If you could g back and give yourself, as a new parent, any advice...

[Fuschia]

What would it be?

[hanstands]

I would have told myself not to worry about b'feeding them to sleep....ever! and relax and enjoy...the time with them is short.

[ryedalema]

Mine would be:

- not to buy so many clothes in the small sizes - as they grow out of them in seconds!

- not to bother buying a cot, neither of ours spent any time in it

- not to sweat potty training, when they are ready it won't take long to master

- and not to buy a video baby monitor - the house just aint that big that we can't hear what's going on

:) other than that pretty happy with how it's turned out xx

[Pickle]

When you've got just one small baby don't be in a hurry to get out of bed in the mornings. Once you have more than one you don't get that luxury!

[Pickle]

... and don't iron muslins, life's too short :-$

[simonethebeaver]

Ignore the HV about percentiles. Talk to a lactation consultant immediately.

[nylonmeals]

Everything is just a phase

[snowboarder]

I'd try and tell myself to chill out, to relax and try to enjoy the early months. To not worry about cuddling him to sleep and to feed whenever and to watch tv together on the sofa. And to go out and about more - go on adventures rather than get cabin fever pounding lordship lane. I thought these things would get easier but getting out with 2 who need to eat and nap at certain times is much harder!

Then at around 6/7m I'd tell myself to try and sort out his sleep as that would have improved my life immensely :-)

[anyjoy]

Don't bother trying to clean a newborn bottom with cotton wool and water...the wipes that say they are kind to little bottoms really are!

Don't worry about snuggling up with your baby on your chest as it's so lovely and they grow so fast.

Don't freak out if they won't take a bottle, enjoy the breastfeeding as they will one day take a bottle/cup or beaker and you will miss the feeding then. After 9 months of battling our little one decided it would be okay to take a bottle after all.

Let your partner have some things they are better at than you with the baby and witness some firsts for themselves. They need their precious memories too.

[ryedalema]

Don't let anyone make you feel bad/useless/unworthy if you do something differently from how they did it.

As long as your child is warm, fed, pain free and safe - most other things are open to interpretation. xx

[Otta]

Leave in the dead of night, and don't look back!

[Ruth_Baldock]

Otta; snigger.

Ask the forum before buying a pram. Seriously. East Dulwich/Snowboarder knows best.

[Saila]

big vote for g.i.n.a.f.o.r.d and knowing when to draw the line with breastfeeding attempts

plus ignore pressure from other mums in whatever department (bf, sleep, weaning)

happy mum = happy baby

oh - and ask for an epidural at the very beginning - you may not 'want' it but if you change your mind halfway through it'll be much tougher to get it later on....

from the school of 'mum-made-easy'

*hides*

[Fuschia]

To me: babies do need naps even if they don't show signs easily

Don't bother trying to spoon feed

When letting the baby self feed, go for variety, not lack of mess potential

Don't book up lots of classes

Make at least one good solid 'mummy friend'

Wine is fine

If it all gets too much, have a bath

Realise everyone else is as clueless as you even if they have very organised nappy bags

Never lock the baby in the car

Or the house

[The Nappy Lady]

Relax and enjoy every moment when they are tiny, it goes so fast & I think with our first most of us don't realise how easy they are when newborn & also we worry far too much.

Book Brierley Midwives for my first home birth (didn't find out about them til later), still got my home birth but not the same amazing continuity of care I enjoyed with them when having my second.

[Smiler]

Ignore a few close friends without children who tell you how important it is to "have time for you" (meaning late nights out with them), not "focus too much on the baby and lose yourself" (meaning don't change in ways they don't like) or that "everyone gets tired, don't be so boring" (when leaving early 18 months int sleep-deprivation).

:(

[sillywoman]

Ask the really nice community midwife at your GP practice if she'll attend your labour.

Ignore everything your Mum says - she hasn't got a clue and will turn out to be completely hopeless.

Your baby is really good (if only I'd realised that at the time) - enjoy her and stop being so anxious. She'll survive & thrive.

Don't wish it away.

Trust your instincts - they are sounder than you think.

[jollybaby]

Smiler - your post is so true! Recently went on a hen do. On the first night I lasted til 4.30am. On the second night one of the other mums and I had had enough by 2am and got thoroughly told off by some of our child free friends. Given a late night for me is now 10pm I thought I had done quite well!

[KateW]

This too will pass...

[MrsAk]

never say "I will never..."

[Sanne Panne]

Pickle Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> ... and don't iron muslins, life's too short :-$

Yes it is! But then we're a household in which only work shirts get ironed (and not by me).

Lol! Thanks for coming out ;)

[MGolden]

A lot of what your Mum and MIL say will be spot on, a lot won't.

Smile at all the unsolicited advice and then go with your instincts.

The sleep you didn't get last night will never be 'caught up on' so start each day anew. Sleep when your baby sleeps.

[Sanne Panne]

Try to suppress your inner control freak and allow your partner to do things his way.

[KateW]

Hahaha Sanne Panne, I'm still trying to get to grips with that one!

[emza78]

Never plan a day's activities in advance, it will only go wrong and that's REALLY irritating! Much better to just go with the flow!