Newborn Survival Tips

My friend Cristi at work, a few weeks from being due with her first baby, recently made the rounds to the moms on our floor to ask for "last-minute advice." I remember this anxious time in my first pregnancy, when I realized that for all the nursery-decorating, layette-coordinating, and breathing exercises, I wasn't anywhere near ready to handle a newborn.

I got great advice from my friends and learned a few tricks of my own about surviving those first few weeks. Would the experienced moms out there comment on this post with their hard-won wisdom, too?

Here's some of the best advice I've picked up:

1. Make sure you have a digital clock -- i.e. one you can see in the dark -- in your nursery or wherever you plan to nurse. Put it somewhere you can see it easily, so you can keep track of what time and how long you have nursed. A night light is a good idea, too, so you don't have to blind yourself by flipping a switch for those nocturnal diapy changes.

2. Also have a clipboard, paper and pen ready in the nursery, so you can diligently record said nursings and diaper changes. The pediatrician will want a detailed account when you bring the baby in for those early check-ups. If you want to get fancy, you can make a chart so you just have to fill in: Date / Time / Wet / Dirty / Nursed (which side first? how many minutes?)/ Comments (such as "Is it possible to function on this little sleep?")

3. Zip sleepers are awesome, so you don't have to fumble with snaps, which you will inevitably mis-match in the dark -- and probably in the light, too, come to think of it. When I was pregnant, I thought the "sleep sack" (i.e. nightgown) concept sounded ideal, but it never worked for my kids -- they always ended up with their little chicken legs hanging out in the cold. For reasons I still don't understand, it's hard to find zip sleepers, but I highly recommend getting a few.

4. Set up changing and nursing stations all over your house, not just in the nursery. For changing, it's as simple as a basket of diapers, wipes and a changing pad and some extra onesies. As for the nursing stations, just be sure you have a comfortable place to sit -- with pillows or Boppy handy -- and that you are able to see a clock easily. Have a glass of water, cordless phone, magazine and remote within reach before you sit down with baby.

5. Medela's Clean Micro-Steam Bags are one of my favorite products ever -- the easiest way to nuke the nasties out of bottles, nipples, pacifiers, breast-pump parts, etc. Just rinse everything and put it in the bag with a little water and microwave it. We still use them to keep sippy cup valves from getting gunky.

6. The first few weeks will be harder than you ever imagined. The first time around, I was convinced that the rest of my life would be like this (achey, sleep-deprived, hormonally imbalanced and manic). But it does get easier, very, very quickly. When you are so tired you can't remember your husband's name (or why you thought it was such a grand idea to produce this precious, screaming little creature with him), don't forget it does get easier.