You guys, I am SO excited since one of my best friends is PREGNANT! She is getting LOTS of advice during her pregnancy already, which made me think about a post I wrote for Smart Mom a few months back! I decided to post a version of it over here on my blog, since many of you may not have seen it. Too many opinions can be stressful to take in, especially as a new mom, but here’s some common baby advice that I am seeing now is actually pretty useful!
Here are 9 pieces of baby advice that is actually useful:
1. Never wake a sleeping baby: Sleep training and baby schedules are very common these days. So it may be temping to wake your little one if they are sleeping too long, but don’t. Not every nap will be the same, especially when you have a newborn.
2. You can’t spoil a baby: Newborns crave human touch and attention. Scientists have studied this theory and it turns out your mom was right when she says you can’t spoil a baby. In fact, researchers have found that babies whose needs were immediately met actually grow up to be more confident.
3. Talk to your newborn: You will notice most grandmothers talk to their grandchildren all the time, especially newborns. It was commonly thought that talking out loud through your normal routines is beneficial for a baby and studies have found that to be true. It helps your little one recognize sounds and words. It may feel silly at first, but if your baby is in a swing while you do the dishes, explain what you are doing. “Now I am washing the plates, and then I will put them in the dishwasher.” Speak slowly and clearly, but talk the same way you normally would. You baby will reap the rewards.
4. Sleep when your baby sleeps: In those first few weeks, sleep deprivation is at an all time high. So the age old advice to sleep when your little one is sleeping is a good one. It may be temping to get other things done while your baby is napping, but if you are exhausted… you should try to get some rest while you can.
5. Don’t forget to eat: When you are tending to a new baby, it is easy to forget to eat. It is extremely important to get the nutrition you need, especially if you are breastfeeding and as you recover from childbirth.
6. It’s okay to ask for help: If you feel overwhelmed and stressed out, it is okay to ask for help. Your baby will be fine if you leave him or her with grandma or a friend while you get some sleep, or even just enjoy some time to yourself.
7. Leave your house dirty: In the first few months, the adjustment of getting used to a baby will be a big one. Enjoy this precious time with your newborn, and don’t worry about housework. The dishes and laundry can wait.
8. Be nice to your husband: Taking care of a newborn is a full-time job, and all the extra responsibility in addition to lack of sleep, may make you irritable. Remember this is a big change for your husband too, so try to cut each other a break.
9. Trust your instincts: No matter what anyone tells you, no one understands your babies needs more than you. Your motherly instincts are almost always spot-on. Be confident in yourself and your decisions… and listen to your mother when she tells you that you are doing an awesome job! (because you are!)
What is the best piece of baby advice you got as a new mom?
This post originally ran on Smart Mom.
I literally couldn't agree with your list more. I am shaking my head to each and everyone! And yes, NEVER wake a sleeping baby! Ugh, I've done it a few times, and it's never pleasant! Don't forget to eat – ugh I still do this sometimes! And talk to your newborn – YES! Everyone keeps telling me they cannot believe how much and how well my daughter is talking at 17 months, and she has been since 10 months! And I swear it's because I have been talking to her since she was a newborn, and I sing to her too. I would literally say, "Now we're going to the grocery store." I just always talk to her. I really think it makes a big difference, not even just in their development, because all kids develop differently, but it's just encouraging to them to hear your voice. Love this post! <3
Great advice! I can't wait to put this to good use 🙂
These are all such great tips! I love the tip about talking to your baby. It is so important for their speech and language development. I'd really have to resist the temptation to wake them up though. They are so cute!
I definitely followed all this advice, haha. =) My biggest one was "You can't spoil your baby". Luckily, she never wanted to be put down anyway so it kinda worked out!
Great advice!! I love "be nice to your husband." It is so easy to snap in moments of no sleep! Thanks for sharing!
Never waking a sleeping baby is the best advice ever. We were having to wake our twins every two hours for their first few weeks and that was terrible!
Great tips – especially to not wake your baby! It's been a long time for me – BUT I will becoming a first time grandmother in a few months – so thanks for the wonderful tips!
All so true! Glad I'm just the help aka "grandma" and my baby time is over. Pinned for my daughter in law.
I'm not a parent or parent to be yet but these tips sound perfect. The most important thing is to bond and enjoy your family. Take advantage of the time because it goes so quickly!
I just saw Sue's comment and I have to say the same. Every point is exactly, completely right. All of them are my favourites, but my favourite-ests are leave the house dirty, sleep when baby sleeps, and trust your instincts. Again, couldn't agree more!
I agree with all and did all of them. Except #8. I'm still working on that one 😉
These are all so great! Sleep when baby sleeps is a big one – I would totally pay more attention to looking back. I always decided to use that time for things around the house, but making sure mama is well rested, makes everyone happier in the end lol!
Yes! This is all great advice! Nobody told me to just let the house get dirty. There is guilt all over the place, and that is a ridiculous, unnecessary one! Leave the house, it will get clean one day!
I love all of these. Except the whole sleep-when-baby-sleeps. That was the time I had to myself. Whether it was scrolling through FB on my phone, doing a load of laundry, or just spending two seconds sitting down. But I do get the advice though. I just never, ever napped when my baby did. But I surely slept like a baby at night!
Great list! haha I love the one about being nice to your husband. Since the baby took so many naps in the beginning, I would always designate one nap to take a nap myself. I'm not sure if I'll be able to do that with two though!!
Yes! Great list. I never wake my children…even now, unless we have to be somewhere of course.
I did the TOTAL opposite of you! (go figure!) I woke my babies during the day to get them to sleep at night. I never let a nap go more than 1 1/2 to 2 hours. That way they slept longer stretches at night. By 11 weeks baby #2 was sleeping 12 hours! But #6 & #9 awesome tips!!! Sharing!
I think your number one advice is right where it should be. Sleeping babies are a blessing!
These are so helpful to any parent out there. Thank you for this informative post!