The first few days and weeks after Jayden's arrival were not easy. I don't care what they say about the last sleepless few weeks of pregnancy. That in no way prepares new parents for the reality of having a first child. Here are some helpful tips and rules to live by:

1) Take care of Yourself: Yeah, I know this seems like common sense right? Wrong, 'cause after that baby arrives, you will be so sleep deprived you won't know up from down. But this, is the most important rule you can learn. When baby is sleeping, bathe, brush your teeth, comb your hair, do everything and anything you need to do to remind yourself that you are alive, and human.

2) Get into a routine: Oh, the "experts" say that newborns shouldn't have a routine. Whatever! You need to teach your little one when is sleepy time (night) and when is wakey time (day). Obviously, the first few days, they sleep a lot, but the sooner you get him/her into a routine the sooner you will get some you time. Just don't push to hard, or be to rigid, but set goals, and slowly make your way towards them.

3) Sleep & Eat:

Technically, this would fit into the first rule of taking care of yourself. But, personal hygiene must always come first. Don't matter if your starving and tired, just smell sweet. Please. Anyways, you have to eat in order to breast feed, and well, live:) So forget all that crap about making casseroles before the baby arrives, damn we are not Martha Stewart. Just grab some bread and peanut butter and scarf it down before your lil one starts to scream again. Take iron pills, drink lots of water and milk, 'cause you need it to replenish your milk supply. Sooner or later your gonna learn how to eat, and breastfeed at the same time. Same thing for sleep. In the mean time, try and sleep when the baby sleeps, and I mean, soon as he/she falls asleep GO TO BED!

4) Get some YOU time: This is the hardest thing for a new mother to do. Giving up your baby. The first few weeks you will become very attached, this only gets worse as time goes along, so try and let go, if only for five minutes. I would put the baby in his car-seat, and sit on the toilet for ten minutes, twice a day. This really helped with constipation:) and I also got to let my mind go for awhile.

Tips

• Always have your diaper bag stocked (just make bottle and run)
• Buy at least 2 soothers (you'll need them in public)
• When penis is erect he will pee on you!
• Make sure "willy" is pointing down in diaper or he will pee on himself
• He will pee on you
• Stock up on breast pads
• Do not lean on chest when you are breast feeding
• Put a receiving blanket over opposite breast when breast feeding
• Watch your baby's signals and follow them, they need you right now

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Check out Jayden's Birth Story, and how our first days went!

First Days

Birth Story