With so much information now avaiable I would like to know what was the best information/product/advice you got when you had your baby. I remember being told about these gel nipple pads and I can tell you they were brilliant and cool on sore cracked nipples. I remember buying sooooo may toys and now thinking I should have just saved and purchased a brilliant swinging chair. I look forward to hearing what your lifesaving tip was.........

Not to drik orange juice if u have grazing or stitches, as it burns like blazers after youve given birth roll eyes

The best piece of advise I was given was everyone will have an opinion and everyone will tell you how to do it better, take this information with a grain of salt and work out what is best for YOU and YOUR baby and let the rest slip by!

Always just take each day as it comes.

When you have your first you always think it going to be beer and skittles, and well, it's not.

So just cause you have a bad day one day doesn't mean the next day will be a bad one, and just cause you have a good day, doesn't mean the next will be a good one.

Never have any expectations!

Not to drik orange juice if u have grazing or stitches, as it burns like blazers after youve given birth roll eyes

Oh good one...and if you have stitches always lean forward and touch the floor when you pee! As for pooing with stitches OMG!

Hahahaha yes pooing and stitches. I use to have Metamucil twice a day as soon as I got home and always hold a pad over them. Who would have thought that talking about pooing would become a frequent occurrence? I agree with the do your own thing and take your time. That is what I am after – what was your own thing that you did that helped the transition with coping with a newborn – especially you’re first? For example for the first 6 weeks my baby boy slept with me, in my bed. It was a survival method for me. Anything to get some sleep and I also went to bed when he did. I then started a routine at about 7 weeks.

For after the birth, have Ural and Normacol on hand to make weeing and pooing a little easier if you have tears or stitches.

For our 2nd baby, the midwife offered to show us the placenta, at first I didn't want to but it was amazing seeing the tree of life and my midwife explained some of the parts.

I had a hellish time with BF my first but after seeing a lactation consultant everything seemed to work out, getting professional advice is worth it's weight in gold!

Once bubs is a little older, the Feed Play Sleep routine is something I didn't really think of doing until I had my second. It makes life so much easier when your baby can settle themselves and it goes right through to when they are older toddlers. I wish I did this with Ds and I am so glad I did with Dd.

There are so many people who give advice, I just took what I needed and wanted and nodded my head for the rest! lol

now its thread like this that make me keep coming back...

This information from "been there done that" mummies is priceless!!!

Keep em' coming ladies smile

now its thread like this that make me keep coming back...

This information from "been there done that" mummies is priceless!!!

Keep em' coming ladies smile

Totally agree, priceless information! This is what keeps me here smile

For after the birth, have Ural and Normacol on hand to make weeing and pooing a little easier if you have tears or stitches.

For our 2nd baby, the midwife offered to show us the placenta, at first I didn't want to but it was amazing seeing the tree of life and my midwife explained some of the parts.

I had a hellish time with BF my first but after seeing a lactation consultant everything seemed to work out, getting professional advice is worth it's weight in gold!

Once bubs is a little older, the Feed Play Sleep routine is something I didn't really think of doing until I had my second. It makes life so much easier when your baby can settle themselves and it goes right through to when they are older toddlers. I wish I did this with Ds and I am so glad I did with Dd.

There are so many people who give advice, I just took what I needed and wanted and nodded my head for the rest! lol

Ahhh the Feed Play Sleep Routine. If any new mum wants to take away some valuable information this would have to be it.

I had no idea about it with my first, and as a consequence ended up with a terrible sleeper. I wasnt going to make that mistake again, so used the routine with my second, and I have never had a sleepless night from her, and she has just turned 1.

Also, book into a sleep clinic if you have a parents and babies unit near you. Even if you have the worlds best sleeper (which I could almost guarentee you, you wont), they will teach you skills that you can use again and again.

Use nipple cream at every feed. Once they are cracked it's too late.

Have salt handy for when you get home, for your baths if you have stitches.

Have roid cream handy at home. You dont want to have to go out and get some, and hubby will be too embarressed.

Have scented nappy sacks available in the toilet so you have somewhere to put your gross surfboards. ( I had only used tampons before having a baby).

Oh these things have just reminded me of another usefull thread for new mums. Going to go start it now!

can you all elaborate on the Feed, Play, Sleep routine...lol

Yes yes I know it sounds pretty self explanatory but just for us first timers... smile

can you all elaborate on the Feed, Play, Sleep routine...lol

Yes yes I know it sounds pretty self explanatory but just for us first timers... smile

In a nutshell, once baby wakes, you feed straight away. They then have a little play, then they get put down for a sleep. As newborns the whole cycle takes around 45 mins tops, from the time they wake till the time they get put back down.

