BRINGING UP BABY "The crucial first two weeks". Whats crucial about them, what will I get wrong I can't sort out later?

[AnguaVonUberwald]

I didn't watch bringing up baby last night, as frankly I watched the first episode and couldn't bear to see it again.

But the blurb for it on sky talked about "The crucial first two weeks". I am a first time mum, I have no idea what I am doing, I will probably do everything wrong in the first two weeks.

Call it the "cruicial" first two weeks makes it sound like mistakes I make then are set for life.

Is anything cruical about the first two weeks (apart from love and food) and if so, WHAT?

Depending on where you are moving too, NCT often run Postnatal groups too. Mine was invaluable and we still all meet up with and without the todders 18 months later and have become really good friends.

I was speaking to a friend last night with a 2 week old and I remember what it was like. It brought it all back. I just want to echo others really. Just enjoy your baby,cuddle him as much as you want, don't worry about routines/making a rod for your own back and be led by your baby. And as much as you can in the chaos that comes with a newborn, try to enjoy your special, special time.

Angua, I'm in that position too = have joined NCT but don't know when I'm moving.

Angua, I have lived in Edinburgh and Leeds and the HV team have organised a mother and baby group for new mums in both areas. I assume it is the same all over the country ?

Your HV will make contact with you before the baby is born and will let you know what is out there for you after the baby is born.

I'm sure you will be a great mum....you are obviously a very caring and concerned person or you wouldn't have started this thread

Hi Angua, I moved from Newcastle to Manchester when I was five months pregnant and was still able to join the NHS ante-natal classes (the NCT ones fill up quicker) but I found that taking local ante-natal yoga and aquanatal classes were an even better way to get to know mums-to-be. Talk to your midwife or have a look on netmums local site for what's on in your area and meet-a-mum.

angua I got my dd into a routine from about 6 weeks. It was the stricter one but not CV. Found it to be brilliant and have ahd a sleeping baby from 8 wks old, now 20mths and has only ever got up in the night with a bad dream or illness.

twofalls, planning on joining everything I can to get out of the house, meet people in a new area, its really encouraging to hear that it worked for other people.

Pinkmartini - good luck with your move.

Daisyandbabybootoo, thank you very much, will look out for all the stuff after birth.

primigravida - thats really good to know, thanks for the tips.

Hi - not just for the first two weeks, but later..

DW went in for the 6 week checkup, and the doctor (a lovely lady with a 1.5 yr old) asked how she was feeling doing - DW said that she "tried to do one thing a day".

The doctors response - "as long as that one thing is feeding and cuddling your baby, then that sounds great!".

Tori32 that is interesting, one of the things as a new mum is that there are so many "routines" and "experts" out there you don't know wether to listen to any of them, and if so which one, or just ignore them and hope for the best.

Its especially hard as no-one who lives close to me has young kids (hence all the classes I will be joining)

Very interesting that it worked for you.

Theselfishman - what a great answer from the doctor

There are plenty of children who spend their first two weeks (and more) amongst the bright light and strange sights and sounds of SCBU and turn out perfectly fine.

I wouldn't worry too much about strict routines unless you desperately need your baby to fit in with your grown-up lifestyle. (It's a very adult-centred world sometimes )

It'll all fall into place, I bet. You'll have to let us know! How exciting x

I think the only crucial thing about the first 2 weeks is actually getting through it . Routines don't come until later, you just need to get to know your baby and love and cuddle it as much as possible. Some people bond immediately, sometimes it takes longer than 2 weeks. It is quite an important time for establishing BF though.

It's a good job, imo, that you didn't watch BUB because you can take it as a fact that anything CV is recommending you want to be doing the opposite of.

I think the only crucial thing about the first 2 weeks is actually getting through it . Routines don't come until later, you just need to get to know your baby and love and cuddle it as much as possible. Some people bond immediately, sometimes it takes longer than 2 weeks. It is quite an important time for establishing BF though.

It's a good job, imo, that you didn't watch BUB because you can take it as a fact that anything CV is recommending you want to be doing the opposite of.

The best bit of advice I saw was from someone on here when I had DS nearly three years ago. they basically said that you can't spoil a newborn. So with DS I fed him when he wanted, let him sleep when he wanted, basically listened to him and my instincts and we got along fine. Routine can come later. I've just had my second and am doing exactly the same. I was slightly concerned that a lack of routine would clash with DS but so far, with DP at home at least we are getting along all together beautifully.

Basically, those gut feelings you have are there to be listened too. Don't doubt that they will be there!

They're crucial because you'll never have them again and it's an amazing time. The only thing you could possibly get wrong is trying to do anything other than be with your baby. So sod the washing up, get people to cook for you and bring you lots of cups of tea while you feed (however you do it), get to know one another and just generally be amazed that this tiny perfect being has emerged from your body.

I remember worrying about that. And then it extended to 'the first two years are crucial', then to 'the first five years' and on and on.

What we do is crucial but it isn't as hard as you may worry. Meet your baby's needs the best you can. So long as you love him and relax as much as possible and browse on here or in a friendly book for advice about things you have no instinct for, you can't go wrong!

(I found the What to Expect book really helpful. It covers virtually every subject you might want to look at briefly and it's not based on a childcare 'theory' or 'guru', just plain advice).

With DS1 I used to get him oiff to sleep of an evening and collapse shell-shocked in front of the TV.

With DS2 we used to get DS1 off to bed then scrap about whose turn it was to cuddle DS2 This went on for about 6 weeks