11. Stock Up The Freezer
“Stock up on frozen dinners. Don’t feel guilty if they’re not homemade. Trader Joe’s frozen food is yummy and will please any new mom and dad.” Rebekah from The Golden Gleam
12. Have a Lactation Consultant on Speed Dial
“If you’ve decided to breastfeed, make sure to build a relationship with a lactation consultant and other nursing moms prior to the baby’s birth. Breastfeeding doesn’t come easy for many moms, but there are tons of things that you can do and try to make it successful. So give them a call as soon as you feel there might be problems.” Krissy from B-Inspired Mama
13. There’s No Such Thing as Spoiling a Baby
“Don’t let anyone tell you that you are holding your baby too much. You are the mama, do what feels right to you.” Amy from Z is for Zel
14. Be Open to Change
“My best piece of advice is always ‘never say never.’ In any given moment you will try any given thing you need to do in order to get through that moment. For instance, just when you say you will ‘never use a pacifier,’ you will be sending your partner to the store at midnight to pick you up a pacifier!” Jennifer from Kitchen Counter Chronicles
15. Don’t get mad at your partner when they fuck up.
You will be fuck up many times over the next few months (years). The key is to be kind, loving and patient when your partner makes mistakes because chances are your mistake will be heaps worse than theirs. And when that happens, you are going to want kindness, love and patience.
16. Establish a clear division of duties
Who is in charge of what? Who is in charge or cooking dinner? Doing the laundry? cleaning the house? Feeding the dog? These jobs can easily be forgotten without someone in charge of them.
17. Calm the Fuck Down.
Link to the book here. Check out this great parenting book called CALM THE FUCK DOWN. It’s the only parenting advice you’ll ever need.
18. Just love them, time goes so quickly.
Take plenty of photos and let them sleep on your chest any chance you get. You will turn around and it will be 6 months later and they won’t be able to sleep on your chest at all. You’ll miss that time when they were a ‘baby.’