Share with WaterWipes what you wish you were told before the arrival of your new born - chance to win £300! NOW CLOSED

[AnnMumsnet]

The team at WaterWipes would love to hear what you wish you'd been told before the arrival of your new born.

We all can recall those innocent days before the arrival of baby and the impact having a child can have on your life so please share on this thread what you wish someone had told you - or what you were told which was especially useful!

Here's what WaterWipes says: "WaterWipes contain only 2 ingredients: 99.9% Water and 0.1% grapefruit seed extract. Non-irritating to even the most sensitive of children’s or Mums’ skin, WaterWipes help prevent and alleviate nappy rash and other sensitive skin conditions. WaterWipes are the only baby wipe ever to be endorsed by Allergy UK. We think they're great for newborns and we'd love to hear what other pearls of wisdom you wish you knew before your baby arrived!"

Please share a comment on the thread: you'll be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win £300 voucher for the store of choice (from a list). Standard Insight T&Cs apply

Thanks and good luck
MNHQ

That people would judge me because i bottle fed x

There's no such thing as too many kitkats when breast feeding

to fill up the freezer with nourishing food as there were times when I was just too exhausted to cook and what a lifesaver it would be.

I wish there was more freely given information about just how hard breastfeeding can be, and the problems you can run into. It would have been good to be prepared, rather than having to do the research whilst also dealing with a cranky newborn who will not latch on!!

That newborns will eventually (well, usually, anyway) settle into a routine but it will take much, much longer than you, or anyone else, expects. And to take other parents boasts of great nights sleep, will a whole heap of salt, because that's all they nearly always are - boasts.

I wish I was told how low you would feel some days not post natal depression just through tiredness and life changes

If you get visitors tell them to make themselves a cup of tea... love just had a baby!... you don't need to be host as well.

I wish I had been told to save my money on pointless bits of equipment and pay for a cleaner for the first few weeks instead
Wish I had been told that food I ate coukd cause eczema in my son

How I would no longer care or sweat the small things :), ohhh and how I will not get a good nights sleep again for 16 or so years !

Take all the well meaning or not advice with a pinch of salt and do your own thing. No one knows your baby like you do.

That they grow so quick so cherish every moment

It passes.the pain.tiredness.happyness.joy.it all does go by so treasure good and bad by looking into those eyes knowing itl be ok.it will...

That post natal depression should be addressed, not swept under the carpet, and does NOT make you an inadequate mother.

I wish I had been told with my first child that it is ok to feed lying down as long as you take precautions. I remember many hours during night feeds sitting up desperately trying to keep my eyes open, feeling ridiculously exhausted. With DC2, I thought I would trying lying down to BF and it was amazing, I stayed as still as a statue while DD fed, I did drift off but when I woke I was in exactly the same position. DD was always on the side closest to the cot, she never lay between my and DH. Now, I realise you've got to make your own choices and decisions about safety - I didn't drink alcohol at all. As a new parent I was petrified about falling asleep and squashing our baby. For our second child I was more relaxed. I know this isn't for everyone but it worked me.

I wish I was told that I would be spending at least the next decade buying batteries for my child's toys Literally everything needs them. It's hard enough chasing my little Duracell Bunny around all day aswell as having to keep the company one in profit

To trust your instincts and your baby. Nobody knows your baby better than you. Listen to your baby not to anecdotal tales or so called gurus.

To remember always this too shall pass whenever things feel difficult.

That it's okay to say no. To visitors, to expectations, to 'advice ' to anything that doesn't feel right.

And that it's okay to rely on takeaways in the first few weeks!

that time goes faster than you could ever imagine

I wish I had been told that it is pointless reading all of the baby books as my DD hadn't read them.

Also I wish that I had enjoyed my time with her on maternity more as it soon goes by and sitting at a desk isn't as much fun.

How valuable sleep is!!

I wish i had been told how hard ot would be to walk/sit down straight afterwards! I was a bit naive and sort of only thought about the labour part and thought that once it was out, the pain would be over so wasnt really ready for how sore things would feel down there for a while!

I wish someone had told me to turn the changing mat round.

I had one of the plastic ones with a slightly raised border around three of the sides. I always used to have the 'open' end towards me and wind up with wee all over me. Turning it round so the open end was at baby's head end and putting a couple of books under the far end of the changing table so it sloped towards me meant that all the wee collected there, didn't drip on my toes and baby didn't end up lying in it. It was a revelation!

Treasure every single second