Things I Wish I Knew Before Being Pregnant/Having a Baby

I was talking with a dear girlfriend this evening, who is expecting her first baby.  Our conversation got me thinking. There is no way in the world anyone can prepare you to be a parent, but there are some things I learned that will be useful should we be blessed with another baby; things I wish I would have known with my first!

I wish I would have known (in no particular order):

1.  However my baby arrives in the world it will be OK, whether completely natural birth or c-section.
2. Plans for pregnancy and parenting do not always go as planned!
3. There is no need to be in a rush to get out and about right away. Soaking in the time with my newborn and husband is perfectly OK.
4. Stay in your pj's for a few weeks, or better yet, spend the first month of baby's life with lots of skin to skin contact.
5. Start wearing baby in a ring sling, wrap or baby carrier from the beginning.  This promotes breast feeding, comforts baby and mom, and releases feel good hormones in mom and baby.
6. Take breast pump to the hospital.  Start pumping right away to get milk to come in, especially if baby is born via c-section.
7. Hospital personnel and pediatricians don't always know best.  Follow your instincts and find a pediatrician that is in line with the way you parent.
8. You will be more tired than you ever thought possible, but you learn to function.
9. Don't worry about what time it is, or how many times you wake up.  Remind yourself it won't last forever.
10. Your marriage WILL change and there will be challenges, but it makes you stronger as an individual and a couple.  Keep working on communication.
11. Your house will not be clean, even if you are a stay at home mom.
12. You will not have time to cook dinner, even if you are a stay at home mom.
13. Let people bring you dinner for the first few weeks.
14. By around two months, you will feel like you know your baby and start learning his/her signals.
15. Pacifiers were made to replace the breast.  Your baby will want to be on your breast all the time in the beginning.  This is OK.  It promotes your milk coming in.
16. Breast feeding can be very difficult in the beginning (I was told this before having a baby, but didn't realize how difficult it would be for us). A lactation consultant is super helpful!
17. Don't try to feed baby according to a schedule.  Feed baby whenever baby is hungry. Baby may be hungry sooner than every three hours, or may just be thirsty.
18. Sometimes babies "cluster feed" or want to eat every hour when going through a growth spurt.
19. Growth spurts happen approximately at 10 days, 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 9 months.
20. When you think you've gotten into a routine, everything will change.
21. Breastfeeding is amazingly rewarding and comforting for mom.
22. The "Breast Friend" Pillow is more comfortable for nursing than the "Boppy" pillow, but you will find other uses for the Boppy.
23. It will feel weird when you walk in the door of your home with your baby.
24. Don't give your baby a pacifier until breastfeeding is established.
25. Don't give your baby a bottle until breastfeeding is established (if you can help it).
26. Don't freak out about baby's weight loss in the beginning.
27. More about cloth diapers
28. What you or your baby wears home from the hospital doesn't matter.
29. About Dr. Sears and Attachment Parenting
30. More about vaccines and alternate schedules
31. Don't change baby's diaper at night unless he poos.
32. After 3 weeks (or so) don't wake baby to eat at night, as long as baby is gaining weight and thriving.
33. Have protein bars or something healthy, but quick to eat.  It will be hard to find a chance to eat the first few weeks.
34. It gets easier and is SOOO worth it.
35. Do what works for you and your family.
36. Don't try to make baby conform, get to know baby.
37. More about using natural products without parabens, pthalates, dimethicone..
38. Reading parenting books along with pregnancy books
39. Your husband will probably not open a pregnancy book - send him to "daddy bootcamp."
40. Being a mommy has made me more fulfilled than I could have imagined.  It has filled a hole that I didn't even know was missing!