35 weeks with 1st- wondering how you do things with a baby, please read!

[madmillie92]

Ok so to all you experienced mums this may seem like a silly question- but when you have a newborn baby how do you do ordinary things like have a bath or cook some food... I mean can you just leave them in their moses basket and go out of the room? Or do you need to get a sling/ baby carrier and take them with you when your doing housework and stuff?
Or if you bottlefeed where do you leave them when your making a bottle? Do you just leave them crying while you do these things or can you do it while holding them?
I'm totally clueless people any advice?

Newborns easy, they sleep, so you can do bottles etc then. Showers I waited until my dh got in.
Pop them in Moses basket or swing etc and you're away, now aske me about a six month old that warns attention all day and I'm screwed.

You will be fine, my dd (said six month old) is my first. You just get on with it and fall into some vague routine.

Good luck

I'm a single parent so DS3 had to just wait in his Moses basket/bouncy chair whilst I made him a bottle.

Having a bath I'd either wait untill he was asleep in his Moses basket in the evening, or, sit him in his bouncy chair in the bathroom so I could keep an eye on him.

As long as you leave them somewhere safe, and they're reasonably settled, then its perfectly fine to leave them in the neighbouring room whilst you do what you need to do, like going to the loo, making bottles, tidying up etc.

Invest in baby monitors!

I don't want to freak you out but my ds was one of those who couldn't be put down. Yes he slept but only on me and woke the moment you tried to transfer him. And went crazy in the car seat or when you tried to push him in the pram.

But you just cope if you get one like that. Eg have a bath with them (helps if someone is there to hand them to you and take them out so you can have a wallow), yes a sling helps lots, get in food you can eat one handed (ham, sliced cheese, wraps, cereal bars).

Guidelines are they should sleep in the same room as you INCLUDING NAPS so yes moses basket so you can transfer them with you.

Tiny babies don't know you are coming back and are having to cope with clothes and hunger and noises and all sorts that is new so I would say try and minimise crying. This doesn't mean you can't go to the loo.

Don't worry, you will muddle through and then find your own way!

Oh gosh easy at that age! Invest in a baby bjorn bouncer and let them sit in there whilst you get on with things!

Try a crawling/half walking/0-60 in 4 secs 10 month old. I'll swap you!

I had an un-putdownable one, so I would say wait and see what kind of baby you get. If they sleep in a Moses basket or settle easily in a bouncy chair then it should be reasonably simple (most of the time). If not, then get a sling and either go to a sling meet or watch videos on youtube on how to use it properly, and make sure you start moving as soon as you put them in. I found that my dd hated the baby gym, but adored the mobile, so I got the most distracting mobile I could and that would often get me a shower. We also got a baby swing, which meant she would nap sometimes without me.

The good news is, that if you get a fussy baby, then when they do get to six months you are used to giving them lots of attention and have worked out how to get stuff done, so it is much easier then than for those who had sleepy ones.

I carried her round in a sling all day and had a bath when my boyfriend got in. If we're being com

...completely honest, I didn't really do any normal things when my dd was newborn...I don't think I cooked or cleaned for about 6 months! (Poor boyfriend). And no, I certainly didn't ever leave her alone in a room, asleep or awake, was way too paranoid!

An unputdownable one here to. If you've got a DP shower when e is home - first thing or last thing. Eventually ds would settle in bouncy chair and I would sit him so he could see me in the shower. No time for baths. Get finger foods for yourself and ask visitors to bring snacks (cake) that can be in arms reach - bf can be v hunger inducing.
Just having a French stick and some things to go on it out on the table helped me get lunch.

God knows how one would make bottles as I can't imagine handling a kettle with pfb near by. He would have just screamed. And as a new mum that is heart breaking.
Sling a god send - still use it now when hoovering with ds.
I spent a lot of he first 2 months sat watching box sets feeding or holding a sleeping baby. In hindsight only thing I'd really change would be buying some nicer pj's in advance

It depends a lot on the baby and its personality. Our DD didn't mind us leaving the room briefly to make tea and bottles and would sit in a baby chair while I showered, quite happily. Once she was 3 months she could roll out of the chair so I waited for her to nap and then showered (or filled her cot with toys and did it very quickly. Toys that clip to the bars are good).

If you have the money (and do not live in a tiny flat) then baby monitors and having something you can plonk the child in/on safely in each room you spend most time in will really help e.g. chair, bumbo, baby gym. These make useful presents too and people often have them to give away. Slings are good too. I have a Baby Bjorn and after a bit of practice can do things like collapse the pram and put it away, unpack shopping etc with the baby in the sling.

Assuming you have a partner, the key is to have systems for where everything is kept so you can both find things quickly, and to take turns to do things like eat dinner, if necessary. Again if money and space permits get more than the minimum number of everything as it saves rows abiut how baby's only sleeping bad bag is in the wash and means you may be able to get away with laundry every other day. Doing laundry with a baby in tow is a pain!

As an example, our routine now I am back at work is to pack DD's bag and sort my work clothes and lunch the night before. In the morning, DH gets DD up, does her nappy and gives her breakfast while I shower. Then I have breakfast. Then he showers while I dress her and brush her teeth. If DH had to leave for work very early I think I would shower amd wash my hair the evening before.

Yy to buying nice pjs and warm jumpers and dressing gowns - several lots if you can. It is depressing when the baby throws up on you and your spare pjs are in the wash!

Just bag! Not bad bag

You will very quickly become an expert at doing things single handed, if your dp/ dh takes sandwiches to work ask him to make you one too and pop on a plate with cling film so you have easy ready made lunch. Remember to drink lots, maybe buy a sports water bottle you fill up morning and lunch as you might forget to drink enough. Other than that shower before dh/dp leaves for work and bath once dc is more settled in the evenings and dh/ dp can cuddle or watch him/ her.
I even managed to find a way of going to the loo with ds on my lap, have to admit was enjoying benefits of under bump maternity jeans at that point though!