Mom Advice

     As a first time mom, I have got some amazing advice form a lot of people. There a few things that stand out to me, and some that I have tweaked to make them my own advice.

1. Sleep when the baby sleeps: this is very true because babies tend to keep you up all night their first couple of months. I tried to do this with my son, but I could only sleep half the time he did. Thankfully by his second month, he was sleeping all through the night. We still got up and fed him throughout the night because he still needed his feedings. This was one method that definitely worked for me.
2. When breastfeeding, cluster feed too: I tried to breast feed because it was something I felt was right for my baby. I tried for about a month, and I couldn't get my baby to latch no matter how hard I tried. I ended up being able to pump just enough to make him a bottle every once in a while, but not as much as I needed to be pumping. As I prepare for the new baby, i am going to try breastfeeding again, and hopefully I will be successful.Everyone has recommended that I get the Body Armour drinks and do the Strawberry Banana ones, and the Watermelon Strawberry ones because of the ingredients that are in them.
3. Start reading to your baby and talking to your baby: This is very true because from a young age, babies understand what you are saying to them. they watch your actions when you speak, and they get use to that routine that you do with them every day. I started reading to my baby when I was pregnant with him, and I continued doing the same thing as he got older. My mom reads him a lot of books when she keeps him, and it is building up his vocabulary. He said his first words when he was 4-5 months old. They have always been gibberish until then, and he has made semi sentences since. We understand him when he says certain things because it sounds like the actual word, but we have worked with him on this.
4. Hold and cuddle your baby always: I know what you're thinking, "Doesn't she know that spoils the babies into being held constantly?" Actually a baby depends on you 24/7, 365 days a year. When a baby cries, it is because they are hungry, have a dirty diaper, want to be cuddled, or do not feel good. You are their source of comfort. Rather you're the dad or mom, the baby cries for you because you bring them comfort. As a mom, I have separation anxiety from my son, so it makes things really hard when he is away from me. I did not have a baby just to abandon it when it needs me most. So yes hold your baby when it's crying because it might just need to know you love it.
5. Watch your tone with your partner: Babies have this sense where they pick up on the tension in the room, the same as any person. When a baby senses the tension and hears strong tones being used to someone in the room, the automatically start crying because they try to stop what is happening. As they get older they hear certain words, and it triggers the memory from when they were a baby and their parents were fighting. I have always said that I never wanted my baby to hear his parents fight, but he has more than once. I hate it for him when he gets older, but I will explain it to him so maybe he will understand it better.