When I had Ali, I was absolutely shocked at how clueless I was in regards to taking care of a newborn. Like seriously – who knew they were so complicated?? It didn’t help that I wasn’t the how-to book type – I just expected to naturally and instinctually know how to care for an infant. I did not. I had a LOT to learn. I knew nothing, and I needed help. Here were some of the most helpful things for me as I tackled new Mommyhood:
1. Having a friend who also had her first new baby a few months ahead of me. Okay, this one may be hard to come by for everyone, but it was a life saver for me. My friend Ashley had AJ three months before I had Ali. We have had lunch nearly every week for the last six years, and I have been able to watch her parenting and take tips, tricks, learning ideas, and forewarnings of what was to come next. Our babies were so close together (and oddly twinlike in appearance) that she hadn’t forgotten the stages I was going through, but she was far enough ahead for me to learn all sorts of useful information. (And it was also nice for Ali to have a best friend.)
2. Watching what my parents did with my kid. It’s easy to get into baby ruts. If a sippy cup works, why would I ever try a regular cup? Every time Ali (and later Noah) would go over to my parent’s house, they’d come back with some new skill. And I’d always find myself saying, “Huh – I would have never thought to teach them that yet!”
3. You cannot let your baby cry it out within earshot. Although letting a baby cry it out for just 5 or 10 minutes can be magical for said baby’s ability to sleep through the night, if listened to, it is maddening. Two minutes feels like two centuries. Earplugs, porch time, loud television, music – whatever it takes, just don’t listen to your baby crying.
4. Video Monitors are priceless for parental sanity. I didn’t have one with Ali, but I have adored it with Noah. Fabulous creations, they are. (And highly entertaining.)
5. Keep a gigantic stock in wet wipes – because once you have a baby, you’ll use them for everything. Wiping butts, wiping noses, wiping hands, wiping faces, wiping off kitchen counters, mopping the floor, removing large chunks of sticky crumbs from car seats, cleaning the mirror…I have no idea how I ever lived without wet wipes. No. Idea.
6. Preventative Butt Care is a good thing. Poor Ali had a sensitive butt. When she was an infant, I thought she was doomed to perma-rash. But once we started creaming her butt every night before bed, she cleared up and stayed that way. Noah’s butt doesn’t break out as often, but when it does, he can’t stand for me to use most brands of cream on his butt – apparently it’s not so pleasant of a sensation.
Which is where our giveaway comes in.
(Like my segue? I thought so.)
Boudreaux’s Butt Paste is the only brand that I’ve found doesn’t sting Noah’s butt, and therefore saves my ears from his unkindly screams.
He actually likes the stuff.
So much so, in fact, that he’s begun requesting it by name.
Kinda.
Except that he clearly and loudly begs for “Butt Face!!!”
Then, to make the point of exactly what he wants, he rubs his butt, and then his face.
So every time he gets a random itch anywhere in the vicinity, he starts yelling out, “Butt Face, Mommy!! Put Butt Face on it!!!”
BlogHer and Boudreaux’s Butt Paste have generously offered to give one of you a $100 Visa Gift Card, just because they like you. They’ve also created this hilarious video, which had Ali giggling hysterically as we watched it:
If you’d like to win $100 with which to do whatever you like, tell me your best new parenting tip.
Sweepstakes Rules:
No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
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d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
The Official Rules are available here.
This sweepstakes runs from 2/19/13 – 3/15/13
Be sure to visit the Boudreaux’s Butt Paste brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ reviews and find more chances to win!
Disclaimer: This is a sponsored giveaway by Boudreaux’s Butt Paste. I was also awarded with a Butt Kit, and who wouldn’t want that? However, Butt Kit aside, all of my opinions are my own.
My tip is to keep a small box with extra diapers and wipes in the car. Check it often to make sure the diaper size is still good. I don’t know how many times we have picked a baby up from daycare to take them to a doctors appointment without a diaper bag. That little box has saved me plenty of times over.
Spend the 20 bucks and buy a wipe warmer! I know some people say it’s a waste of money, but it’s so not. It’s so worth the baby not getting cold wipes in the middle of the night and you not having to touch the cold wipes! You would spend the money on a toy anyway, which kids never really want to play with most of the time! :)
Our kids are past diaper stage – but we did discover Boudreaux’s at a strange place initially. It was at a farm supply store – which also carried Anti-Monkey Butt. The wisecracks were endless for awhile after I discovered those two products. I never have purchased/used Anti-Monkey Butt but the Boudreaux’s butt paste was awesome. I made sure to stock up on it when I could – as our local store didn’t initially carry it. Now I see it lots of places.
