• Replies 1 reply
  • Subscribers 80 subscribers
  • Views 605 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

New parents to be

Bethanie96

Hi, I haven’t posted in months but am looking for advice.

In October my partner and I found out we are due to be parents this coming August. We are beyond excited, we have both wanted this for a very long time and after having trouble with intercourse for reasons from both of us I have previously discussed, we didn’t expect it to happen so quickly! 

not long to go now, another 3 months and I’m a little concerned about life once she is here. My partner keeps being woken up by the dog coming in and out of the bed for cuddles in the night  which then causes him to sleep extra in the day. I’m very concerned about how he’ll handle sleep when our baby arrives and he seems to be in denial that it will be the same. He keeps saying babies are more of a pressing matter waking up for a feed which is true but I’m concerned he won’t handle it well and he will eventually have to get back into work after not working for four years. How do you guys handle being parents, especially in the beginning as it’s so new? 

Parents

  • Congratulations!

    I can only speak from my perspective and experience but we found that keeping everything calm, controlled and tightly structured paid off big time.    We made sure that we always made lots of noise around the baby so she would be used to sleeping in 'normal' environments - none of the "Shhhhh - the baby's sleeping" rubbish.   We could hoover around her when she was snoozing in her car/carry seat.  Smiley

    We always made sure she was comfortable and clean - and she liked tea-towels as light blankets - they are just the right size for her to grip. (grandmothers really hated that).   

    I did the night feeds because I slept lighter, wife did the days.     A controlled schedule makes it easy for you - random demand is a rod for your own back.We had a CD player in her room to play music to her quietly to be company for her to go to sleep with - proper stuff - music appreciation - Kasabian, Killers etc. - she would be over-exposed to nursery rhymes at play school so we didn't bother with them.       She loved the Christmas Albums.       I would have music on in the dark for the night feeds so she grew up with advanced music tastes - we took her to her fist gig at 7 years old.

    We always made sure there were lots of books, comics and toys in her immediate area so there was always something to engage with.     When her and all the junk was too much for the cot, we built up a bed (a top bunk bed with a safety rail all around) and placed it next to her cot and put a load of toys in it.    Night one it was a novelty - day two the drop side of the cot was down so she could commute,   Day 3 she preferred the big bed - day 5, cot gone, absolutely no complaints.   She was so happy in her bed that we had to call her to invite her into bed with us and she would bring a comic for me to read to her.

    Out of all the toys, she had a favourite Bunny that went everywhere with her - we bought extras in case Bunny got lost of damaged.

    Bathtiime was always fun - lots of water pistols and bubblebath.

    We would feed her and then we could go out to dinner with her - she would enjoy being with us in the restaurant snoozing in her car/carry seat under the table - if she woke up, quick cuddles and then she'd fade out again.     

    Our cats were funny - a bit shocked at this new addition but they liked to be with her and watch her.   Dogs are normally very good if you set the boundaries from day one - make the dog give you and the baby space (look at Caesar's tips for creating a space around you.   The dog will be happy if he knows the rules.

    We didn't bother with the newborn/smallest clothes sizes - they grow so fast that they literally last a couple of weeks - and if you have a good sized baby, they might be too big for the small clothes on day 1 - we started with 6-month size.

    Our daughter is 21 now - just finishing uni.  Smiley

    Hope you enjoy the whole thing - kids are great fun!

Reply

  • Congratulations!

    I can only speak from my perspective and experience but we found that keeping everything calm, controlled and tightly structured paid off big time.    We made sure that we always made lots of noise around the baby so she would be used to sleeping in 'normal' environments - none of the "Shhhhh - the baby's sleeping" rubbish.   We could hoover around her when she was snoozing in her car/carry seat.  Smiley

    We always made sure she was comfortable and clean - and she liked tea-towels as light blankets - they are just the right size for her to grip. (grandmothers really hated that).   

    I did the night feeds because I slept lighter, wife did the days.     A controlled schedule makes it easy for you - random demand is a rod for your own back.We had a CD player in her room to play music to her quietly to be company for her to go to sleep with - proper stuff - music appreciation - Kasabian, Killers etc. - she would be over-exposed to nursery rhymes at play school so we didn't bother with them.       She loved the Christmas Albums.       I would have music on in the dark for the night feeds so she grew up with advanced music tastes - we took her to her fist gig at 7 years old.

    We always made sure there were lots of books, comics and toys in her immediate area so there was always something to engage with.     When her and all the junk was too much for the cot, we built up a bed (a top bunk bed with a safety rail all around) and placed it next to her cot and put a load of toys in it.    Night one it was a novelty - day two the drop side of the cot was down so she could commute,   Day 3 she preferred the big bed - day 5, cot gone, absolutely no complaints.   She was so happy in her bed that we had to call her to invite her into bed with us and she would bring a comic for me to read to her.

    Out of all the toys, she had a favourite Bunny that went everywhere with her - we bought extras in case Bunny got lost of damaged.

    Bathtiime was always fun - lots of water pistols and bubblebath.

    We would feed her and then we could go out to dinner with her - she would enjoy being with us in the restaurant snoozing in her car/carry seat under the table - if she woke up, quick cuddles and then she'd fade out again.     

    Our cats were funny - a bit shocked at this new addition but they liked to be with her and watch her.   Dogs are normally very good if you set the boundaries from day one - make the dog give you and the baby space (look at Caesar's tips for creating a space around you.   The dog will be happy if he knows the rules.

    We didn't bother with the newborn/smallest clothes sizes - they grow so fast that they literally last a couple of weeks - and if you have a good sized baby, they might be too big for the small clothes on day 1 - we started with 6-month size.

    Our daughter is 21 now - just finishing uni.  Smiley

    Hope you enjoy the whole thing - kids are great fun!

Children
No Data