Today’s unsolicited parenthood advice.
The Things I Wish Someone Would Have Forced Me to Believe:
1) Invest in a quality bathtub mat, the pregnant lady and, eventually, your water-loving baby, as well as your sanity, will thank you.
2) Infant-safe fingernail clippers. Enough said.
3) Buy, cook, or steal many weeks’ worth of already prepared meals for freezer and/or refrigerator storage before baby is born. Sleep-deprivation plus hormones don’t mix with meal times or sharp objects. Just trust me. Unless you want to order out every day. Both have pros and cons.
4) Purchase at least two of the smallest flashlights you can find…dollar store, Wal-Mart, whatever. Use in conjunction with tip #2. It works even into toddlerhood and, I suspect, up to age 10. Minimum.
5) Don’t take anyone’s advice, learn as you go. If your gut tells you something, go with it. We’re all crazy when it comes to our baby anyway.
The Serious Sh*t You Won’t Believe Until You’ve Experienced It Yourself, the (Mostly) Female Series:
1) Postpartum depression is no joke. Talk about it, research it, and get help if you need it. No one should have to be scared of their thoughts regarding their baby and their body. Fathers are not immune, either.
2) Don’t be afraid to tell anyone, however well-meaning they can be, to politely…well, you know what I’m saying. Your body, your baby, your standard of care, and, at the end of the day, what you are comfortable with.
3) Delete your entire phone’s camera gallery exactly 5 mins before baby’s birth. You will no longer care about the best vacation you ever had. In 3 days, your phone will rudely announce it is close to capacity and demand you purchase more space. Buy 10 flash drives. And on baby’s first birthday, buy 5 more to get you through the next 6 months.
4) Things you can never have enough of: wash cloths, nursing bras, baby socks, and pacifiers (if you choose). This stuff seemingly disappears overnight. I’m positive it will resurface when baby graduates high school.
Stay tuned for future advice articles, perhaps titled: The Things I Never Thought I’d Say Out Loud.