My tip is to know that you don’t have to respond to baby’s every little whimper in sleep…some babies just “talk” or grunt in their sleep and won’t wake up right away. If you respond to every little noise you’ll go crazy and never get any sleep yourself!
When baby is overly tired but can’t keep their eyes shut long enough to fall asleep, repeatedly rub your finger down their nose. This makes them close their eyes, but is a gentle touch that also seems to soothe them, and they fall asleep.
My tip… is to be nice to yourself. Having a baby is HARD, even if the baby is easy. It is a major shock to the system, everything is new and intimidating, and you have to make all these decisions on approximately 12 minutes of sleep. Looking back, my son was an easy baby. (especially compared to my daughter, ha!) But I second-guessed myself all the time, worried that I was doing something wrong, felt guilty about everything and made things way harder on myself than they had to be. By the time my daughter came along, I had learned to give myself grace and that we are ALL doing the best that we can – that no one is perfect, even those who LOOK perfect – and actually most of us are doing better than we give ourselves credit for. I’m so grateful that I learned this BEFORE my daughter – because she was NOT an easy baby!! But those lessons helped me just as much as all of the other techniques and tricks that made my life easier with an infant
Thanks for the giveaway! :).
Once you find something that works for your family, stick with it until it doesn’t. Just because your great Aunt’s husband’s sister’s cousin’s best friend did something different and it was utterly magical and life changing does not mean it will be the same for you. If you and your kid(s) are happy with what you have, be it sleeping or feeding or schedule or whatever related, trust your instincts and your family! Consistency is your friend.
My tip would be to breastfeed your baby and COSLEEP!!!!! Your baby was attached to you for 9 months!!! Why stick them alone to sleep and CIO once they are born? I know it’s not the popular way to parent, but it WORKS!!! My daughter is 23 months old (yesterday) and still sleeps with me and nurses! It’s bliss! :) always has been. 2 kids, no sleepless nights!! :)
Flour sack dishtowels! That’s my tip. I had been a mom for three days, I was exhausted, and my son’s diapers had leaked….every one of them. Before I knew it, I was completely out of clean baby EVERYTHING, and my washer and dryer access was in another building across the street. I called my mom in tears. She showed up with a stack of flour sack dishtowels, wrapped the baby in one and put him to sleep (they are as big as any recieving blanket and it was july, so he stayed plenty warm), sent me to bed, and did my laundry. When she left, she told me to keep the stack.. Since that time, we have found MANY uses for the towels that didn’t involve the kitchen.. They work as light blankets, birp clothes, something to keep your baby off the floor when you forgot a blanket and need to set them down, etc. They are big, but take up very little space, so you can stick one or two in your diaper bag and be set. You can leave them plain, or applique/embroider/decorate them, if that’s more your style. When your baby has grown out of those stages, you can either throw them away, or begin using them in the kitchen, or wherever you like. Another plus is that you aren’t likely to feel compelled to box them up and keep them forever, because, let’s face it, they are plain white dishtowels….not something that someone made for you, or something that cost a lot of money.
I kept, and still do, a notebook to trAck feedings and poop and meds and sleep to see when a pattern formed so I could anticipate a feeding or a nap before he got overly tired or hungry. Babies like to know what is coming next and keeping a track of it daily is the best way I found to keep him on a schedule so he knew it was naptime, playtime, or feeding time. I also started a bedtime routine within the first 2 months to help settle him down at night and ready him for nightime sleep. A warm bath, jammies, snuggles, and a bottle and he is asleep within 5 min almost every night. One last thing, gripe water works miracles for all kinds of fussiness\gassiness. Even helped during a timeframe of unusual night wakings. Started giving him gripe water with bedtime bottle and he went back to sleeping through the night. We tried mylicon very early because I thought he was a gassy baby and it made his discomfort worse. Gripe water works every time. My little guy is almost 13 months and we still use it several times a day. Being a new mommy is hArd and the best thing she can do is accept help in the beginning to get rest and get back on her feet and then just trust your instincts! Do what works for your family!!
