please learn from my mistakes

[gymboywalton]

i have been reading another thread about special outfits for newborn babies and i thoughtit it might be fun to have athread where people can share mistakes we made when ours were new.

my number one mistakes was buying clothes/babygrows that fastened up the back. wtf was i thinking? impossible to get the baby into and they end up lying on the poppers and being uncomfy.

2nd mistake was buying babygrows made out of velour-they felt all lovely on the outside but insdie are scratchy and sweaty and horrible.l
the day i found out i was pregnant i went out and bought an outfit that was both velour AND had poppers up the back.
it was worn once!!!!

[curiousgeorgie]

It is your baby and you can hold, feed and dress her!

In recovery after my c section I asked for DD and the midwife told me to wait until I could sit up. Then DH tried to take her and the same midwife picked her up to give her a bottle and we didn't say anything. and he after told me the midwife had dressed her too.

I'm sure she was just being helpful but I'm 5 months pregnant with DD2 and this time I'm putting my foot down!

[adagio]

Hats come in different sizes and 0-3 months is actually rather large on a small newborn and stayed on for about 60 seconds before being wriggled off

Scratch mits are a waste of time, socks stay on much better

Strong solution of milton fluid gets poo stains out of baby clothes (well, white ones anyway)

Cheap black joggers in thin jersey fabric are ideal for post birth 'PJ's' as in reality you don't really differentiate day and night for the first couple of weeks so at least in these you can pretend you have managed to make it out of the bedroom when the PIL turn up for a visit at 3pm - ditto keeping baby in sleep suits exclusively, means no one can actually tell if you are still in overnight wear or if you are up and about!

[MB34]

When doing night time nappy changes for the first few weeks, put one end of a towel (or similar) under baby's bum and the other end, put across your lap to catch any projectile poo!

The first time my DS did this, I was sitting on a chair next to the bed and luckily my pj bottoms were baggy enough to catch the poo otherwise I would have had a lovely brown patch on my carpet!

[Caitycat]

There must be some babies in the world that will wear socks/ bootees etc but mine isn't one! I have a girl so bought lots of cheap pairs of baby tights in Sainsbury's which she wears under any outfit. It means we don't spend forever picking up socks!

[MooseBeTimeForCoffee]

Go steady on the newborn clothes just in case (like me) you are surprised with a 10lb 11oz baby, who goes straight into 0-3 months.

Still mourning those cute outfits I got from Next. Sigh.

Buttons are the work of the devil.

[Inertia]

Oh , Snowywellies is spot on- don't expect the hospital to feed you, especially if you give birth after the last mealtime. Packs of cereal bars, biscuits, dried fruit etc all very useful.

[elliejjtiny]

Winter babies need to wear more clothes than summer babies. Yes I know it should be obvious but January born DS3 got a bit chilly wearing just a vest, babygrow and hat.

Don't buy white or pastel clothes when you start weaning.

[MB34]

If you don't like the thought of cutting your baby's nails with a scissors, use a glass nail file.

I tried to use one of the black emery boards first off but found I was scratching his skin, then I found a glass file that I'd bought for myself a couple of years ago. I tried this on my DS, it does a good job and it's kinder on his skin.

[SnowyWellies]

YY to socks instead of scratch mittens. I found that more useful.

Also- take infant formula in even if you plan to BF. First time around I had NO idea that the hospital would not supply it... I had terrible trouble feeding DC1, as trauma delayed everything and it was awful at 3 in the morning begging to be allowed some formula and being told 'it is expensive you know' and having to wait until Dh could go to the pharmacy.

And on that note... if you cannot get out of bed make sure they put the cot within arms reach.

Whimpering babies and no-one coming to help is not my idea of a good time.

[FoofFighter]

Don't take all the tags off all the baby clothes you buy initially. The baby might be too big and then you cannot take them back to swap them!

[Kafri]

definitely NO to sleepsuuts that go over the head and only fasten at the legs.PITA to get on/off

NO NO NO to buttons. can't be bothered undoing them each time I need to change nappy

all those books that say 8-10 nappies a day - IGNORE THEM!

