I'm expecting my first child.....NEED ADVICE!!

[*Mystic*]

Hiya everyone! I guess I should break the news early. I'm expecting my first child! I'm only 1 month right now.

To all the Mothers & Fathers out there, I need some good advice. I know its a little early, but I like to get prepared ahead of time. I hope you all can help me out!

[yooperbear]

Congrats! Watch out-they grow up fast!

[chazziff]

SLEEP WHEN THE BABY SLEEPS!!!!! SLEEP WHEN THE BABY SLEEPS!!!!! AND SLEEP WHEN THE BABY SLEEPS!!!!!

now that i got that outta the way ... being rested is the most important thing ... you'll better able to cope wit things if they come up ... having a spotlessly clean home isn't that important right then ... if anyone looks down at ya for having some dishes in sink - tell them to step off ...

i always wished i filled out one of those baby books or kept a journal of their milestones/accomplishments

get a baby carrier - one of those that goes on your chest or back - you'd be amazed what you can get done housework wise with one ... baby gets to be close to you and you have both hands free

remember to get "you time" - to be the woman you were before you became a mom - you can't be a good mother/spouse/partner if you don't get time to recuperate your own batteries. keep on eye on your own mental health - post partum depression can creep up on you and you don't realize it until you realize you've been crying for the past half hour in the shower exhausted and unable to cope ...

[Aaron]

DONT DO DRUGS !!! DONT DRINK !!! DONT STARVE YOURSELF !! DONT OVERWORK YOURSELF !! ALWAYS THINK HAPPY THOUGHTS !!! its what my sister says anyway...and her baby came out healthy as can be!!

[LAST*CHANCE*HERO]

After I had my kids I wished for more and more sleep. Get it now while you can besides me the wife always seemed to be bickering over whos turn it was. Let it be known ahead of time!

[musicedu77]

well other than they grow fast...just dont become panicky if they fall down and get a scrape on their knee....kids are resilient there gonna get scrapes...its best to change a kid in a hurry especially newborn cuz they cant hold it as long as a 2 or 3 yr old...best thing to buy is a bottle warmer that you can plug in...it works fast...keep up with vacinations daycares are very stingent on this cuz theres something that toddlers get (colds) that babys dont have adiquate immune system to fight...prepare for being up at all odd hours of the night...best is to rotate hours or days with yar hubby...congrats on the good news!

[musicedu77]

oh yay get baby stuff early..like bouncer,swing, plastic and glass bottles,formula ( i know if you go into WIC you can get formula for free) WIC covers to age of 5 i believe....its great for grocery saving...be careful on gerber baby food...one time someone found glass in the jars from what i read...bassenette, papers, bibs,bather tub thangy (works great cuz ya can lay yar baby down on it and bathe him/her..
oneziez/t shirts, for clothing best to get nutral colors if ya dont wanna know what yar sonogram revelas whether if its a girl or boy...usually stick with clothes that are yellow (yellow works with girls and boys) baby spoons and binkies yar can get cheap at the dollar store...blankets , bed padding sheets (get tons of them) no pillow...i dunno withmyy nephews i always felt uncomfortable during the first year using a pillow...i know that theres a check list ya can get with yar peditrician or on line...basically for while its gonna be milk and rice until they get to a certain age where they can candle gerber food...usually with rice i always mixed it with apple sauce to give a variety...also ive heard that if you eat helathy during yar preganancy then yar baby will eat healthy later...

[Annie Fawn]

Let me reinstate what has been said earlier, SLEEP WHEN THE BABY SLEEPS!
Now my advice is:
Don't do the baby's room iin white.
Make sure every thing you buy is WASHABLE!
Buy several different size sleepers before the baby is born they grow fast! My youngest was 22 1/2 inches long at birth.
Plan a date night with your hubby for every week and keep it.
Make sure to talk to your hubby about things other than the baby.
Agree on a name you both like months ahead of time ( both for a boy and a girl ) and write it down so the spelling is correct on the birth certificate.
After the baby is born, if your cold, but a sweater on the baby, if your hungry, feed the baby, if you have to use the bathroom check the baby's diaper. Don't smother the baby with too many blankets and stuff.
You'll do fine, just remember to relax the baby picks up on your emotions.