Don’t watch infomercials during middle of the night feedings. Hundreds of dollars later you will have a library of exercise videos collecting dust and no room for all of your new appliances. I mean come on. Every post baby mom wants abs of steel, some insane, INSANITY, muscles and a healthy diet consisting of juice from your jack lalanne juicer. Not that I know from experience or anything…..ahem……
Ha! Now you make me wonder if those infomercials are specifically directed at nursing, half-asleep moms.
I’m not eligible to win, but my advice is to do what works for you and your family. Don’t be pressured to follow what other people tell you to do.
Ugh, it’s hard to think of just one. I guess, since I’m kind of a neat-freak (still trying to get past that now with two kids…) I’d say leave a container of wipes hidden in pretty much every room of the house for all those unwanted boogers, snot, spilled milk or juice or anything that you need to clean up without having to run into the kitchen for a towel or kleenex. I know having a clean wipe handy has made my life a tad less stressful.
I agree with all of your tips! One that I have is to keep an “emergency bag” packed in the car. I have one that I update every few months. It has: extra panties, pants, shirts, socks, a fruit bar, a water bottle, a sippy cup, a spoon, a towel, and wipes. It has come in handy several times.
My advice is to stop listening to unsolicited advice. Only listen to specific advice that you ask for. Trying to make everybody happy by heeding every tip is going to drive you insane, and having a baby already has you half way there.
My second piece of advice is to purchase a crap ton of teething tablets, because they’re friggin miraculous.
My mom told me to layer the crib with extra fitted sheets and waterproof pads. It is so much easier to just pull off the top layer in the middle of the night when a diaper has leaked!
My tip is to not always listen to grandparents! Trust your own instincts…they’re usually right.
YES!! And if you’re receiving heck from grandparents (or anyone) about some of your decisions or getting unsolicited advice, preface things with “my pediatrician said….” whether your ped said anything or not lol….they’re less likely to argue with a “doctor’s opinion” ;)
Shared the video on Twitter–https://twitter.com/mami2jcn/status/303898754233294848
The only thing I would say is keep the crib at least 12 inches away from the wall. Because during one of those nap times that you are enjoying the silence your child will be taking the fun smooshy stuff they fund in their diaper and smearing it everywhere! And its kinda hard to wash poo off the wall. So save your paint job and move the crib.
When my daughter started eating table food, I always took an insulated lunchbox with food she was able to eat. My favorites were lunchable snack duos and squeeze pouch baby food. The snack duos were the perfect size for her to manage and not get chocked. The sqeeze pouch babyfood ensured that she would get fruits and veggies while on the go and not easily accessible.
When baby number FOUR came around, I FINALLY learned how to swaddle properly – arms held tightly to their sides to prevent escape. Also, with number one, I thought that she was hungry if she was crying. Guess what! Trying to feed a tired baby just made her crankier.
Oh, and I always think of Boudreaux Butt Paste when I hear a southerner say, “ice cream” ;-)
One of the best pieces of advice I got was from my own mom – don’t let it become a habit for baby to nurse to sleep. It feels sweet and snuggly and blissful in the moment, but when weaning time comes, it can be an absolute nightmare. A lot of my friends said to not listen to anyone and do it if it felt right to me. But when I thought about it, I figured if I could save myself and my baby a potential horrendous weaning experience, why not? There were times when my babies were newborns that nursing was the only way to get them to sleep, but I did not do it past the newborn stage. Weaning my first baby was a breeze. And my second baby learned to go to sleep without depending on nursing really fast. Bedtime is easy and I don’t feel like a human pacifier. :-)
The other piece of advice that has saved my bacon – also from my mom – is “Your children are individuals – parent them accordingly.” My second baby is COMPLETELY different than my first baby was! If my mom hadn’t said that to me, I probably would have lost my mind by now. But it’s okay to do things differently with each baby. Be flexible. Be willing to change some of your ideas. Roll with it. :-)
Oh gosh, I think my biggest tip is just to have some help for the first few weeks. I was so exhausted after having Aria that it was a God-send to be able to pass her off to my mom (who stayed with us for a week) so that she could rock her and pace with her while I rested a bit. Also, chocolate. Seriously, I was so exhausted that I kept forgetting to eat, which would make me tear up and get overwhelmed. My mom and later husband would start asking me if I needed a Snickers anytime I started crying for no reason. It helped immensely to get the sugar into my system.
