Make the bed “twice”…

Put on the waterproof pad then sheet. On top of both of those, put on another set of waterproof pad and sheet.

This way you just pull off the top “layer” of 1 waterproof pad and the soiled sheet and YAY the bed is made with a clean sheet. Deal with the soiled items in the light of day.

You can continue this until after potty training is done

I agree with everyone on the help advice! When someone asks if they can help…always say yes and tell them what you need…fold a load of clothes, make you a sandwich, hold the baby so you can shower. People love to help. I’m sure you are the first one to help someone else and you feel great doing it! Be accepting that you and your baby deserve help and remember that the other person will feel good to have contributed.

I didn’t do this well at all with my first child, but I changed my ways once twins came. I realized my first also missed out on more Grandma time when I didn’t accept her “help time”.

I thought I had to “do it all myself” to be a good mom. Now I know better.

I’m a post partum doula, and the above as well as Dr. Harvey Karp’s Happiest Baby on the Block are the best advice besides BREASTFED. It helps prevent ppd, it helps prevent child neglect etc.

Breastfeeding does result in healthier babies. Yes, it is hard work, but You can do this. My daycare provider used to refer to the breastfed babies as “bulletproof”, because even when the older kids were getting sick around them, they stayed healthy.

Time can be divided into windows. Baby taking a nap? Your window to grab a shower has opened. Baby just been fed, burped and changed? Your window to go get groceries has opened. When a window opens, go get something done – don’t play on the internet or read the mail.

Lay a towel or a changing pad on the floor and change the baby on the floor. Babies cannot fall off the floor, but they can fall off a changing table. It is a sound you never want to hear.

What works well for one child may not work for another child. Each child, even siblings, are individuals.

Space out those vaccinations. Nobody knows what causes autism, so why take the chance? You cannot avoid vaccinations entirely if you ever want to enroll your kids in school or licensed daycare, but you don’t have to do four or six at a time. And don’t get them done any earlier than you have to.

When a baby is crying, PICK IT UP! A baby is not trying to manipulate you – it has a problem and it is trying to tell you that the only way she knows how.

Remember to follow you gut no matter how silly you think you may be.

Parent simply. Don’t over think things and pick your own battles.

Buy simply…babies love a piece of cheese and a tupperware bowl just as much as the $100 toy.

Don’t forget to be a kid yourself. Dance, sing, laugh, and love hard…with that it pretty much all comes easily.

Eat Well. Buy some pre-prepared meals, or stock your freezer yourself. Dinner those first few weeks is hit or miss.

Let the house go. No one cares but you. There will be a time for chores, and the first few days/weeks while you find your grove IS NOT IT.

Snuggle that baby, and sleep every chance you get.

.. and if someone else offers to do the dishes/laundry/whatever? Say yes.

Also, make sure you take care of yourself. Take time to eat properly, and get as much sleep as possible (a tall order, I know). But taking care of yourself is important so you can take care of the baby.

Finally, enjoy this time with your new baby, because it sure does go fast!

Trust yourself. Your instincts are good.

Take a break if you need to – as someone said above, the baby will not implode if you let her cry for a few minutes to shower or get a cup of tea. After my then-6 month old bit my boob while nursing, then laughed at me when I said, “NO NO!” I had to put her in the crib and Walk Away, or I was going to do something I’d regret. You know what, recognizing my need to Walk Away made me a good mom. If you need to Walk Away, put the baby somewhere safe, and do so.

But don’t walk to the corner store or Detroit or anything – stay nearby, but far enough away that you can’t hear the crying and just breathe for a few minutes. Back yards and garages are good for this.

Your husband will do things differently. That doesn’t mean he’s wrong. Just as you can take four different highways to get from here to wherever, and all of them will eventually get you there – there’s more than one right way to do things with a baby. Your baby will actually benefit from Dad’s way. It’s ok. He doesn’t need to do everything the same way you do, and if you let him find his own way from the beginning, he’ll be much more likely to help you with the baby/kids in the long term. Only correct him or give advice when he a) asks for it or b) REALLY needs it. If he does something profoundly stupid and dangerous, of course you’ll correct him. But your instinct will (probably) be to correct every tiny thing he does with the kid, and that’ll destroy his confidence and make him far less likely to help. Be very judicious with your advice to your husband.

