Tips for First Time Moms
November 12, 2012 in All Posts, Giveaways, Parenting, Sponsored Posts
Are you ready? Another freebie for you during this month’s Saying Thanks & Giving You Goodies giveaway project: THREE books from the What to Expect When You’re Expecting series! 
But before we get to that and all the great information this week’s giveaway holds, here’s a list of more obscure - but practical - tips for first time moms that you probably won’t hear from your doctor, but I’ve had the privilege of receiving from a veteran pediatrician (who also happens to be my mom!).
10 Things You Won’t Expect After Your Baby Is Born
- You lose the equivalent of one tooth per baby. Continue taking your calcium after you deliver to stay healthy.
- Not all babies cry when they’re hungry. You’ll have to wake some babies for feedings. (We set an alarm for my daughter because she never cried).
- If your baby has jaundice, think twice about simply waiting for your milk to come in to hydrate your newbie. She’ll still be able to breastfeed even if you give her a bottle for the first day or two. (With supplemental feedings, we were able to get our daughter safely out of the danger zone and she still breastfed just fine).
- Give your baby a bath, then feed him his dinner. If you feed him first, the blood will go to his stomach and he’ll be colder in the bath. (Another reason: avoiding spit up!).
- Turn your baby’s socks inside out and cut out all those little loose threads. It’s the easiest way to accidentally cut off circulation to little toes.
- If your baby is crying like crazy for no apparent reason, take his clothes off and inspect his body. It’s not something you’d automatically expect to do, but you may find an insect bite, a random scratch, or sometimes hair or thread will be wound around a limb - or for boys: some place much much worse.
- Wash your baby with water after every diaper change and you’ll never see diaper rash. Sometimes a run under the faucet is a lot faster than all those messy wipes! (Seriously, we did not need any kind of diaper cream with this tip).
- Babies will instinctively hold their breath if they’re under the water. I’m not saying don’t watch your baby near a swimming pool or in the bath, but if they do happen to go in while you’re watching, they’re safe for a few seconds. (To answer the question I know you’re asking: yes; a few times).
- Toddlers don’t eat much between year 1 and year 2, so don’t be alarmed when your baby who used to eat everything under the sun refuses his favorites.
- Nobody ever died from crying. So finish going to the bathroom or making your coffee before tending to the baby for goodness sakes!
Okay, who’s ready for the giveaway now?
I have a set of all three of the What To Expect series that will take you all the way from pregnancy through your child’s second year! Even if you’re a fly by the seat of your pants kind of gal, you’ll love reading about your baby’s development and what’s going on inside our body every week. I remember it being SO hard not to read ahead! And the second time around, I read it again because it was so fun to have something to look forward to every week. Plus, I downloaded the app for my iPhone and read more information there! Now they have a really great web site with pregnancy information and resources, plus a forum that you can access, with groups for 35+ moms, young moms, moms who have had complication, you name it. If you’re a social media gal, follow What To Expect on Twitter and on Facebook to stay up to date on all the latest in pregnancy, baby, and toddler issues.
Want to win all three books?
Just leave me a comment below with either the most unwanted opinion or unsolicited piece of advice you’ve received while pregnant or the one piece of really useful information that you would share with a first-time mom and that’s it - you’re entered!
Rules: Enter as many comments as you’d like until 11:59 p.m. PST on Monday, November 25th. One comment equals one entry (even if you have multiple tips in one comment). A lucky winner will be chosen on Tuesday, November 26th!
If you can’t bring yourself to enter this fab giveaway for some strange unknown reason, then go ahead, buy the books yourself:
*UPDATE* - Giveaway is closed and congratulations to Tania for winning the set!
Disclaimer: I was given a copy to keep and one to give away of (1) What To Expect When You’re Expecting, (2) What To Expect When You’re Expecting: The First Year, and (3) What To Expect When You’re Expecting: The Second Year from What To Expect.com.
Parents and friends: for more ideas, activities, and inspiration for #RaisingThinkingKids, click on an icon below to join us on Facebook, Pinterest, Google+ and Twitter.
Fellow bloggers: join me at Bloggy Law, where you’ll find Simple Tips for Bulletproofing Your Brand and Blog and I’ll help you navigate the social media legal landscape a little more smoothly.
Chrissy – who has written 426 posts on The Outlaw Mom® Blog - Creative Living in a Conventional World.
[…] doing some pinning on Pinterest, I’ve come across the fabulous blog of Outlaw Mom. The link takes you to a page that has some things you may not expect after having your little […]
The advice that has stuck with me so far is to have some frozen meals in the freezer so you don’t have to bother with cooking when the baby comes. I’ve not had a baby yet so I’m sure there’s soo much more to learn (hence why the books would help 😉 )
The best advice I’ve heard: Remember that each day is a blessing and you’ll never get it back again. Make the most of every moment with your child.
Most useful advice: Don’t forget to hire a professional photographer to capture this special time in your life. Make sure to be in the pictures too!
I am 12 weeks pregnant and wanting a natural birth. I spoke with a friends husband the other day. He said “you’re small like my wife and she will never have another vaginal birth, she’s going for a c-section, you should consider this”. Needless to say I don’t agree but it’s really odd the things people decide to share when they find out you’re pregnant!
New moms - don’t worry about figuring everything out before the baby comes, some things you will just have to learn along the way! Don’t worry about everything being perfect, baby won’t judge!
Most useful advice: if you’re exhausted or have a colicky baby or hit some other rough patch (teething/potty training, for example), know that this stage is fleeting and will pass! Take the tough days one day at a time.