It sounds like you need to be on one of those Snickers commercials…
But I completely agree. No one should parent without chocolate.
Realize, despite all of your hopes, wishes, and dreams, that not every moment will go as planned, there are a lot of things you “swore you’d never do” that you end up doing, and that sometimes sanity trumps convictions on the little things. Allow yourself room to become the mother you need to be, and don’t guilt yourself when something does not go according to plans.
Thanks for this great giveaway! I would have to say my number one piece of advice for newborns would be to just try to relish every second. It will pass so quickly. Rock them, hold them, love them, coo over them. Hold them close. You will never have this time with this child again so fling yourself into your babymoon and have fun!
Don’t be afraid to ask even silly questions (especially of those duly noted friends you need to have that are just a few weeks ahead of you in your journey) and find some sort of “support group”….if you’re breastfeeding, this is extremely valuable! Find a BFing support group in your area via your hospital or local La Leche League. There are tons of great Facebook groups for mamas out there, too–I’m part of 3 different ones, and they all had their purpose at very distinct times in my early parenthood. One was for Breastfeeding mamas, one was about cloth diapering, and one was just mamas that had gone to the same college I attended–all are great places to not feel stupid asking questions and to get lots of different options and feedback!
Oh, and probably the best hands-down advice I can give–just make it to 8 weeks. Everything changes after 8 weeks. (give yourself smaller short term goals if need be–make it to 2 weeks, then 4, etc. You’ll be looking back at that time before you know it!)
AND! (I know it’s not worth an extra entry but…) get some organic pressed coconut oil…seriously it’s awesome for everything! We use it for preventative butt cream, dry skin, eczema spots, little ouchies, and more! Smells nicer than butt creams (no offense, Boudreaux’s), is all natural, and a little goes a LONG way.
Make your baby learn to sleep thru the night by 3 months. So many mothers I have talked to say that their child is still waking up several times a night at 1 year and even thru 2 years! This relates to your #3.. Don’t be afraid to let them cry, use ear plugs, white noise or whatever helps, and DO NOT feed them. It is very important to get them into the rhythm of sleeping all night early so that the parents don’t go nuts. Things just go better when I have a good night’s sleep. I have been told that as soon as they are 10 lbs, they are big enough to sleep at least 8 hours, but I don’t know if there is a consensus on that.
My experience with my first 2 was that at 3 months old I had to sleep with earplugs and not get up to check on them at all. My husband would get up sometimes and pat them or something but they didn’t get to see me. After they were consistently sleeping thru the night, then I could be the one to get up and check on them on the occasion they woke up with a nightmare or something. I didn’t have to do any of this with my 3rd because she started sleeping thru the night on her own at 2 months old. I think God was being nice.
My advice is to take lots of pictures. They change so very fast in the first few weeks/months that those pictures will be so special to you as they grow up. In vest in a camera that will capture tiny details like eyelashes and also the quick moments that will come with toddlerhood. My second piece of advice is to find a babywearing method that works for you (sling, baby hawk, becco, sleepy wrap) because that is the easiest way to get things done with a baby and you will be so glad you have it when baby #2 comes along and your now toddler tries to pick up the new baby everytime you lay him/her down.
Sometimes that little baby is going to fall asleep on you – and you’re going to think ‘I really should lay this baby down so I can get some stuff done while she naps.’ Don’t do it!! Snuggle that baby as much as you can!
I do not have any tips because I’m not a mom, but hopefully you won’t exclude me from the giveaway. I would say that you should just give them lots of love because this day and age people don’t have enough love in their lives.
My son gets a case of extremely chapped cheeks and face when it gets dry in the winter. The only thing that helps it is slathering vaseline on his face and keeping it lubricated. he knows it helps – when his face starts to hurt he asks for his “face stuff”.
I think my best advice is to let your husband do some things his way. For example, mine does bath time. Bath is his thing and he does it his way. And now, almost 4 years later, its one less thing I have to worry about being done and he feel competent. He is great at changing diapers (my husband can wrap a prefold better than I can), I let him do the spoon feeding and he is 100% in charge of teaching children how to blow their noses. He’s just better at a lot of things. But sometimes when we have out first baby, we become so overwhelmed with information that we take over every task and then we end up being the one who does everything while our husbands watch. So I am rewarded by not having to do every last thing.