[Blackbear]

GOOD PRENATAL CARE! And like Adam said...DON"T DRINK , SMOKE, or do DRUGS... There is no set amount or time that any of those can effect a growing fetus. But everything you consume, inhale or rub on your skin goes directly to the baby's bloodstream. And the beginning of the pregnancy is probably the worst time since that's when the fetus goes through it's major developements. Just live as healthy as you can, and if diabetes runs in the family.. stay away from eating too many carbohydrates.. some, not alot. Mac and Cheese was the worst one for me. Do lots of walking because the more exercise you get, the better off you'll be at delivery time.It Builds strength and endurance when you walk. Lamaze is good to go learn, the breathing being what you'll use the most. And my best advice if you are pregnant and getting hormonal....

DON"T WATCH LATTER DAY SAINTS COMMERCIALS

[drinkingfromysaucer2]

best wishes to you


advice would be:

#1 - take care during pregancy
#2 - If you have kitty cats...you now have a legitimate reason to let someone else clean the cat's litter boxes.
#3 - Jacuzzi's and whirlpools, spas, etc which have high water temperatures--should be avoided.

[* Cetan Zi *]

stay calm...
be rested...

BELIEVE in YOURSELF, you will do a job growing your baby, birthing ur baby, and helping you baby become a good person.

read to your baby. eat well. dont smoke, dont drink, dont let other smoke around you.

[Resa]

Don't eat a whole row of oreo cookies the night before your lil sugar test they give ya when ya gotta drink the orange stuff- you'll know what I'm talking about later on.
Let her/him cry sometimes. if ya can't take it, don't worry- if ya checked the diaper, know they're not hungry, and nothing else is wrong- let em cry. I didn't- and now I have to fight with my angel to get her to sleep at night.
Take care of yourself during and after the pregnancy- it's a fact that after the baby is born, mom has a tendency to forget about taking care of herself.

And GOOD LUCK & Congratulations!!!!!!!!!

[suzyq]

Love the baby with all your might. Take lots of pictures and videos. If you don't have a camcorder put one on layaway somewhere. I didn't have one for my kids when they were growing up until high school (before that I was only worried about me). We videoed every single Senior League, High School, ASA and college softball game my daughter ever played and she will come over to watch them every now and then and it brings back wonderful memories for her when she is down and out and has little self esteem. Now for us, it just reminds us they grow up way too fast.

It's a shame they don't come with an instruction book because you will stumble here and there. And most of all, remember the things your mom told you growing up because you will be saying the exact same thing at some point during your child's life (it's a weird feeling too lol).

CONGRATULATIONS! You will do fine!

[chazziff]

Don't eat a whole row of oreo cookies the night before your lil sugar test they give ya when ya gotta drink the orange stuff- you'll know what I'm talking about later on.
Let her/him cry sometimes. if ya can't take it, don't worry- if ya checked the diaper, know they're not hungry, and nothing else is wrong- let em cry. I didn't- and now I have to fight with my angel to get her to sleep at night.
Take care of yourself during and after the pregnancy- it's a fact that after the baby is born, mom has a tendency to forget about taking care of herself.

And GOOD LUCK & Congratulations!!!!!!!!!

LOL row of oreo cookies - isn't that test done around 26 -27 weeks? tryna remember things ... that has to be the grossest thing ever thought of and they try make you drink it all fast and meanwhile you're tryin not to throw up!!

you won't be able to hear the heartbeat until 14 - 15 weeks at the doc's office ... GET ADEQUATE PRENATAL CARE EARLY!!

ditto on that don't smoke and drink or let anyone do it around you ... cigarette smoke is very very harmful ... used to work at a casino (very very smokey and people used to blow their smoke in my face even though i was obviously pregnant) and i know of three women who miscarried from possibly second hand smoke and i myself had two very problematic pregnancies while i worked there. both had issues with my placenta pullin away from the uteran wall - which i read later can be caused by second hand smoke ...

yea it is OK to let them cry for a bit - louise scabbyrobe told us let em cry ... builds their lungs up. now look at what her son's do (blacklodge) ... she also said shawn cried the most ... lol

ditto on that time for you and your partner ...

[Chukchansi_Chick]

Congradulations!