Determine The Gender Of Your Baby

How is it possible the staff has let me leave the hospital with such a helpless little creature? Such were my thoughts the day I took my baby home. Newborns are so different than the cute, chubby babies I had babysat for long ago - and this baby was totally my responsibility! The realization hit me all at once - I was the parent and was supposed to have all the answers. Yet, giving birth had not flipped some secret “confidence switch” into the ON position. How did my mother do it? How could I even pretend to be as capable as she was? A small panic attack was in order.

If you are like me, the first problem is placing that tiny body into a car seat. We had bought the best baby travel system we could find. The convenience of having an infant seat that fit perfectly in my car or stroller was wonderful. So perfect when purchased, the infant seat seemed huge that first day! I yearned to believe she was as safe in my arms as she was alone in the car seat! Amazingly, a little bit of logic by my husband finally and some laws reminded me she needed to be in the car seat. Newborns tend to scrunch down into one corner of their car seats no matter how you initially place them in the seat. Until baby is more able to sit unassisted, she will be sliding to one corrner of your car seat. You can purchase additional padded support for your baby for use with the first weeks of “amoeba life”.

I so wanted to be with my new baby but also needed to rest as well. Plus, she seemed constantly hungry. Finding a place at home for nursing, a process that both of us were still learning, was challenging. Trying different nursing positions is key. Some people use ring slings, fabric carriers that allow you to carry the baby around with you. If adjusted correctly, it can be a great way to position the baby for nursing. I preferred to use my ring sling as a convenient hands-free carrier. Both baby and I found we preferred the rocking chair for nursing.

My baby needed changing every time she ate and often times in between her meals. Newborns have an output capacity that shames the most efficient factory. I had chosen to use Fuzzi Bunz cloth diapers. Thank goodness they were snug fitting. Some interesting diapering issues arise from a a “liquid only” diet.” Some of the biggest diaper challenges occurred on that first day. It is a good idea to have a few outfits ready for changing clothes you didn’t expect to have to change right away! Cloth diapers were good but at first they only worked as well as my attempts to get them fastened. Of course they will not work at all if you do not fasten them quickly enough!

An amazing new chapter of your lives begins with the first day home. Adaptability is the key to the first months. Every phase your child reaches will test you again. Frequently pretending to be as in control and capable of child care as my mother, I found myself calling on all my resources. One day I realized she had probably been pretending as well - that day I realized I was a parent too.

Tags: Pregnancy //