Now, if I had really been thinking, I would have put him in charge of learning to assemble and disassemble all sippy cups. But I didn’t, and now I pay.
Neither of us can seem to teach our kids to blow their noses. Can I send them to your husband’s bootcamp?
Hahaha perhaps he should start moonlighting as a nose whisperer
I first heard of Boudreaux’s Butt Paste from my MIL, it was prescribed to my FIL for his hands. That stuff is the best diaper ointment around! And for severe diaper rash try the red tube with 40% zinc.oxide – clears the rash up in no time.
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It took me awhile to have the a-ha moment for this one. My boys had a lot of ear infections as babies, which meant a lot of anti-biotics, which meant a lot of diarrhea and a lot of “Oh my stars, look at your poor bottom!’ I finally started just smearing it on as soon as we started the anti-biotics and kept those babies bottoms as smooth as… babies bottoms!
My advice is to keep a wash cloth handy. Originally I used burp cloths for my daughter for every drool or spit up coming out of her mouth. It was a lot. She seemed to constantly need her face wiped and in turn her hands and clothes. I went through burp cloths too fast and didn’t have them available when it was actually time to burp her. But a simple baby wash cloth is smaller and easier to grab and wad up to clean her face. It has now become her “security blanket” to carry around a tiny wash rag (named “raggy”).
Two of my girls had cradle cap. I know you’re not supposed to pick at at, so instead of that, I used one of those really delicate, almost silky corn on the cob brushes! It was gentle enough to “scrub” the loose flakes off without hurting their sweet little heads!
It is okay to supplement formula when breastfeeding. I did not (at first) with my first child and unbeknownst to me he was not getting enough. When my second came along I started right away which was good because he was a voracious eater. I would pump so I could have some available during church and feed him right before and have formula available. I would pick him up and he had eaten it all and be ready to nurse again.
My tip is to accept the help others offer you. I had a hard time of this after our first baby…wanted to show I could do it and do it right. But once I realized that letting friends bring me a meal or letting my mother in law do a load of laundry while she visited wasn’t a sign of weakness, it made things so much easier.!
My parenting tip: Relax. Everything is going to be fine. If breast feeding isn’t working out for you, your baby will be just fine on a bottle. If crying it out isn’t working for you, your baby will be just fine if you rock them/nurse them to sleep. If time outs aren’t working for you, find something else that does. The pendulum of what is “right” for parents to do swings so back and forth with each generation. Take a deep breath. Love and enjoy your baby. Everything is going to be fine. The best thing for a baby is a loving mother.
When your new baby is sleeping, don’t worry about the laundry and cleaning, and cleaning and laundry. While they are still itty bitty, TAKE A DANG NAP. Or, hold that precious little gumdrop..because you will wish you had when they are 2 and won’t sit still to save their life.
I had C-section’s with both my girls and I don’t like drugs so with my first I never took my pain meds which made late night feedings painful. With my 2nd I figured out that if I took my pill when I went to sleep I wouldn’t feel all loopy since I was asleep and when I woke up for feedings I wasn’t in pain.
Oh, and Boppy’s for nursing were my best friends lol!
Never nurse to sleep. Oh, it’s easy, all right. And waking them up to fall asleep on their own is terrifying. But don’t nurse to sleep. Ever.
My tip: try to sleep when your baby sleeps and rest as much as possible
shared the video:
https://twitter.com/ElenaIstomina/status/303915389530812416
My tip is to remember that you will make mistakes, and you will recover from them. You will put clothes on inside out or backwards and take her to town. You will put diapers on too loosely and they will leak. You’ll pinch her with the swing buckle. All of this is okay. Smile your way through it and start over again.
My best new parenting tip is to absolutely, without any question, sleep when the baby sleeps. Nothing is more important than that. My best second-time-around parenting tip is to never have a second child unless you live close to family because this time you will actually understand how much you need to sleep when the baby sleeps but you can’t because the toddler/preschooler doesn’t believe in naps.
Babywise! I couldn’t live w/o it! I know it’s not for everyone but if you like schedules/routines and are a person who needs sleep than try it! It has saved my sanity and made me a much happier well-rested Mommy!
