The Parenting Journal

Did someone forget to give me my copy of The Parenting Journal? You know, the Journal that shares with you all the "tricks to the trade" that have been discovered over many centuries by parents alike. The one that includes a collection of helpful tips to assist us less-parenting-inclined in the so called parenting department.

This is how it goes. Rather than all of us new parents taking our time suffering through endless bouts of trial and error, this helpful Journal was written to lend some support. It's a quick read. Something you can consume in your first night home from the hospital. Then you spend the next several weeks with your newborn enjoying your wonderful life together.

This instead of running around ragged feeling like a failure because nothing you do is working. And no, it's not another one of those crazy baby books. This one is just the facts and the tips that really work - a top ten of sorts. Huh. My copy must still be on the 8th floor of CMC Main.

Well, since I guess I rushed out of the hospital too quickly, I'll share my own trial and error tricks of the trade that I will say, are so totally logically. It's why I still find myself asking... Where is my copy of the Parenting Journal ?? Take these for what they are worth (it's just what we've experienced). And keep in mind, I do realize one size doesn't fit all, but there has to be something to these that all of us can use.

1) Get yourself a rocker or a glider for the nursery. It's a must, really. You can pretty much guarantee a nap or two a day as a result of rocking your baby to sleep. Don't worry about creating a bad habit. It's about getting your baby to sleep and if rocking and movement helps, you'll want to do it.

2) Put Desitin on your baby's caboose each and every time you change a diaper. You'll get one diaper rash and wish you had used this tip.

3) Babies drink more and drink more faster from a bottle than a boob. If you want your baby to sleep longer between feedings, get them on a bottle (hint for nighttime rest that took me 9 weeks to discover).

4) Don't put your baby into the stroller and go for a walk immediately following a feeding. If you do, you're guaranteed a spit-up shower all over your baby and the stroller. It must be like the 'swimming right after you eat' rule. Actually, I read it has to do with putting pressure on their stomach when they sit in that position.

5) Newborns are on a 3 hour loop. They eat, play/awake, sleep, repeat - every 3 hours for at least the first 2 months. Often longer. It's like clockwork so watch the clock and you'll have a happy baby.

6) You'll be asked the second you get your baby home from the hospital..."is she/he sleeping through the night?" Just take this question in stride because 99.9% of the time you will say, "no." Don't worry, there is nothing wrong with you or your baby. Newborns don't sleep through the night. They aren't supposed to. Explanation - in order for a baby to grow, they must eat. And since a newborn's stomach is the size of a marble, they can't take in much food per feeding. Thus, they are up quite a bit at night. And no....they aren't sleeping through the night until their stomachs grow larger, thus holding more, and then ultimately - able to sleep longer. Don't worry, you're not a bad parent for not getting your child to sleep through the night the second you get home. We've got science involved here. You can't beat science.

7) When traveling, if you reserve a crib at a hotel, 99.9% of the time it'll be a pack-n-play. Just wanted to let you know because you'll need a pack-n-play sheet, not a crib sheet.

8) For immunization prep, consider giving your baby Tylenol immediately before or after the shots. Helps dull the pain and gets them to sleep faster post shots. Read the directions and ask your pediatrician.

9) Every new parent needs infant gas drops. Serious life saver. Keep one bottle at home and one if your diaper bag.

10) All babies cry, and sometimes you can't do anything to help but love them. You run through the list - hot, cold, wet diaper, hungry, tired, over stimulated, etc...and maybe it's none of these. Sometimes they just cry. It's ok.

11) Learn how to cut your babies finger nails early on. If not, you'll come into your baby's room, peer into the crib and discover the claw job they've done to themselves overnight. I'm still filing Eloise's finger nails. I need to learn how to cut those darn things.

12) Get a mobile for your baby's crib. At some point, this will buy you an additional 30-45 minutes of sleep (or housework if it's during the day). Your baby will be fascinated with it and just stare and stare and stare.

13) Get a Sleepy Wrap. You already know how I feel about this. 14) The shooshing noise does wonders to soothe a baby. We use it quite a bit. You breath in then let out a long, slow shoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooosh. Breath in.....repeat. As I continue to stumble through this game called parenting, I'll update you on my "very logical - why didn't I think of that weeks ago" tricks to the trade. Until then, here's the Monkey. 2 Links in one hand. She did this on her own, I swear.



More time in the Bumbo.

 

And a very special sneak peak into our 3-month photoshoot with Jen Hunt. Check out the Monkey in her new monkey hat! Photoshoot is set for 9/17.