Advice to New Parents 1
by Paul FischerMy child is a little more than 3 years old now. It’s time to write down some basic stuff I’ve figured out in the hopes that someone else can use it.
This is the best advice I’ve been able to round up. I hope it helps:
What do you really need for a “newborn starter kit”? – You really need to read the comments on this one. Listen to the podcasts in the later comments from the Mean Mommy’s Club. Hopefully their archives are still online.
Watch this TED talk:
More stuff:
My child loved homemade baby food when transitioning off formula. We mixed equal parts banana and avocado in the food processor with a bit of lime juice to keep the mix from going brown. Then we lined old fashion ice cube trays with plastic wrap, put the banana-cado in, and put more plastic wrap on top. Once frozen, we transferred the banana-cado cubes into tupperware for freezer storage. We could then pull one one or two cubes at a time, nuke them, and serve them at room temp.
DO NOT READ the book ‘What to Expect When You’re Expecting’. It will scare the pants off you with things you don’t need to know about unless your doctor says you need to know about them.
If you have any sort of hiccup with the pregnancy, you doctor may order weekly ultrasounds. Oddly, these will last as long as your health care will pay for them. It’s a racket, but it’s a very very reassuring racket.
Anyone who insists you need a “baby wipe warmer” is an idiot. Get them out of your life as soon as you can.
Check your local FreeCycle group. There are people out there like me who are desperate to get old baby things out of their house. You will be doing them a favor by taking them.
If you need formula, Costco has some of the cheapest and they ship ultra large containers. We used the Organic kind, which was $1.25 to $1.50 per ounce in the store. Costco had it for just under a buck an ounce.
Pick a good bottle and buy a bunch. Also buy a microwave sterilizer for it. You’ll want it for the first little while anyway. When you’re done, give it to someone else on FreeCycle.
For older parents, the less complicated sippy and straw cups are the best. Most leak and are near impossible to clean. These are the sippy and straw cups I like best.
Random Thoughts:
- Put your child down
- Wear your baby
- Don’t freak out
- If you ever ever ever think you’re a bad parent, listen to Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History episode – Suffer the Children. Unfortunately, I think this episode is no longer free but it’s worth the cost of admission at Dan Carlin’s website.
I hope this stuff helps.