feeding sessions) and he’s still never seen the TV on - thought it would be bad for him somehow 😳

I still have the cord somewhere, DD is 2.5! I ironed muslins and picked her at the sound of a groan (still do). Our first trip out DP pushed the pram and I had to keep adjusting where I walked so that I was in front of the sun at all times.

DP still moans about the midwife that pulled DD up by her arms when she was 2 days old to show us her head support

Next time I wouldn't buy everything new!

I bought a miltons dummy steriliser thing for every time his dummy has been dropped on the floor

I always love watching first time parents with dummies. The obsessive sterilisation.... endlessly entertaining. DC2 is a few months older than DC1 of a close friend. It was always mildly embarrassing going out with them because she'd bring 8 dummies, sterilised in individual packets and we'd have 2, tossed into her baby bag and the most she got was a quick rinse with water if it dropped on the ground or something.

My PFB one was less PFB and more "I've read too many books and listened to too much advice". I was OBSESSED with routines and was constantly upset because Ds wouldn't comply. I truly believe that his sleep would have been less bad if I'd just let its happen a bit naturally and trusted my instincts a bit more. When he FINALLY started sleeping for a few hours at a time, I actually LISTENED to someone who told me I should wake him so that I could start the routine of bedtime a few hours later.

The same person tried to tell me the same with DD. I just glared.

There's wasn't an app 13 years ago for feed and poo entires - would
Of been a lot easier than trying to write it down in the dark also changing bed covers, until I ended up sleeping on a towel because I couldn't wash as quick as I was changing. I had 4 sets as well.
Next time round, unless it was poop or those of sick, it waits until the morning

This thread is hilarious. I recognise loads of these, but I'm still very much in the middle of the PFB stage, only just starting to consider TTC for the next one.

BUT, we were visiting family in Asia, and I briefly considered using boiled mineral water for her bath to ensure she didn't swallow tap water (which isn't safe to drink). I got a look of utter horror from MIL and ended up just not bathing her for the week we were there (did sponge baths instead with purified water).

With DD I was utterly obsessed with nap times and feeding times. To be fair to myself, if she got out of routine she was an absolute mess and an even worse sleeper, but I mean I used to panic if she was five minutes late for a nap or bottle. I'm more relaxed with DS (5 months) but I'm still much happier when he's "on schedule".

Also didn't let DD watch TV until she was a good few months old, though I'd have TV on for myself, which makes no sense! I'd turn it off if I thought she was watching it, even if I was halfway through a program. I regularly leave DS watching TV with DD if I need to do something and he's happy

We did BLW I took a dustpan and brush in the bottom of the pram to clean up wherever we went. Second child I realised I could ask for a dustpan and brush or collect it up with wipes

I'm way past nappy stage but what blue line on the nappy?!!!

@origamizoo there's a yellow line on the crotch of smaller size nappies that turns blue when wet.

I took my portable Dyson out with me when we went out for meals. DS was a huge nightmare with flinging food and cutlery, beneath our table was always absolute carnage. It didn't feel right to leave it there, I cleared up at home, so why not? I think I'd still tidy up, but with napkins not a vacuum!

@hoki I’m so glad I’m not the only one who didn’t put the tv on!! I was so bored and stressed and should have just been cuddling ds and watching box sets like everyone else. I think someone told me under one year olds should watch no tv and I took it so literally 🙄

The only thing I think was ridiculous was standing there peeling a swede (with a blunt knife) when I had been ill with mastitis and baby had been suffering badly with reflux and we had barely slept for 4 days. Then chopping it up in to tiny bits, boiling it, puréeing it, pouring it in to little ice trays to freeze. Then decanting the trays in to dated feeezer bags.

First try and he hated it, second try made him sick and 3rd try went on the wall. I ended up chucking it all out in disgust. It taught me a lesson though: don’t prepare ten tonnes of purée of something that baby ultimately won’t/can’t eat.

If I had my time again it would be Ella’s Kitchen pouches for first tastes!

Definitely picking him up as soon as he woke. I think i must have felt guilty for leaving him "alone" i.e right next to me in the moses!

Cried in the supermarket the first time i bought formula

Trying to read him to sleep, rather than just one story and quiet. We read the whole of Murder In The Vicarage by Agatha Christie and half of A Game of Thrones before packing that in.

Changing the nappy every single time we did a feed or on the hour every hour as I was scared she'd get nappy rash, spent £1000 on a pram that's like a tank but pushed like a dream,
Clean bib for each feed even if it was bone dry, clean pjs and baby grow every day and clean vest twice a day. Also didn't take her out for ages as I was frightened I'd leave her somewhere

@MincePieMum I'm so sorry but this is the funniest comment I've ever read how did you fit it in your handbag? Is it a tardis? A dyson 😂😂

OrigamiZoo I came to ask the same question!

My PFB thing is nappy related in my defence, so I had no way of knowing about ‘the line’! Used cloth nappies from birth to toilet training. Had two full sets as I was weekly commuting with PFB once I was back at work so I had a set in each location. Always took them with me for weekends/holidays, and to nursery even though they provided nappies. No nasty disposable nappies would sully my darling’s delicate buttocks, so I spent a lot of time traipsing shitty nappies round the country.
He did toilet train early though, so maybe it was worth it.

DS2. Disposable nappies all the way, but the ‘eco’ ones don’t/didn’t have a line. I flogged the cloth ones to a gullible lady expecting her first baby

Doing a full nappy change at night after every feed, so every 2 hours, waking her up too much to sleep in between. Life got a lot easier when I realised we didn't need to do that!

@anitagreen it was the handheld Dyson. I just made sure it was charged up and popped it in the basket of the pram. I still take it with me when we go to Pontins.

Rudolphsjinglybells sorry but thats fucking wacko

@Studentnurse1981
If you read further on its quite clear that it was a response to anxiety.
I hope your username isn’t accurate because I think you May need some more learning around mental health particularly postnatally.

To be fair it is a pretty insane reaction