Advice for new parents

My younger sister announced a couple of months ago that she’s going to have a baby! I’m absolutely thrilled that a new little boy or girl will be joining our family.
When Liana said she wished there was something she could read to learn what to do I told her to get a copy of “What to expect when you’re expecting.” I had to get her a copy of the book. And I also want to pass on some of my own “What to expect” advice…

My advice for mothers to be.

Don’t be surprised when people ask you personal, rude questions, or say rude things to you. Trust me, it will happen. While pregnant with both Skyler and Lindsay I frequently was told how big I was. But one time in particular sticks in my mind. When I was pregnant with Skyler a college-aged girl I worked with asked me how far into my pregnancy I was. I told her six months, and she proclaimed something along the lines of “Oh my gosh, I can’t believe how big you are. I’m never going to have a baby because I don’t want to ever be that big.” Perhaps she’s stuck with that to spare the world from rude people like her.

And the rude remarks might not be confined to your size. When I was pregnant people often asked if I knew I was having a boy or a girl – certainly not a bad question by itself. But when pregnant with Skyler two people I didn’t know asked me if a boy was what I really wanted. I answered completely honestly and simply that I wanted a healthy baby. Even if I’d been longing for a girl (which is not the case, I really did want a healthy baby) did those people honestly think I’d divulge that to them?
So be prepared. Maybe have a few responses lined up, or better yet, only hear the comments about how much you glow.

After the baby is born, don’t be surprised at how protective you feel. When I was out shopping for necessities, strangers (usually well-meaning older women) would often try to look – and even touch – the baby. Don’t be surprised when you want to push them away.

Here is my list of handy items to have for baby:

Infant car seat. The infant car seat lets you tuck the baby snugly in it while still inside the house, then you carry it to the car. And as everyone knows, babies often fall asleep while in the car. With the infant car seat, you take the entire seat out with baby in it when you get where you’re going, so a sleeping baby can continue to sleep.
And you can use the seat to carry baby in stores too. Just put it in the shopping cart.
Infant car seats also often fit into strollers (and are sold together). The stroller alone can be used for an older child. I honestly don’t know how new parents managed without these.

Bouncy seat. This item is a necessity up until the baby can start moving on his or her own. The seats bounce, and most have vibration, which babies just love. Many also make music too.

Brand name baby wipes (without fragrance for newborns). For cleaning up baby bottoms, and anything else that needs cleaning up. This is one item where the no-name brand doesn’t work nearly as well. My favorite brand of wipes was Huggies.

No-name brand diapers. Forget the marketing hype. No-name brand diapers work just as well as the expensive brand name diapers, for a much smaller price.

Infant Tylenol. For when baby is getting shots, and also for when baby seems to be feeling bad. It might just be sugar water, but it always seemed to help baby feel better. Use as directed.

An infant gas remedy. Like the Tylenol, this might be sugar water, but it always seemed to help when my babies didn’t seem to feel well.

Blanket sleepers. Newborns love to stay warm, and blanket sleepers help them stay that way.

A good camera. Important for catching all those special moments.

A journal. Important for writing down special thoughts. Be sure to only write about the good, happy times. You'll want to remember them all.