1. You pack an overnight bag for the hospital within the first week of hearing that you are expecting. (With my first pregnancy, I felt I could never be too prepared)
2. Buying newborn 2-piece baby outfits that are shorts or short-sleeves (I learnt from other moms very quickly that a newborn needs to be in a onesies because you don’t want the shirt to lift up and expose their stomaches. Also, it doesn’t matter if it is summer the newborn always needs to be fully covered because their immunity is more suceptible to colds)
3. You buy too many 0-3 month baby clothes (When I had my first daughter, only one of the newborn outfits fit because she was born a long baby. The one outfit that did fit only got one wear because babies grow so fast.
4. Buying lotions and creams from brand names popular in other catergories is a No-No (I bought body lotion from a luxury baby furniture store and it gave my newborn a rash. The pediatrician said stick to “Eucerin or Cetaphil for baby lotions and washes.”
5. Not drinking enough water if you are nursing (I learnt this lesson the long and hard way. Staying hydrated helps tremendously in producing milk for you baby.)
6. Not having enough crib sheets or a crib liners (Once a baby spits up or has diaper leakage than the sheet and liner needs to be changed and a new sheet needs to put on the crib before their next nap.)
7. Not buying suitable baby bottles A valid reason to cry over spilt milk. Remembering to buy suitable baby bottles especially if you are pumping. (I bought baby bottles that had the nipple, bottle and an additional ring that goes on top of the bottle but under the cap. Many days forgetting to add that ring has resulted in milk all over a cranky baby waiting for me to pump a new bottle.)
8. Wave off additional Help (You won’t realize how overwhelming being a mother for the first time is and all of the responsibilities that go along with it. Make a mental roladex of all of the families and friends that offer help and take them up on it.)
9. Headstrong about Natural Child Birth (All the power to the moms that go through with it but I have seen many change their minds once they start having contractions.)
10. Very opinionated about child-rearing (Many parents become lax in judging other parents once they walk in those same shoes.)