I loved, loved, loved my Kangaroo Korner adjustable pouch, and my second child practically lived in it. It was expensive, but it was so worth every penny. I even bought a second one for summer. The winter one is fleece and the summer one is mesh. I was crushed when she outgrew it.

Babies don’t have a lot of body fat, so if you’re comfortable in short sleeves, they’ll be comfortable in long sleeves. If you need long sleeves, they need a sweater. If you’re in a sweater, they need a sweater and an undershirt. One notch warmer than what you’re wearing is a good rule of thumb for making sure baby is comfortable. Of course, in the summer that doesn’t make sense, but if it’s 100 degrees outside, just let the baby hang around in her diaper. And feel jealous because you can’t run around in YOUR diaper!

It’s super easy to make your own baby food, and MUCH cheaper. Just throw a few peas or whatever you’re having into a blender (I used one of those infomercial Magic Bullets and it was brilliant) or squash them with a fork. Babies don’t need jarred baby food all the time. Keep it on hand for when you’re having something spicy that baby wouldn’t eat, or for when you go out. Think of it as convenience food, and you’ll save a fortune.

Speaking of food, there’s nothing magic in those special baby cereals (the kind for kids who are starting to pick things up) in the small containers. Buy Cheerios and save another small fortune.

Same goes for the juice – there’s nothing magic just because it’s Gerber or it has a baby on the label – go two aisles over and buy regular, no-sugar added, organic apple juice, and you may eventually be able to afford college.

You also don’t need nursery water. I don’t even know what that’s for. In fact, 99% of the stuff that they’ll try to sell you for the baby is just clutter that’s going to junk up your life. You need boobs, about a week’s worth of clothes, a bunch of blankets in various weights, diapers, and a couple of toys (Sassy toys are great, and cheap) to keep the baby busy, and a carseat. That’s it. Everything else is extra, and virtually all of it is unnecessary.

Most of all, remember, when things get difficult, that it will pass and tomorrow will be a better day. I know it’s cliche, but they really do grow so fast. Those phases that seem endless when you’re in the midst of them will be just a memory before you know it, so relax, give yourself a break, and just enjoy it all as much as you can.

Hugs,
Amy @ http://prettybabies.blogspot.com

I used to bathe mine when I took my bath and then hubby would come and get baby and dress them for bed and have his time while I soaked in the tub and had my time. It was so precious because the nursery was next to the bathroom and I could hear them giggling and signing. And I could relax for as long as I wanted to without guilt.

2. Daddytime means Daddy is actually caring for the baby in some way: feeding, taking for a walk, playtime, bathing, changing, comforting into sleep. It is not baby napping while Daddy does whatever. If there is an very important game, Daddy should be sure to have organized to take his time before or after.

3. Daddy may not do things the same way as you. How things are done doesn’t matter, any safe method by a loving adult will do, so let him get on with it. Help if asked, but don’t let it turn into you taking over.

4. At first, Daddytime is when you can shower or catnap. Later, since Daddytime regularly gives you time to use as you wish, you can afford to spend some of it doing chores & errands. But not always, reserve some for yourself. As soon as you are up to it, you should leave the house during extended Daddytime on the weekends, whether you are shoe shopping or grocery shopping doesn’t matter.

(You may think you have a sensitive, forward thinking, co-parenting, modern kind of Daddy-to-be. But, in my observation of friends, family, bloggers spouses, commenters spouses and my own 2 husbands: even this sort of man easily reverts to ‘I go to work, that’s my contribution!’ and any of us falls into the habit of being the only parent who works at parenting. So, pay attention! The resentment this situation creates is NOT GOOD for anyone.)