Cotton Wool and water. a disaster waiting to happen. tho is useful when baby has a sore bum. ds had 5 days of anti biotics and bum was red raw halfway thru.had no choice but to use cotton wool.

sleepsuits all the way. ds has lots of tummy troubles and cant imagine waistbands would be too comfortable for him. save your ££ for bigger sizes.

only take plain cheap sleep suits ti hospital. ds was kept in for a week on neo and nurses lost my fave 'I love daddy' one.

[Fairlygrounded]

Don't expect to be back in your normal clothes immediately.
Don't buy many clothes for the baby - you get given a ridiculous amount of presents.
If you have a section and they tell you to shower the next morning they just want you moving about - I went for full on shampoo, conditioner etc and passed out!! Next time I'll be throwing an arm under and telling them I'm done!

[curiousgeorgie]

Fairlygrounded - I did the same and fainted too!!

[fairimum]

The shower after my section had a plastic chair in it! I sat down and showered.... but also felt faint!

[BettyFlutterbly]

Great thread!
I have a couple, sure I will think of more.
Make sure you (or dh) know how to put carseat in the car before you have the baby so that when you come out of the hospital with your newborn you don't have to stress about it.

Don't expect to give birth and feel amazing two days later! I had a straightforward natural birth with no episiotomy but was so shocked (dunno why when I think about it) at how uncomfortable I was down below. I also didn't expect the contractions everytime I fed afterwards.

[youmaycallmeSSP]

If you like the idea of reusable nappies then great but don't bother until your baby is about 3 months old or you will give up in despair. Three months onwards they are fantastic :) And don't buy any until you have done some proper research and spoken to people in RL or online who use them. You can trial different styles for £10 here.

If you feel miserable, tell your midwife, health visitor or GP. Do not attempt to tough it out.

Don't buy a pram until baby is about 3 months or you will probably end up with a monstrosity that will go on eBay as soon as the baby can sit up. Use a stretchy sling like a Caboo first and then go pram shopping when you can take the baby with you and see how easy/difficult it actually is to use.

[noblegiraffe]

I fainted in the shower too, after both my sections! First one a midwife had to put me in a wheelchair and take me back to the ward, second time I was prepared and DH came in with me and got the wheelchair.
I think it's the hot steamy room coupled with tipping your head back to wash your hair plays havoc with your blood pressure.

Also, I was very thick, but folding blankets makes them into the equivalent of 2, 4, 8 blankets. We had a big blanket for the carseat and instead of letting it hang onto the floor, I folded the ends in and put them on top of the baby. He was one massive blanket and the midwives soon sorted me out.

[MrsSpencerReid]

Pack a bag! And if you go in to get checked out at least take some clean pants! Do NOT go in at 35 weeks for reduced movement with only the clothes your are wearing otherwise you will be at the mercy of the midwives and various family members and your partner or poor unsuspecting other person will have to pack your hosp bag and they will pack all the wrong things! I'm packing after my 12 week scan this time

[Weightlessbaby]

Don't bother with babygrows/trousers etc without feet. I found socks/bootees impossible (didn't discover sock-ons till later) and found all in ones much better.

Similarly, lots of newborn outfits have integral scratch mitts on the sleeves. I either used those or wondered at DD's amazing healing powers, and still have a drawer full of unused scratch mitts upstairs!

I have also just discovered sleepsuits that zip up. Brilliant (ok maybe for an older baby) as little limbs can't escape during the night.

[Purplecatti]

Don't bother with a chest of drawers with a rim on the top. Blu tak a changing mat to an ordinary chest of drawers instead. Trying to get poo, wee and talc out of the corners is fiddly plus after 12 weeks the little tinkers are so wiggly its easier changing on the floor.

[recall]

Be careful what you watch when you are bonding with your newborn. i watched Toy Story 2, and broke my heart when Emily bitch threw Jessie under the bed. I then had a really weird "thing" about Jessie, I would melt if I saw pictures of her, and one day found myself gazing adoringly at a Jessie doll in Tesco. I also asked several people if they thought she looked just like my Baby Very strange that was.

[Purplecatti]

Oh and never read a baby book that says after 12 weeks your baby will sleep longer than a couple of hours. When that turns out to be a dirty lie you will be very upset.