Share your tips on life with a new baby with Philips Avent and you could win £300! NOW CLOSED

[AnnMumsnet]

At Philips Avent breastpumps they understand the importance of preparing to become a parent and the need for a product you can rely on, therefore they'd love to hear your top tips on coping with a new baby - on everything from cooking, looking after yourself and getting out of the house to establishing sleeping and feeding patterns. What things helped you through those first weeks/months? And if you could share any advice with expectant parents, what would it be?

Here’s what Philips Avent say, “our range of breastpumps help new families feel comfortable and relaxed when expressing. We know life certainly is never the same again once you become a parent for the first time. For such a small bundle, babies can take up a lot of time, energy and emotions. How can you prepare yourself for the huge changes welcoming a new baby involves? And is it possible to?".

Add your top tips below and you'll be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 voucher for John Lewis.

Thanks and good luck
MNHQ

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PS: Do check out loads of advice and support on the MN pages sponsored by Avent on preparing for life with a newborn here

Be honest to yourself and those around you. If you can't cope and are strugling, don't pretend everything's fine. Talk to someone, and let it out. Try to be organised, and plan ahead but if you find yourself stuck and in a crisis, its fine. It happens to everyone and you're entitled to a shoulder to lean on.
When options are available for convenience, and you can afford it, go for it.. Thinking more of breast pumps etc, and not exactly take aways (maybe sometimes ;) )

Buy a really good hand cream. You'll need to use one and it'll be your only treat for a while!

Wow - I wish I'd seen all this advice when my LO was born - I was utterly terrified for the first 3 months & thought things would never be the same again!! I was right.. they're even better now :)

Best bits of advice I would give/wish I had received;

• Having a newborn is HARD - it's amazing, don't get me wrong - but it's bloody hard being in charge of a whole, brand new little being & learning about each of their individual needs & how they express them. Be kind to yourself.
• If breastfeeding doesn't work out/if you don't want to breastfeed - don't beat yourself up, it isn't for everyone. Bottle feeding is fine - I felt so guilty about bottle feeding after my LO wouldn't take to breast. It doesn't matter - as long as they're feeding, it's fine :)
• Accept any help you're offered - everyone loves a baby! Snooze when you have guests, they won't mind! Everything seems better after a kip :)
• If you're struggling & it feels like more you can handle - seek help, talk to your GP, you know yourself best - respond to that inner voice.
• It's totally normal to look like poo - embrace it, you are doing something amazing!

:) x

enjoy it. it wont last forever

Try not to have unrealistic expectations of yourself or your baby. And remember that your baby hasn't read the books - they dont know when they're 'supposed' to feed or sleep. They have no idea about'routines'. They're just trying to adapt to life in this hig new world. And they couldn't care less that you haven't managed to get out of your pjs or sort the washing

Train your DP/other DC to always leave the tv remote/phone/cup of tea/biscuits within your reach when you are feeding or cuddling the baby. There is a special kind of frustration in being able to see the thing you need to occupy you during a cluster feed but not be able to reach it because someone left it on the other end of the sofa...

Top tip: Take it easy and slowly. Tomorrow will always be easier.

Invest in a good quality filtered water bottle, it sounds unnecessary but I found I was so thirsty when I breastfed and having a nice bottle around me at the time, that I could fill up anywhere and have nice tasting filtered water was a godsend.
Also meal prep- make a huge chilli/ spagbol/ lasagne and freeze on you family sized portions so you can warm through and just have to pop on some rice or frozen veg to go with it. Really handy when you or partner are too shattered and busy with your beautiful baby to cook from scratch.
A good quality nipple cream if you are breastfeeding is a must! It wa invaluable in those early days and was worth the £6-8 I spent on it.

Listen to any advice you're given, smile then do what feels right for you. If there was one right way that worked for every baby in the world, we'd know by now!
Take as many shortcuts as you can. For me it was taking the perfect prep machine and sterile bottles to bed every night so I cut cut the night feeds right down. Actually, first it was taking the ready made aptamil bottles to bed every night until dh complained about the expense!

Get as much rest as you can. The housework can always be caught up on at some point and, mostly, enjoy.

In the early days, baby sleeps so much so use that time for yourself, whether that's to do some light exercise, read or sleep. Take lots of photos as the time absolutely flies and baby milestone cards were a great help for me to capture memories of all the firsts!

Do as much as you can to prepare before the baby arrives; cook food and freeze it, catch up on all of your washing - you will soon have a lot more, tidy and de-clutter your home. When baby comes, plan when visitors should come, it's nice if they give you notice and perhaps pick up some food or shopping for you on the way, don't be afraid to ask for help, accept all help offered! Sleep when you can, it will soon be easier and everything is better when you're not so tired so do rest. Allow your partner to share the workload and burden, you need to stick together.

Don't be alarmed if/when baby will only sleep on you. Set up camp on the sofa, enjoy those baby snuggles and hours of feeding - make sure you have a drink, snacks and tv remote handy!

I felt so guilty with my first that I 'should' be getting out and about with him, but now I'd love to go back to that time and just enjoy it!

Go with your heart!

Relax and follow your gut instinct! On a practical level, start preparing and freezing meals in advance of your due date so you do not have to worry about cooking when you bring your baby home

accept all offers of help. they are made with good intentions - use them.

prepare over-thoroughly. stock up on essentials for a few months so you don't have to stress.

Sleep when the baby does to give yourself a boost of energy

Take advantage of all of the sleeping that newborns do in those first couple weeks and rest when the baby sleeps

When family and friends ask, "What can I do to help?" have a list ready Bring a meal, help with chores (dishes, laundry, mow the lawn, etc.) or babysit (so you can take a shower)

And my biggest tip is take a LOT of pictures as the change so very quickly

You can't spoil a baby, you can't over breastfeed a baby. Do whatever feels like the right thing. Don't feel pressured to 'train' your baby by imposing a feeding schedule or hoping it will learn to fall asleep by itself when it's too small. When your newborn is crying there's a reason, so make a list and each time go through the list: hungry, tummy ache, tired, hot, needs a change... eventually you'll find the problem.

Don't expect the early days to be fluffy loveliness. If they are, it's a bonus. If they're an uphill struggle, rest assured it WILL get better.

Trust your instincts - health professionals will seem obsessed with poo charts, feeding timetables and growth centiles, but they don't know your baby like you do.

Definitely say yes when someone offers to make you food/come and clean/anything! But, if what you really want to do is hand over the baby to a visitor and just do the hoovering to feel 'normal', do.

Don't panic if your hair starts to come out after about 3 months. This is normal, you are not going bald! I wish someone had told me that.