New Mom: What I Know Now
I wasn’t going to continue the series, but I couldn’t help thinking back to all of the advice I’ve received from comments on the blog, and how dead-on they were. I thought I’d share my thoughts…
What you said — and you were RIGHT:
- Pampers for boys – Huggies for girls. I used the Huggies I had received from a baby shower, but when Owen’s “sleeping-through-the-night” was thwarted by two late-night leaky diaper outfit changes, they had to go.
- Kirkland diapers seem to be as good as Pampers for boys.
- Buy one sample of a few different bottles. Um, can’t they just drink out of any old bottle? No. One will make them choke, one will make them spit up, one will make them cry because it’s too slow, one will…
- Bottle washing on the reg.
- Don’t buy a lot of clothes because they grow out of them fast. Even my 8lb. 8oz. baby was in newborn clothes for a month, but he seemed to sail straight through to 3-6 month clothing. Look who got mommy’s thighs.
- You’ll be surprised how quickly you lose the water weight. I lost 30 pounds in 2 weeks {but was still ticked when the scale stopped dropping 5lbs. per day. Picky, picky}.
- If baby kicked in the womb at 3am, he’ll be awake in his crib at 3am. *sobs*
- You think you don’t need to buy maternity shirts – but you do. By 41 weeks, I was HA-YUGE. I should have bought cute tops earlier on because I wasn’t willing to fork out the cash for new clothes I could wear for a few days, but nothing fit. Predicament. People stopped asking me when I was due, and started steering clear for fear that my water would break all over their shoes.
- Snap-on stroller is the way to go. The carseat is heavy and awkward enough, the snap and go makes life easier.
- You’ll know if your baby “looks” like the name you picked out. I gotta tell you – I thought you were all nutso. But with two names in the running – my baby definitely “looked” like an Owen. You win.
- You don’t need a monitor in a small house. I thought I’d be nervous about putting the baby in his crib and would do everything short of duct taping the monitor to my ear so I could hear every wiggle – but 5 weeks old, and he got the boot and is thriving in his new crib. I don’t need to hear every snort, that defeats the purpose. If there’s a real problem, I can hear it down the hallway :)
- It goes so fast. Didn’t I just get him and he’s already smiling and giggling? Now we’re talking sitting up and teething already?
- You don’t need a Diaper Genie – those poops shouldn’t stay in the room anyway {RANK}.
It never occurred to me:
- Gas is a baby’s #1 ailment. Burps, toots, poops. That’s boys for ya.
- Nipple cream, nipple cream, nipple cream.
- Babies can be picky or even allergic to formula {Can you hear the money flushing down the drain?}
- There would be times where I would think, “Put him back in!”
- While mom does most of the work once the baby comes, Dad faces a few rough weeks of tears from both mom and baby.
- These thoughts would ACTUALLY run through my head; “How can I tape that binky in?” and “I just have to mail a package, I can’t just leave him in the car?” Of course I never came anywhere close to doing those things {don’t scold me}, it’s just funny how the sleep-deprived brain works.
- How little sleep a new mom gets. And only you are conditioned for the work.
- That I wouldn’t go into labor on my own. I had a great and relatively easy pregnancy, but 41 weeks pregnant and NO signs of labor? Seriously?
- Two months later, my wedding ring still wouldn’t fit. Or that I could get carpal tunnel after labor.
- That I’d be Googling “infant poop”.
- Babies are such a science experiment, a constant “guess and check” game. Testing out different bottles, diapers, bath time strategies, night time strategies, sleeping arrangements, swaddling techniques, to swaddle or not to swaddle, napping schedule…
- It’s different when it’s your kid’s poop? No, it’s not. I’ve gagged plenty.
- Breastfeeding is tricky, tricky. I’ve heard people say, “Give it 10 weeks” but was never quite sure what that meant. Seems to me you belong in one of two camps: not enough milk, or too much milk. And not every woman gets the chance to do it, and not every woman wants to do it. Interesting that something so natural is so downright tricky! And there’s so much more I could write about it – but for fear that I will gross someone out, I’ll keep it to myself. :)
- Has anybody seen “Away We Go“? Such an adorable movie. Remember when the crazy mom of two said, “Now I don’t need to wear a bra, I just tuck ‘em in my socks…” ?
- Fuzzy crib sheets seem like they may overheat the baby, but putting a sleeping baby on a cold sheet wakes the baby up, and soft furry fabric is to babies what ExcedrinPM is to adults.
- How much you need your family. I’ve asked them a bazillion questions about this baby business, and have gotten extra naps and time with my husband.
- I’d be efficient at one-handed typing.
Okay, woah. This is getting out of control. I could write a book’s worth of my observations. But all in all, I’m tired but I love it, I couldn’t do it without my hubby, my family and close friends, and I’ll listen to advice from anyone and everyone willing to give it. I have a new-found respect for moms. Phew!