If you google Feed, Play, Sleep routine you should be able to get a much more detailed description.

big one would be sleep when bub sleeps!

If you can do a huge batch of food and freeze in meal size portions so you dont have to worry about dinner for those first few weeks/months

For breastfeeding LASINOH that stuff is gold! and also a lovely lady on here told me to fill 2 new born nappies with water and put them in the freezer they are great for when your boobs feel like they are about to explode.

Umm for the first few days I would get a flannel run under HOT water than press it againt my periniam (no idea how to spell or even remember what its called lol) and I swear it didnt sting at all was great relief down there.

And like another lady said take one day at a time. So days we take an hour at a time smile

Definitely,during the day, sleep when bubs sleeps, especially if they are keeping you up at night.
Don't stress over the housework in the first few months, its not going to go anywhere and the house won't fall apart if the floor isn't vaccuumed, or if the dishes don't get done one day.

accept any/ all offers of help

Yep definately Feed Play Sleep routine.
And when you put bubs down NEVER think Ahhhh finally he/she will be asleep for the next couple of hours. Because you will just be disappointed if they wake lol!!

Do what feels right and what works for you and your bub.. and with DS he would want to feed for comfort to go to sleep and wake up when i tryed to move him and just cry non stop..... midwife sugested a dummy and it worked like a charm

Don't be afraid to ask for help, I NEVER did with my 1st and regretted a few things.

And like others have said listen to some advice disreghard others but always do what YOU feel is right, and beware of old farts and their advice which is usually to start solids early, add things to their milk etc etc.

and yes the feed play sleep is great, used it fo rmy 1st 2 (nothing worked with 3rd, she was a nightmare!!!)

And when it gets bad, do whatever helps you get sleep, for me with #3 that was co sleeping at times which I swore I would never do but I was exhausted, so would let her feed all night on the bed next to me! She soon got out of the habit on her own after everyone told me she would be sleeping in our bed FOREVER, it was only 14mths!!!

Oh and cherish every stage, they truly grow before you know it, I remember with my 1st, every milestone I was getting exicted waiting for the next one, with my next 2 I just wanted them to be babies forever!

Oh and cherish every stage, they truly grow before you know it, I remember with my 1st, every milestone I was getting exicted waiting for the next one, with my next 2 I just wanted them to be babies forever

I agree with this 100%! I kept saying "I cant wait till he can crawl, walk, eat solids, sit up, roll over, talk" now that DS2 is 7weeks I dont want him to do anything but eat sleep and $hit lol

I agree with this 100%! I kept saying "I cant wait till he can crawl, walk, eat solids, sit up, roll over, talk" now that DS2 is 7weeks I dont want him to do anything but eat sleep and $hit lol

for after the birth i used a salt bath everytime after i did a wee, i could noy wee on th toilet, ouch! so i used one of those shower hose thingys attatched to the bath and had it gently flowing warm water 'down there' as i did a wee, no more stings!

Dont under any circumstances let bub sleep in your bed, you will never get them out of it!!

22months later and DD is still in our bed and never slept a night in her cot sad Yes we have a great nights sleep, but she aint going no where at the minute and three in the bed????

I wish now i would have took it on board but was so tired i let it happen angry (at myself)

Dont under any circumstances let bub sleep in your bed, you will never get them out of it!!

22months later and DD is still in our bed and never slept a night in her cot sad Yes we have a great nights sleep, but she aint going no where at the minute and three in the bed????

I wish now i would have took it on board but was so tired i let it happen angry (at myself)

Sorry but I completely disagree!!!! DD co slept for 14 mths, and got out of it on her own, though we started the night in her cot and she was in with us from midnight,

for c/s nappy rash cream work wonders for the skin flap

incontinences pants are great for the gross stuff

listen to your gut if you think something is wrong don't take no for an answer

if have not done a poo in 12 hours after birth ask for the laxatives.

don't be afraid to ask for pain relief before and after birth

Sorry but I completely disagree!!!! DD co slept for 14 mths, and got out of it on her own, though we started the night in her cot and she was in with us from midnight,

me too! ds1 has always slept in our bed, we now have ds2 in our bed as he i a shocking s;eeper and i would not get through each day if i had to get up all the time, they will both be in their own beds once we move from here!

Sorry but I completely disagree!!!! DD co slept for 14 mths, and got out of it on her own, though we started the night in her cot and she was in with us from midnight,

Jess i'm saying that this is what advice i was given, and yet all the books say don't co sleep bla bla bla and as a first time mum you don't know what to do for the best.

I'm not saying its right or wrong and certainly not starting a debate about it, it's worked for us and great if our DD gets out on her own.