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For you first time moms, here is my perspective on it....the baby will cry....like, all the time. They'll cry because they're hungry or need their diaper changed, but more than that, they'll cry whenever you change their clothes or change their diaper (which you'll be doing constantly) or heaven help you, when you give them a bath. They'll cry when you cut their nails. They'll cry when you set them down in their bassinette so you can just go to the bathroom (do NOT try holding a baby while you go to the bathroom - too hard to get your pants up and down - trust me, I tried it.) Oh, and sometimes, they'll cry for no reason at all. I found all of that crying to be EXTREMELY stressful, in a large part because I'd spent a lot of time reading about attachment parenting and how bad it is to just let a baby cry. And I still don't think you should just leave the room and let a tiny baby cry itself out or anything like that. BUT the part that no one really explained to me and I was too hormonal to get is that having a baby cry while you are actively taking care of it (like changing it's diaper) is NOT the same thing as just letting them cry it out. You are actively there, taking care of it's needs, and will soon be done and be able to pick it up and comfort it. Diaper changes are necessary, even if baby hates them (and s/he will - they HATE diaper changes), so there is no reason to feel bad as they wail and scream their way through it. Ditto changing their clothes, giving them a bath, clipping their nails, and yes, even putting them down in a safe place for 1 minute so you can go to the bathroom and have two hands to deal with yourself. The baby will be FINE. Don't let that stress you out.
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Alissa, did you raise my first kid, lol? There's a lot of crying, but then, eventually, the little guy/girl starts smiling and laughing ... and pretty soon, you barely remember life before the kiddo! I had a really rough time with my first, PPD and everything, but I'd do it all again a million times for him.
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Lurking*
I used to watch that show alot.
It's weird, you just seem to know what to do. Just like when you meet a new person, you get to know their likes and dislikes. Its the same with a baby, you get to know them better and better with time and you begin to be a pro with your baby's needs. I was still scared to take DS2 out by myself for some reason. But of course now, I don't think twice!
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I was sent home with a 4lb baby and was TERRIFIED!!! I can tell you that I personally did not bathe my baby for like the first month of her life because I was too scared. My MIL would do it for me!! So it's normal!! :bighug: I'm still freaking out and I already have experience! LOL!
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Haha about not bathing the baby for a month! I made my MIL cut T's nails whenever I could. Like everytime I was at her house I would just so happen to notice that he needed his nails cut and ask her if she would mind. I'm sure she neeeever caught on that I was just scared to death to do it myself.....:rolleyes:
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I wasn't scared to hold my dd when she was born-I figured there was no way I was going to hold her that was as rough as the whole being pushed and twisted through the birth canal thing, so if she could survive being born, she would survive me holding her, lol! I hated cutting her nails though. Her fingers were so little it was almost impossible to see if you were just getting the nail and one time I did clip her finger and drew blood-I think I cried more than her. My babysitter used to cut them when she got older just because I would put it off for so long that she would just go ahead and do it.
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For cutting nails, I HIGHLY recommend nail scissors. I have these: Amazon.com: Safety 1st Deluxe Baby Scissors: Baby
SO much easier - they may not cut as closely because they're not as sharp but that's all I use even now on the kids. Too many bloody fingers. :(