Let me know you stopped by »
Brooke–
He is adorable! I loved reading your list and reminding me of the things I learned. Believe me, by the time he is 11 you will forget it all! My oldest is now 11 and my youngest is 5. Were they really babies once upon a time? You are right about the husband having to listen to everyone crying, mine certainly did! No wonder he was happy to be a pilot and go to work for 4 days a week!
Teresa
I’m with Teresa… the days may seem long and exhausting now.. but in the blink of an eye, they’re gone. I used to wonder what my baby’s little voice would sound like when he finally talked. Now I ask myself can I even remember his little ‘first voice’? I look at my 12 year old starting on his road to manhood and think to myself, is that all the time he got to be a little boy, is that it? No!!!! .. and my nearly 8 year old, well wasn’t he just born yesterday? Cherish. Every. Sleep deprived. Millisecond. A-M xx
I loved reading your “What I Know Now” list. It’s amazing how much we learn as Moms. Thanks for sharing…it made me laugh!
Googling “infant poop” – yeah been there done that. Also a lot about delivery that no one ever talks about and I’m certainly not going too! Love the lists
I love this! I am 3 months pregnant with twins, so I need all the advice I can get!! They wil be our firsts!!!
I’m glad you’re keeping your sense of humor as you go through this stressful albeit wonderful time. I’m not a mom yet, but I’m sure that’s important!
Brooke, I love this. All of these are dead on, I can relate so well :) Love!
I’m due on June 28 and am already telling my son that his lease is running out and he needs to pack his bags! I’m so focused on moving on to the next stage, that I haven’t actually given any thought to the next stage. So this post was really helpful! I’ve been living in this delusional world where maternity leave during the summer will be like summer vacation. What the hell am I thinking??? :)
I’m currently pregnant and I have loved following your journey while you were expecting and now reading your thoughts as you experience life with a newborn! The genuine quality of your “what I know now” series has been wonderful! Thanks for sharing :)
Are you serious the carpal tunnel doesn’t go away? I have had a rough pregnancy and I’m telling you, the numbness in my hands has been one of the crappiest parts so far. I will never again make fun of all the weenies with ‘typing ouchies’- it sucks. And I want my wedding ring back!
@Laura – That was me too. Even with some long days and nights you have to enjoy the moment. Enjoy the last days of pregnancy (especially when you never know when your last day will be!). And summer vacation? HA.
@Mollie – Everyone is different. I could hardly pick up the baby for a month because my hands and wrists hurt so bad. They still ache two months later, but not as bad. Fun, fun! And I’m giving it 4 months before I’m just going to have to size my ring up!
I adore hearing the continued updates. And what you know will continue to grow with Baby O. So I hope you continue these posts. They make me happy!
I’m glad you continued on with at least this one last “what I know” post. Motherhood is quite a journey, very emotional and trying, but totally worth every moment. If it doesn’t kill us, it only makes us stronger, right???
I wish you and your sweet baby boy the very best. I am so eager to meet my new little girl and go through all of this new baby stuff again. But for now, I’ll enjoy the three I’ve got while I’ve still got them!
Love, Susan
P.S. I’m totally going to have to watch that movie. God knows my “girls” have seen better days! Sheesh!
So cute! So true!
What about shoes? My feet went up one size with each baby… I went from 6 to 6.5 to 7 to 7.5 — what a pain to have to get a whole new shoe wardrobe along with each new baby {and give up some of my favorites}!
I also always said, “Pregnancy: one bodily function after another. It prepares you for babies, which are one bodily function after another!”
I do miss my babies… my youngest is 7!
Don’t worry – I actually ran through a number of different options to try to attach the soother to one of my daughters…and seriously considered them. What makes me a good mom is the fact that I never went through with any of them!
I have loved the ‘what I know’ posts- my favorite was the one by your husband, it’s something I’ve repeated over and over and couldn’t agree more with- he said something like- you will never be in a bad mood when you see that baby rolling around in the belly. My husband and I just sit and watch my belly morph trying to figure out what is what- it’s one part of pregnancy I will miss dearly. Very special time with the hubby
So glad you’re continuing this series, I love it.
Pampers for boys, Huggies for girls. I’m gonna remember that.
Owen is too cute for words Brooke! I love the lists and will refer back when we have our munchkin!
I’ve got three kids, so I feel your pain.
Due in 2 weeks and am writing notes as we speak – great stuff :) I am also giving away one of your prints on my website that I ordered several months ago. Hope that’s okay! Thanks.
I have to say for the first one pampers all all around best diapers ever I have always used pampers and switched to huggies for a bit cuz I had a coupon and I had to go back the leaking the hard edges on the belly. HATED THEM. And I have a girl, so its just the diaper is made better thats all