P.S. I’ve seen the Butt-Paste and laughed at the name but have never tried it. I’ll get some next time I need diaper cream!
Baby wearing was a great help to us as my first was the baby who had to be held constantly. Carrying him around in a carrier (the Ergo became my favorite) allowed me to get other things done and saved my arms as he was a big and heavy baby! It also kept him much more content.
We love Butt Paste! I just discovered a couple of half used tubes that will soon be used again. I’m in early labor right now!
My best new parenting tip is to take advice from other parents on the best products or the products they really used for their baby. A lot of items go unused because while they look nice they are not practical. Diaper creams and diapers are some of the best new parent gifts.
tweet
https://twitter.com/Kellydpa/status/304049411732938752
my best new parenting tip is to enjoy each and every moment! they grow up so quickly!
tweeted for a second entry !
https://twitter.com/bellows22/status/304061115191676928
I don’t have a lot of “normal advice” since my kid’s baby days weren’t really that normal, but I will say I still use baby wipes for tons of things, especially make=up removal! Oh, and I used cloth diapers for just about everything other than actually diapering.
My advice is that you’ll never enjoy the messes toddlers make, but learn to enjoy the mess-makers! Your kitchen can be spotless when your kids are grown, until then, enjoy your little mess-makers!
To get spit-up and diaper blowout stains out of white onesies, spray with stain remover and then soak in water with baking soda + peroxide added in, then spray again and throw in the wash. it will get a lot of stains out! also, don’t set yourself up with expectations that if you do X then you will get Y. Babies are little people and the best thing anyone ever said to me was “babies are a mystery” which helped me realize that they aren’t going to always be predictable and easy to figure out and that’s okay!
if you have a boy, always ALWAYS point it down in the diaper. otherwise, everything will be wet. the end.
My best new parent tip is to not stress the little things, I had grand ideas of how perfect everything would be and felt disappointed in myself for not achieving it. Enjoy your children, they grow up so very quickly.
Tweeted
https://twitter.com/mummytotwoboys1/status/304265848049262592
I have learned to NOT stress the small stuff. Newborn photos, birth announcements, visitors, feeding schedules…those things will come in good time. Enjoy your snuggles, kisses and cuddles with your new baby as LOOOOONG as you like. That’s what matters, not the small details!
My tip would be choose your battles! Not everything requires immediate hammering!
tweeted https://twitter.com/thismomwins2/status/304323214996283392 thismomwins@gmail.com
this is the product we use, we also cloth diaper and i think that keeps rashes down too
thismomwins@gmail.com
My best parenting tip: Have patience! It is not easy to be a parent, and things will happen all the time, that require a cool head and patience.
jslbrown_03 at yahoo dot com
2nd entry tweet https://twitter.com/LuLu_Brown24/status/304343960359415808
jslbrown_03 at yahoo dot com
The zippered wearable blankets are the best jammies…they make middle of the night diaper changes much, much easier than if you use footie jammies.
Also, Shout Gel with the scrubby top is the best stain remover I’ve found. I give a bottle to all my new mom friends. (I have no affiliation with Shout….just my best product shout-out)
First, I totally just cleaned my entire entertainment center today with about 5 huggies naturals wipes. Those things are magic! :D My best parenting tip would be to decide what time you feel is bedtime for your baby. At that time every night, all lights go out in the living room for the last bottle and no talking, to give the baby the sense that it’s now bed time. It worked for both my kids, sleeping {mostly} through the night at about 2 and 3 months old!
Working together as a team — my husband and I have to be on the same page when we deal with stuff.
be consistent and always be patient!
tweet
https://twitter.com/MeandBells/status/304764482188607488
My tip is to choose your battles. Decide what is worth your time and energy to deal withf and ignore the rest. If you’re not ging to get the energy and will power to get up and actually make your child do what you tell them to don’t say it in the first place.
