Five (More) Things I Wish I Had Known Before I Gave Birth
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again—post-partum life and infant care seems to be a well-guarded secret, for some reason. A few months ago, I wrote about Ten Things I Wish I Had Known Before I Gave Birth. Here’s another five:
Not all nipples are created equal. I don’t mean the natural ones, because we know that and it can cause breastfeeding difficulties. I mean the store-bought ones for a bottle aren’t all the same. Nipples have different levels. The lower the level, the slower the flow of the milk or formula. A younger baby needs a slower flow. This sounds simple enough, but some brands still end up going faster than others. If your baby has difficulty taking a bottle, or is spitting up a lot, talk to your pediatrician or lactation consultant if a slower-flow nipple could help. (B.G. used Dr. Brown’s Transition Nipple almost exclusively. Though it’s meant for a preemie, it worked for her and there was no reason really to “upgrade”.)
Sleep regressions are real. Babies are notoriously bad sleepers. Seriously, whomever coined the phrase, “slept like a baby,” probably never met a baby. Though B.G. is usually a good sleeper, there’s been times when she just doesn’t sleep. At six weeks old, she was up throughout the night. We learned this could be because my melatonin was leaving her body. Other times, she’s had difficulty when she is teething, if she hasn’t had enough to eat or to do during the day, if she doesn’t feel well, or just because…I don’t know. Maybe just because the moon is in the exact wrong phase? Luckily (at least for her), the phase usually passes after a few days.
Singing is an instant mood-changer. Especially when B.G. was tiny, I made up songs to go with everything. A playtime song about a ducky and a dinosaur. I sang it so many times also when changing her diaper! I sang songs when brushing her teeth and getting washed up or just when she was hungry and we were away from a food source.
Stepping outside can also help! The new sense impressions, the breeze, the temperature changes, all of this seems to distract baby and their mood improves. B.G. sometimes points to the door when she’s grumpy!
With the exception of a few things, there’s no “right” way to raise a baby: Obviously, take care of your baby. Change her diaper when she’s wet and feed her when she’s hungry. But for about 99% of things, you’re going to find that everyone has an opinion of the right way to do something—the best diapers, food that you have to give a baby/can’t give a baby, the best way/place for baby to nap…the list goes on. Trust your instincts. If you’re unsure of something, sure, Google can help but take it with a grain of sand. Talk to people you trust—your mom, a friend who recently has had a baby, and of course, your doctor.
I know this is another voice on the Web, but maybe it reaches someone that needs to hear it.
What is something you wish you had known before you had a baby? Share it! And check back on Monday, February 2nd, to read about making your breadcrumbs.
Thanks for reading!
💜
Laura
