What is your best advice for a first-time mom?

I am newly pregnant with my first child. I was wondering about some interesting advice anyone might have that would make me a little less nervous. I feel like there is so much to learn!What is your best advice for a first-time mom?
If you breastfeed don't eat anything spicy, or your baby will have a very bad tummy ache. Also if you BF your baby's poo won't smell...but it will be bright yellow and stain everything!





Enjoy everything! I look back now and wish I could do it over again. It seems like your always tired and you can just be in a ';fog'; trying to get everything done.





Take lots of photos...you can never have enough.





Keep a journal and write down things that they do (keep up on your baby book) because when they are 11 and some form asks when they first walked, talked and rolled over...it's sometimes hard to remember.





When they start to talk, they say the funnest things...write them down. Because as I said above in 11 years you want to remember that Jr. used to call Grilled Cheese Sandwitches ';Boy-cheese Samitches'; , and it will bug you for days, until you finnaly remember.





It won't hurt your baby to eat a little dirt and dog hair...really.





The first time you go out pack your diaper bag, stop and put in three extra diapers and an extra pack of wet wipes. Wet wipes are now your best friend.





When they start talking, be pepared to turn around and look when someone calls ';Mom';, even when you darn well know that your baby is safe at home.





Have fun and get down on the floor and play...read that book ';one more time'; and always tell them that you love them...even when you've sent them to bed early for ';putting racing strips'; with a sharp rock on your brand new car, because in 11 years you will be able to laugh about it.What is your best advice for a first-time mom?
Just enjoy your pregnancy now. When the baby gets here, enlist in some help. You will need about a week to fully get back on your feet good if you have a vaginal delivery...longer for a ceserian. While everyone will want to help with the baby, remind them that you need other things done...like laundry, dishes, making bottles or whatever you need.
Savor every moment of this pregnancy. Get plenty of sleep, eat well, and take the time to put your feet up, enjoy a cup of tea, and read ';You Are Your Child's First Teacher';. You will still have some time after the baby comes, because they do tend to sleep a lot the first few weeks. If you can, plan on sitting around, nursing for several weeks. I know many new moms think that they will be able to jump right back into old routines/work and are surprised at how much actual time is spent feeding, changing diapers and cuddling. This is a really exciting, special time for you and I hope you are able to enjoy every minute of it! By the third or fourth one, it is easy to be running after the other kids and suddenly think OHMYGOSH I'm Pregnant! I shouldn't be running/sliding/etc. and it is difficult to savor it. The other thing I found amazing was that no amount of reading or talking with my friends prepared me for the intensity of love I felt for this little person. When I was pregnant with number two, I was sooo worried that I would never be able to love anyone as much as #1, but that turned out to be a foolish worry. Enjoy!
Do the best you can. When you can afford to , get a babysitter, even if you stay at home and nap while the sitter is there. You will be a better mom/parent if you are rested and patient. Remember we all make mistakes and try to be the best you can be every day.
(Sorry a bit long, but worth it, I promise!) Right now it seems like this enormous mountain. What do I still need to buy for the baby, breastfeed or bottle feed, is the crib safe, will I be a good mom, will the birth go ok, blah, blah, blah. You're confronted with this huge amount of information from vaccines for your baby to making sure your car seat doesn't have lead in it. I promise you, when you are looking into the eyes of the most perfect human being you have ever seen, all that stuff disappears! This little person doesn't care what fabric the sheets are made of. He doesn't care what bath soap you use. All he wants is your love and care.





I was obsessed with the facts. This soap is better for his skin, this brand of diapers is better, etc. he's two now. And what I realize now, looking back, is that as well intentioned as all that was, most of it is a waste of time! I should have been spending the brain power on playing with him and learning about him! Now he's two and he's growing so fast! I would love to go back and cherish every moment I had with him as a baby! Just relax! Your momy instincts will kick in. Cherish every moment. It goes by in a heartbeat! Congrats!!!
Read the books, but take it with a grain of salt. Common sense will solve most issues and call your doc if you still have questions. They have heard it all so don't be embarassed to ask.





Good Luck!





other advice - don't buy all the stuff on the ';what you need'; page brand new. You wind up spending a fortune and then the kid doesnt use half of it.
My advice is to get your baby on a schedule as soon as possible.





I have a friend who rocked their baby to sleep every night, then started letting the baby sleep with them. The child is 6 years old and still sleeping with them.





I would rock my daughter before bedtime, but I never rocked her fully to sleep. I would lay her down when she would have trouble keeping her eyes open. She also never slept with my husband and I. Which is great now. She's 5 and we've never had a problem with getting her to bed.





Also, when the baby is napping, there is no reason to tiptoe around the house. Babies are use to noise. They slept in your belly! Just do what you would normally do while the baby is napping. Unless you are napping yourself, which I recommend. I can vacuum while my daughter is sleeping and you never hear a peep out of her!





Do what feels best for you and your child!





Congrats!
Be patient with yourself and baby.Enjoy and go with the flow. Trust your gut above everyone else including doctors. Throw the guidlines and growth charts out the windows.


Have fun, give lots of love and dont worry about having a quiet home, babies sleep through anything . You will figure it all out and oh .. name baby what you like and forget what others think. Mothers know best !
don't worry too much! its seems to come naturally (as long as the person is sane) i was really nervous too.....but you can handle it! but if you worry a lot and get too stressed out you can get yourself down and worry ';what if i'm not a good mother'; ect. as long as you know not to hurt the child (as crazy as it sounds, we all know there are some crazy women out there) then you'll do fine. just make sure you have all the necessary equipment to care for a baby.
My sincere BEST advise ....





Dint give in to the formula companies money-making-bs. Breastfeed!!!
Be patient! Try to nap when the baby naps so you are not tired all the time. Buy lots of Shout for stains. Always smile and show your baby lots of love.
Do NOT overdress your infant.... I HATE seeing infants all wrapped up in 10 pounds of blankets.... if YOU are warm, THEY probably are too... I remember coming home with MY infant in July and one of the women going home at the exact same time had her baby all wrapped up tighter then a drum to go take her baby home...the NURSES on the floor grabbed the baby and took off 4 BLANKETS and re-wrapped him only in his receiving blanket... it was 93 degrees outside by the way.... ALSO, you can NEVER spoil an infant. if it crys and crys---don't leave it there---OBVIOUSLY there is something wrong with it....TRY to find out....and if you can't find out, THEN call a doctor UNLESS there is an obvious reason like TEMPERATURE over 101 degrees then call a doc right away....... and lastly do NOT give your child some CUTSIE LITTLE NAME.... No woman in her 80's wants to be called MOON UNIT.... just remember the child has to live with the name FOREVER....
Relax, because after the baby gets here you won't have the time.