Best advice that I received as a new mom: Pick 3 people that you know and trust and like their parenting style, and go to them for advice, opinions and questions. Ignore everyone else. When my first was born I just about went crazy trying to follow everything everyone told me- which all seemed to contradict. This eliminated so much heartache and confusion. Also, this works well for parenting and medical websites, too. :)
my tip for new parents is to go easy on yourself and trust your instincts
develop a routine that revolves not only around the baby but also revolves around you, your husband and other things youd do.
amramazon280 at yahoo dot com
https://twitter.com/pinoysugarplum/status/304998789394075649
As a mom of 2, my tip is to RELAX. My husband and I were so uptight and anxious about our firstborn when he was little, in a desperate attempt to do everything “right”. With our second, we realized that, even if you could do everything “right”, you certainly don’t need to, and you might not even want to. Our second-born is a resilient, independent kid, partly, I think, because of the difference in our attitude. Kids are tough. If you love them and do your best, they will be just fine.
Also, learn to improvise. You will be improvising a lot.
Lots of cream, applied multiple times a day
https://twitter.com/mermont84/status/305157035199184896
Remember every baby and every situation is different. It is okay to hear the umpteen number of stories from everyone around you but don’t let it overwhelm you. Don’t be too hard on yourself if things go the way you think they should. They is no right or wrong way. Babies can sense stress and as long as mommy is happy as she can be then the baby is happy too. Oh and it is okay to be stressed too!! Us mommies are always too hard on ourselves!!
I used Desitin, then patted it with baby powder, making sure it stayed on for a longer time
tweeted
https://twitter.com/bdiane35/status/305178378112225280
My best parenting tips would be go to sleep and get some rest when ever the baby is sleeping, and always have Boudreaux’s Butt Paste handy! ;)
amy [at] utry [dot] it
tweeted:
https://twitter.com/uTry_it/status/305211439235350528
amy [at] utry [dot] it
My best tip is to enjoy every minute with that new baby. Because before you know it, they grow up! They are babies for such a short time! Enjoy it while you can!
My best tip came by mistake…our daughter was a about 3 weeks old and around 2 am we ran out of diapers. I freaked out at my husband, how can we be so unknowing?? Luckily, we live about a mile from Wal-Mart and I sent him on his way for some newborn diapers (we use Pampers for the handy yellow line). When he came back 15 minutes later he came back with Pampers, but they didn’t have the yellow line on it. I kind of freaked out,…how are we supposed to know if she tee-tee’s in her diaper?! He told me that we will use these ones for now and get some of the ones I liked tomorrow. Turns out we got night time diapers…Yep! They hold tee-tee in the diaper for up to 12 hours!! This was my saving grace in the middle of the night so I wouldn’t feel guilty about leaving her in a wet diaper. I now tell friends and even strangers that are registering, don’t forget the 12-hour diapers…they will save your night!
My best new parenting tip – keep a change in your clothes at all times – even though my kids are older you never know when you will need a fresh outfit. Kids are messy.
My best tip- trust your instinct.
https://twitter.com/tcarolinep/status/305894090610991104
Best tip…always carry hand sanitizer. I have used it to wipe off fast food tables, cart handles, etc, in addition to my hands.
Be easy on yourself and let go of mommy guilt…we are all doing the best we can.
Practical tip – always have a change of clothes/diapers in your car
When your baby goes down for a nap, do not make the house silent. Turn the TV up a little, or put on some music, anything to create a little noise. They will get used to sleeping through the sound, and then they don’t wake up at every little noise. I raised four, my youngest is 15 now, and they could sleep just about anywhere and through anything.
Think outside the box and try to enjoying every moment
https://twitter.com/HappyTina0115/status/306467911810297856
My tip is to remember children learn through play and modeling…………be a great parent by being a learner yourself debbie jackson
djackson1958 at hotmail dot com
https://twitter.com/jacksondeb/status/306955158875672576
debbie jackson
djackson1958 at hotmail dot com
Butt paste, and frequent diaperless periods for fresh air & sunshine.
https://twitter.com/BBirdie2/status/307406434952437761
My new parenting tip that I wish someone had told me is to register for diapers. As many diapers as possible in various sizes. Even if you don’t get all of them as gifts most store registries will give you a discount to purchase the remaining items on your registry.
Listen graciously to advice but don’t feel like ever piece of it is necessary or right for you and your family.
Breastfeeding is hard at first. But stick with it – once you and your baby get comfortable doing it, it WILL get better!!
Try to laugh everyday and don’t sweat the small stuff. Are the kids going to remember if your house wasn’t clean or are they going to remember if you didn’t spend time with them? Remember what’s important is my best parenting tip. Spend time with them.
