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My family live 80 miles away so they won't be there for my when I have my baby, and none of my friends have babies. So when I have my baby, I'll be on my own. I have no idea how much to feed a baby, how to wrap a baby, put a nappy on, how much cream to use, what way to lie the baby down to sleep, how to bath a baby. Nothing! I just don't know if I'll be able to care for my baby properly! Does the midwife teach you all this? My hospital only allows a one night stay. How am I to learn all this in one day?? ↓
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| Name: bmes | Date: Feb 23rd, 2007 5:21 PM |
most of it just becomes instinct. everyone has been a first time mom at one point. changing diapers and bathing is usually shown in the hospital. SIDS foundation recommends having your baby sleep in its back. there are oodles of websites you can go and read. www.sids.org is an important one to read over. for breastfeeding go to www.www.lalecheleague.org
Being with your baby 24/7 you'll learn the different cries for what she'll want. it all sounds very overwhelming, but really, it will just come naturally. all women have some kind of motherly instinct...you know when to feed baby, and if baby is not hungry they'll let you know. i wouldn't worry so much. you'll do just fine.
Also, you could go to a book store. There's tons of books on parenting and babies and things!! :-) ↑ |
| Name: missmara | Date: Feb 23rd, 2007 6:13 PM |
You can check with your hospital to see if they offer a basic care class. These classes show you how to bathe the baby, swaddle, diaper, feed the baby etc.
I recommend the book Caring For Your Baby and Young Child by the American Academy of Pediatrics. It covers newborns to age 5, and has detailed drawings and step by step instructions for absolutely everything. It also discusses the milestones that babies should accomplish at different ages.
Another resource is your pediatrician. You will be there a lot in the beginning! Once you and the baby are discharged from the hospital, you will see the pediatrician a couple days later to make sure the baby doesn't continue to lose weight. Then it's typical to take the baby at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months and 12 months, plus at my doctor, you can bring the baby for free any time for a weight and length check.
Sorry so long - but it is important to have some information. A lot of it is instinct, but certain things, like the first real bath, can be real awkward if you don't have tips. Good luck!! ↑ |
| Name: sally24 | Date: Feb 23rd, 2007 6:46 PM |
| How far along are you ? do you have time to look into taking a new baby or parent class most hospitals offer them. I have a degree in early childhood education and have spent many years working with children birth to three years , I am allready a bit terrified of knowing my son's needs when he pops out but allready having so much exprience working with babies is defiantly comforting. If you have plenty of months left you could look into voluntering part-time at a local daycare or if you attend church , look into helping out at the church nursery, this may put you at ease a bit. ↑ |
| Name: bmes | Date: Feb 23rd, 2007 7:13 PM |
| yeah, i think she's due in September or something.....find a prenatal class...those are always good too!! :-) but you usually don't do that until about a month before your due date. ↑ |
| Name: Marti | Date: Feb 23rd, 2007 8:02 PM |
| I take my childbirth prep and parenting classes this weekend. I'm mostly freaked out about the labor video. Ha ha ha ha :) ↑ |
| Name: babey_g_311 | Date: Feb 23rd, 2007 10:12 PM |
| trust me you will be just fine, im a new mom I just had my baby 3 weeks ago.....I have no brothers or sisters so I have never taken care of a baby before (never even babysat) and when a I changed my babies diaper it was the first one I had ever changed,lol.....I felt the same way as you do but everything came naturally, plus whenever I have a question I look it up online and it looks like you have access to a computer, the computer will tell you everything just google it! lol....but theres also mothers intuition too cuz whenever my baby cries I seem to know just what she wants as her dad looks at me dumbfounded since hes been struggling with her for hours,lol, its somewhat funny....but don't worry just enjoy being pregnant and go with the flow ↑ |
| Name: briseis | Date: Feb 24th, 2007 1:17 PM |
| Hi. I will look into parenting classes. I'm just waiting till after my 13 week scan before taking steps like that. I'm 12 weeks now. Thank you for all your advice! ↑ |
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