Wednesday, January 11, 2012

What I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Had My Baby...

So I was lying awake last night, still sick (grrrr) and all I can think about is all the things no one ever told me about having a baby!! Ideas kept flowing so at 3:00 AM, yes AM, I got up and grabbed my cute doggie Christmas notepad that I got in my stocking:) and started jotting down a few ideas!! I figured this might be helpful for some of you new Mom's or Mom's to be!






1) If a baby can't hear themselves cry, they won't cry. I never knew this one until I went to a Cardiologist appointment for my little guy. He had to have 20 leads on him, and I thought for sure the tech would never be able to stop him from crying and moving to get the lead on, but she did. She has this gun that had flashing lights and made noise. He couldn't hear himself cry, and immediately stopped!!! Amazing!!! So when your in the car and the baby is crying, turn that radio up!!! Works like a charm!


2) When an item of clothing says 0-6 months, it will not fit a Newborn in the hospital! Unless you have a 12 pounder!! So even if the outfit is super cute, don't bring it to the hospital!


3) After you have a baby, a nice hot shower will be your new favorite hang out spot! I use every ounce of HOT water and make sure I don't run the dishwasher or washer before!!


4) C-Section is MAJOR SURGERY!! Don't let anyone tell you otherwise!


5) Everyone has their own Annoying opinions about EVERYTHING! From naps to sleeping to eating to discipline to diapering, do yourself a favor and don't give ANY mother UNWANTED ADVICE or SUGGESTIONS unless they ask for it! I am the MOM and know what's best for MY child. You are your son's or daughter's Mom and know what's best for him or her. Enough said.


6) Newborns don't always sleep 16 to 20 hours a day. I had these visions that I would be so rested and get so much done while home with my newborn....never happened! When my son was colicky, he slept 1 hour during the day if I was lucky, and that was between weeks 2-6. So don't always believe everything you hear. Even now he doesn't nap much, maybe 3 naps a day at 1 hour each, but he has been sleeping through the night at 7 weeks!!! Now he sleeps 9 hours at night, I am not complaining. Therefore when everyone tells you, Sleep when they sleep, well this never happened for me.


7) What Colic was. Never knew what this was until my little guy had it! Colic is basically when the baby's digestive, sensory, and nervous system has not fully developed and is not adapted to living in this outside world yet. The baby is so uncomfortable because of gas bubbles and often has a "witching hour" in the evening. Our little guy used to cry around 7PM and go till 12 or 1AM a few nights a week! It was exhausting. He couldn't be comforted!! This can be exhausting on the parents, and to be honest, I can see how some parents might lose it. It is important to have a strong support system!


8) I am a by-the-book, rule follower, direction reader type of gal, and when something doesn't fit into that book, I am lost. BABIES DO NOT always follow the Norms!! Give yourself some leeway and patience!!


9) That black line that some women develop while pregnant that extends from the pubic bone to the belly button is called the Linea Negra. This line comes from hormonal changes, and in most cases it does go away! I thought that this line just disappeared over time, but in fact it peels away!!! Yes!! I was in the shower and was exfoliating when I noticed black skin coming off my stomach, I had no idea what it was until i googled it. You can literally scratch it off!! Weird! On a side note, my black line also made a large ring around my belly button which I had never seen before either. That too scratched off.


10) Cradle Cap is a scaly condition of the babies scalp and is often seen in newborns!! I did not know that this is often caused because either you (if you are breastfeeding) or the baby has been on antibiotics. Cradle Cap is harmless and my pediatrician said to put a warm compress on it, then lube it up with some baby oil, and scratch it off!


11) Not all babies like pacifiers!! I never wanted my baby to get so addicted to his pacifier that he would be 2 years old and still walking around with it in his mouth, however, it would have helped during his colicky stage if he took the pacifier!! Nope, you would think I was gagging him when I put it into his mouth!! Oh well!


12) If you are exclusively breastfeeding, it will take awhile for your flabby stomach to become lean and flat again. The hormones in  your body from breastfeeding keep your belly soft. So don't worry:) You will still have to lose the baby weight!


And one more Bonus Thought:


Being a Mom is so much better than you can ever imagine!! The first few weeks are ROUGH, but it gets SO MUCH BETTER!! Hang in there all you Mommies!!


(P.S. This Michael Jordan Onzie was 
what I brought to the hospital 
for him to wear as his "take home" outfit...
too bad it didn't fit)



What is your advice for Mom's or things you wish you had known?


What can you relate to in my post?





13 comments:

  1. Thank you for sharing this with me! It was VERY helpful!

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  2. You are welcome Ashley:)I wanted to get all my bottled up ideas out!! Praying for a safe arrival of your little one:)

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  3. Ahh I can relate to so many of these!!! In particular, the one about not all babies following the book. I have two kids and they are so different! Every child really is different and don't always follow all the "rules." The best thing I ever figured out being a mom... screw the rest and follow your MOMMY INSTINCT!

    New follower! I found your blog through the Welcome Wednesday blog hop. Looking forward to more. :)

    Marlana
    storywriter...
    http://storywritermama.blogspot.com

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  4. Thanks Marlana!! I must agree with you...instinct it is, all the way!!! Can't wait to see how it goes when I have #2

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  5. After being a mom for over 20 years I was surprised by some of the things I on your list I didn't know. I advise all new mommies to pay attention!
    Thanks for visiting my site.

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  6. Heyy that's my friend Marlana up there!! Small bloggy world. I'm a new follower too from the welcome wednesday blog hop :)

    Something I wish someone had told me is that it's okay to ask for help, and take it when it's freely offered. I felt like I had to Supermom Extraordinaire from moment one, and quickly found myself exhausted. And then I'd feel guilty or like a wimp if I did take some help. Next time around, I will definitely be taking it a liiiittle more easily :)

    CA - http://www.candidcatholicliving.blogspot.com

    p.s. love your blog title haha, I'm a CDing mom too! off to go read some more posts!

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  7. Ha Ha...it is a small bloggy world:) Glad to meet some new friends!! I love the asking for help!! It's almost like a pride issue in the beginning. You are trying to do everything...and sometimes you can't!! Great input!! I will have to add that to my post "What I wish I knew after my second baby" but we got awhile for that one!!

    Glad to hear you CD!! How exciting!! I love it!!

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  8. Great list! Love the pacifier comment. I tried so hard with all of mine to get them soothed with a paci. Never worked. With my first two boys, I would have totally agreed with the take home outfit sizing. My third little girl is such a chunker that I had to squeeze her into the newborn size outfit I planned for her to wear home from the hospital. That said, most babies are not born over 9 lbs.

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  9. @Carrie..ha ha...what is it with the pacifier thing?? Even when I try to have him soothe himself with his fingers, by putting his fingers in his mouth, he won't do it!!! Grrr...he does suck his fingers, but not when hes about to sleep...I guess we will tell as time goes on!! Hope your little one is doing well!

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  10. Never heard the one about a baby not crying if they couldn't hear themselves...and I'm a grandma. I'll pass that one along. Gail (Bible Love Notes)

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  11. I agree with everything you said! when I brought my first baby home from the hospital we put her in her crib me and my husband looked at each other and said, "now what?"
    I am your newest follower..pls follow back if you can!

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  12. Thanks Momto8! We were like that too!! You must be an expert now that you have 8 kids!! Following you too!

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  13. I'm now following you from the Wednesday Blog Hop! Feel free to follow back at www.dandygiveaway.com :)

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