Tweet
https://twitter.com/jillyrh/status/307964316487933952
Following your instincts and enjoy every sleep deprived moment because they don’t last forever!
accept as much help as you can. whether its people bringing dinner, helping with your older kids, cleaning etc. You will need it
tweet
https://twitter.com/1amypugmire/status/308072196625031168
My best tip for preventing and healing diaper rash is, to let my son go without a diaper for 30 minutes , twice a day, to air out his little bottom…it works wonders!
tweet https://twitter.com/Mollydoo2/status/308234970302930945
My best tip is to listen to your heart. Even if you don’t have a lot of fact based knowledge as a new parent, it usually works out to rely on your instincts.
http://twitter.com/MrsMChappell/status/308259851467898880
Tweet
mrsmchappell at gmail dot com
I had absolutely no experience with babies when my first was born. I was so lucky that she was such an easy child. Fortunately I had friends who had children who could give me tips and I ready everything I could find. I didn’t know about Butt Paste but it sure would have helped. Instead I changed diapers more frequently and used lots of baby powder when a rash started to develop.
Change diapers often to keep baby dry.
https://twitter.com/jen_r_horn/status/309016544980119555
My tip is to talk to your baby. It is well worth it to talk to a baby from birth on up. They learn so much (language, emotions, tone, etc) and it creates a great bond. I also feel that once the toddler ago comes, many parents get into the rut of only talking to their toddler to give them directions or discipline them. That isn’t so great for the relationship. I talk to my kids and describe what I am doing, what they may be feeling, what we are looking at, and even ask them questions. They can’t respond for a long time, but you’d still be amazed at what they take in.
shared the video: https://twitter.com/RLiekhus/status/309390658081267712
I don;t have kids but a general tip in life is to keep your sense of humor handy :)
https://twitter.com/LAMusing/status/309582439930548225
My only tip would be sleep when the baby sleeps.
Always have baby wipes handy! They are lifesavers!
We would try to prevent diaper rash by changing the baby as soon as possible after the diaper is soiled. We also used creams on rashes.
Thanks for the chance to win!
wildorchid985 @ gmail dot com
tweet–https://twitter.com/WildOrchid985/status/311486295635554304
Vaseline works well at preventing diaper rash in the first place! Thanks for a super giveaway!
Tweeted:
https://twitter.com/anashct3/status/311706799038414848
Thanks for the chance to win!
email: anashct1 [at] yahoo [dot] com
Don’t rely solely on medical advice, books, or well-meaning friends – use your instinct to know what’s best for your child!
Tweet – https://twitter.com/willitara/status/312253828026228736
I haven’t had to deal with diaper rash personally but I’ve learned from my friends that Butt Paste is miracle stuff and I include it with my gift at every baby shower.
My tip is to change your childs diaper often and let them run around without a diaper occasionally.
https://twitter.com/susan1215/status/312319192865071107
My best new parenting tip is to rest whenever the baby sleeps and change the diaper often so the area will be clean and dry and both you and the baby would have a better sleep.
ctong2[at]gmail[dot]com
Tweeted: https://twitter.com/ctong2/status/312489130842025984
ctong2[at]gmail[dot]com
My best new parenting tip is to not forget who you were and what you enjoyed BEFORE being a parent! There is NO need to give up YOURSELF just because a new title has been added to the list of titles already present!
I tweeted here: https://twitter.com/MsTofuFairy/status/312613416558804992
Be flexible!!
I’m a HUGE fan of Butt Paste, along with some fresh air.
My best parenting tip is to do what works for you and for your child. Everyone is different and what works for others may, or may not, work for you.
My simplest tip – ask for help! EVERY new mom could use a helping hand. Don’t be afraid to ask, or to accept help from friends and family. It doesn’t make you a crappy mom, it makes you a smart mom!
coriwestphal at msn dot com
Tweet: https://twitter.com/coriwestphal/status/323258469467705344
coriwestphal at msn dot com
My best tip is to not get so stressed out over little things and appreciate the time when they are little. They do grow up so fast! Take tons of pictures!!!
tweeted https://twitter.com/pittsy82/status/323892345902882818
haven’t tried it yet
Spend lots of time playing with your baby. Housework is not as important as raising a well adjusted human being.
Tweet
https://twitter.com/clc408/status/372810962719744000
My best tip is to tackle diaper rash with Butt Paste.