When did you learn how to look after a baby?

[Leleophants]

Might sound like an odd question but when do you learn all this stuff?

Like how to dress a baby, knowing how to feed it, even things like bathing a baby and exactly when and how to move it onto solids.

I've worked with kids in the past but older kids - dp hasnt. I don't actually know any specifics!

Do NCT classes help or do you literally just guess and assume someone will tell you along the way?!

I think NCT classes tend to focus more on the labour and preparing for that. I just winged it and learnt as I went along. I did join a due date group on the antenatal threads on Mumsnet and got lots of support and advice from there (the group migrated to Facebook) and all these years later we still chat all the time on there.

I did NCT but mainly I learnt from family, friends or Google!
Don't worry you'll pick it up fine.

I learnt once I had one tbh!! You just sort of muddle along trying things out, asking google/family specific questions as they arise but sort of learning my making mistakes if that makes sense. Babies are all about figuring stuff out anyway - they cry and you work through a process of elimination: are you hungry, are you sleepy, do you need changing, have you got wind etc and so you sort of figure out stuff from trial and error. Weaning advice comes from you health visitor if I remember rightly? Im pretty sure she came out around 4 months and gave me a load of info on when to start weaning and the different methods. So yeah, just basically expect to wing it OP.

I asked friends and family who already had babies for advice, and had a look online; remembering that a lot of that is opinion and not fact! The midwives should give support and advice on feeding both in hospital and in the follow up appointments, and when you have your health visitor assigned you can ask them questions too. I had never been around babies before having mine, but it's surprising how much does come naturally, and the rest will follow. As long as they are fed and safe, anything else you can pick up on the way. NCT classes can help as a basic introduction, but you'll more than likely learn more from the other parents to be that you meet there- especially those with children already. There are loads of apps as well to do with development and milestones.

The NHS provides antenatal classes where I am. I also watched a lot of you tube videos

Mumsnet! Trial And error like people say, and I also found those emails they sent me out “your baby at 2 weeks” from possibly bounty were really useful as to what was happening and what I should be thinking about next.

To begin with just work on elimination - change nappy / hungry / tired. Try one and if it doesn’t work move on to the next one.

You will be fine, promise!

We did some private antenatal classes, rather than nct ones, that covered more than just labour/birth. And after birth my lovely mum stayed with us for a couple of weeks. She never gave advice unless I asked her, letting me find my way, but I learnt loads from watching her with my little one and often ask her what she did about stuff. But honestly, you just figure it out by winging it. It’s the steepest learning curve but all comes good. Our local area has an amazing mums Facebook group too where people ask advice about anything and everything...might be worth asking mates if they know of anything like that.

From the age of around 6 😂 when my brother was born, my mum was and still is a childminder so there was a new baby through her door a lot. It's probably the only thing I'm good at in life!

When i had one.

When I gave birth to one.

I don't think you ever learn you just wing it from one phase to the next phase lol!

My sister had my nephew around the same time I fell pregnant with my first. So I learned a lot from her. Lots was also anecdotal from friends and family.

When I was in hospital with my eldest a lovely health care assistant came and sat with me the first night I was on my own with DS1. Because I wasn't well after having him, DH and midwives had done pretty much everything for the first 36 hours. I was then on my own with him all night and panicking. Thankfully she was able to take the time to sit with me while I changed him and fed him for the first time. I'm still so grateful for her spending that time with me. I'll never forget that morning when DS woke for a feed at about 7am, the sun was coming up, the shift change was happening and DH would be able to visit in an hour. I remember thinking to myself we'd made it!

When I had a baby. It’s really not difficult.

Bought a book, but these days there's so much advice online. Honestly some of it is plain common sense.
Anyone experienced who makes you feel stupid for asking isn't someone I'd gladly return to for further wisdom.

Our NHS antenatal classes covered bathing, feeding, how to dress them, sleep safety and basic life-with-a-baby stuff.

"Our NHS antenatal classes covered bathing, feeding, how to dress them, sleep safety and basic life-with-a-baby stuff."

This ^^ as well as the birth.

Did this for our first child.

When I was having my second the midwife that took the classes was my domino midwife and delivered my daughter.

She was a fabulous midwife, so knowledgeable and calming. Her favourite phrase, "we have a job of work to do". Wonderful woman.

We are due in Sept. Neither DH or me has ever held a newborn or changed a nappy. But we do have common sense.

We are doing NCT, starting in June combined with Youtube and a lot of winging it.

Locally our NHS antenatal offering is just a single Saturday at a cost of £70. NCT is 20hrs over 7 weeks and £230 so I am hoping will cover more detail.

Also when I had baby. I was remember I was really worried before I had her as I never even really had baby experience before. I did buy a first baby book which tells you basics like weaning, how often to feed etc. But tbh it's more a learn on the job.

On the hoof basically

It's a constant learning experience. I'd never held a baby till I had my own.

My friend gave me a book called 'First Time Parent' which has been really useful in covering the basics. I'm Youtubing some stuff, like bathing and nappy changing!

I learned from my sister and also the public health nurse gave us a booklet here with instructions

Just to add and give perspective - I was a nanny specialising in twins / triplets when I had Ds. I shook like a leaf the first time I bathed him and asked the midwife to show me. It doesn’t really matter how much practice you have had, it’s still the first time with YOUR baby!

I have an 11 year old and am 17 weeks pregnant and I'm still not ENTIRELY sure now 🤷🏼‍♀️xx

The First Time Parent book from Amazon is brilliant for tips and advice from literally post-birth onwards and covers all the bases - feel way more confident after reading it!