What do the new mums miss the most and Tell us your survival tips!

[SJE]

Just wondering for those who have bubbas recently what you miss about your newborn free days and what you wish you had done.
e.g. rested more, cleaned less

Also if you have any survival tips for living with a newborn? e.g. cooking tea at lunchtime, putting visitors to work

[Milliner]

I missed SLEEP!!!

I feel like I haven't slept in nearly 2 years.

[erinp]

I don't have much to offer in the way of what I miss as for me it's more what don't I miss - i.e. constantly :barf: and being exhausted! Don't get me wrong, I'm tired now, but I have a wonderful little reward to look at every time I feel a bit down and it makes me :)

But I would definitely advise anyone waiting still to pop to:
- make up some meals and freeze them so that you don't have to cook if you don't feel like it or like SeeJay said cook at lunchtime or whenever you have the most energy and enthusiasm for it (though we have been lucky and have hardly used the meals I made yet as people have been bringing stuff to us!)
- rest when you can
- if you're like me, make sure your house is clean beforehand (mess drives me nuts....) but DON'T overdo it or you'll be achey and tired
- stock up on toilet paper!! :D I have been going through heaps!!

Definitely like SeeJay said I would put visitors to work if they offer (or even if they don't :laughing: )

[zenifa]

My tips are to
1. Get as much sleep and rest as you can (which is hard I know esp towards the end of pregnancy, but if you aren't working, try to have a nanna nap, esp in between those bursts of nesting)

2. Get organised - do your tax, have your bills paid, do your Xmas shopping or for any birthdays between now and Xmas, get the house springcleaned and nursery set up and if you can prepare food and freeze it.

3. Accept all offers of help, whether its help with grocery shopping or people bringing you meals, all the help you can get is great (esp in the early days and when you are left on your own with bubs).

4. Try to nap when the baby is sleeping, this way you wont' feel too sleep deprived with all the late night feeds (hard to do though if you already have children)

5. If you are accepting visitors/guests in your home in those early days/weeks, get them busy making their own cups of tea etc and make sure they bring something (eg plate of food/cake), so you don't have to cater for them!! But yes I agree, stock up on loo paper!!

6. Think about making or investing in a sling, as it can be great for bf/settling bubs and means you can get on doing thing and have your hands free.

7. One thing I've done this time is invest in a slow cooker, so I can get my dinner prepared in the morning and it will be cooked and ready to eat by dinnertime (afternoons get pretty busy at our place and its hard to distract DD1 to get meal prep done).

8. With regards to my newborn free days - I made sure I did stuff for me (hair appt, manicure/pedicure, catching up with friends, shopping) and also had some special time with DH (going out to dinner, movies etc) and with DD1, so I didn't have any regrets. I certainly didn't get the nesting bug, so have no regrets about cleaning too much!!

9. My final tip is to try to enjoy each moment, esp as the pregnancy is drawing to a close. I enjoyed the feeling of having my baby moving around inside of me, even if it did keep me up at night sometimes. Also with a newborn, they are only so tiny for such a short time, so I just try to enjoy my new DD, esp her lovely newborn smell, her little smiles after a bf and cooing.......they do grow up so fast!!

[punkbaby]

I missed sleep as well more so as i had the others to run around after.

I missed being so relaxed over dinner, usually all my bubs scream at this time LOL so thats something i will miss again if this bubs is lke that.

I guess thats about it really dont really get any visitors as i dont know anyone and family only visits once a month so i am hoping that it stays that way for the first few months at least LOL

[mel79]

Get hubby to do as much as possible - get him to do night time nappy changes (specially if your bf) cook you meals and do loads of washing. He will relish the sense of ownership and pride this gives him.

[zenifa]

Get hubby to do as much as possible - get him to do night time nappy changes (specially if your bf) cook you meals and do loads of washing. He will relish the sense of ownership and pride this gives him.

I do agree with this. My DH as been wonderful Valentine , doing all the housework, cooking, dishes, laundry and looking after DD1, bathing DD2 and nappy changes. He has enjoyed being home with us in these early weeks and has done well looking after us all (esp me after my c/s). :thumbsup:

[michblb]

Black and White fisherprice play toy squares are a favourite for Charlie, she'll lie happily on the change table staring at them for hours.

Me three - I feel like I haven't slept in a decade. Where oh where out there good sleep?????

[kitty1kat]

know how everything you have bought works! EG:

we couldn't work out how to get the straps working on the carseat and spent a very frustrating half an hour in the carpark at the hospital before working it out!
We also hadn't tested our baby monitor and discovered that it didn't work just as we put him into his cot for the first time, not good for nervous new parents!
I learnt how to use the sterlizing equipment the day before he was born which was helpful in those first blurry days.I echo the comments on cooking and doing all your personal admin - it's good knowing I can just concentrate on our little boy and not worry about chores at the moment.

Be prepared for the baby blues and perhaps chat to your DH about how you might deal with it. I thought I knew all about it, but must say I was not prepared for how hard it would hit me - not just one day, but about seven days of endless sobbing (especially at the end of each day) and feeling overwhelmed. DH was amazing, don't know what i would have done without him. Luckily it has all passed now and I am into the enjoyment phase but I wish I had thought more abut how bad it might be.

Do lots of reading about b/f, if you are planning to b/f. I thought I knew the basics and had even been to a class, but I didn't know much about what might happen in the first few days, what eurates mean (do NOT believe the midwives who tell you that they mean your baby is dehydrated and needs formula, I fell for that in a blur of tiredness and have since been told it's rubbish), the basics of expressing, nipple shields, who to call if you need help etc. I have found the whole feeding thing the hardest and most stressful part of these first few weeks but now that it is starting to come together things are really starting to fall into place.

Hope this helps!

[TKK]

Great thread ladies! Thanks for the tips - keep 'em coming!

[confusd]

kitty1kat

we couldn't work out how to get the straps working on the carseat and spent a very frustrating half an hour in the carpark at the hospital before working it out!


i had tha problem aswell....should have practised strapping in a teddy or something..

i have learnt that if i dont keep our dogs happy they start barking as soon as i try and put her to sleep in her cot!!!

what i miss is having a meal out without
1. bubba interupting
2. people staring at me (apparently 21 is still to young for a baby to some people)

and im still not used to the whole getting my boobies out in public to feed i get embarressed :ocause people give you dirty looks if there is no mothers room around!!!

[westerner]

2. people staring at me (apparently 21 is still to young for a baby to some people)



oh hun.. :hugs:
You get used to it.. don't let it get to you..
I'm 22 (only just since November) and i have 2 kids.. You get used to it you barely even notice it..

Im sure your a fantastic mum.. :hugs:

[Vespera]

I miss being able to leave the house! I had a c/s so cant drive for 6 weeks so if I want to go somewhere its me, DH and bub. I cant wait til I can leave DH with the baby and just run to the shops or to the deli etc

Also fill your freezer! I didnt as my DH cooks a lot of the time but strangly enough he doesnt feel much like cooking either so now we are playing catch up.