Me and my husband are expecting our first in 3 wks?

and neither of us took any newborn care classes or anything, will everything come naturally? Is there anything really important I should know? Like I am confused on why you lay a baby on his back when they spit up all the time, won't they choke on their own vomit?Me and my husband are expecting our first in 3 wks?
I didn't take any classes nor did my husband and we did just fine. At first it was hard and we looked at each other like ';WTF are we doing?'; But, eventually we got the hang of it. Don't expect to be a pro at being a mommy the first few days but it eventually comes natural to you.





My advise, don't mess around when changing a diaper, they can get you at any time! Expect to have all of your shirts with a spit up stain. Sleep when your baby is sleeping because girlfriend, you are going to be exhausted. The chores around the house will eventually get finished. If someone offers you help, take it, don't be ashamed or embarassed. If someone asks you what you need, tell them a load of laundry, nap or a meal. Your baby is going to want to be held constantly, do it. He/she will only be that little for a small amount of time. Next thing you know, they are 6 months and wanting down to crawl around (where i am now lol). Unless you plan on cosleeping, don't put the baby in your bed only because they get too used to it. It's a little hard to break. Take a million pictures because their looks change quickly. You will learn more %26amp; more as time goes on. Don't be afraid to call the pediatrician, they are used to it.





Last but certainly not least, take a breather. Relax the next 3 weeks as much as you can. Sleep like you never slept before because I am telling you, lol, you will be so tired the first few days.Me and my husband are expecting our first in 3 wks?
We never took any classes either. It isn't natural, but a lot of it is common sense. Babies usually spit up right after they eat, so when you finish feeding him/her you need to sit them in an upright position for about 20-30 minutes, like in a swing or bouncy chair, or we would just hold him like that. THEN put him/her on their back to sleep. but if it is the daytime and they are awake, put them on their belly as much as possible!





Also if you have a C-section baby they spit up waaay more because none of the vernix gets squeezed out of them like babies that are born naturally.





We bought the ';What to Expect the First Year';. it is amazing and tells you literally EVERYTHING you need to know
they don't usually choke on their spit up, because they usually spit up only when they burp, and you burp them right after every feeding because they can't burp themselves yet. you lay them on their back because they can't turn their head yet and could suffocate on the mattress.


the nurses at the hospital can help you with newborn care. make sure that before you leave the hospital you are both comfortable with changing diapers, swaddling, and getting the baby in and out of the car-seat. make sure you know how to burp the baby, and ask for tips on how to calm a crying baby. if you are bottle feeding you should both be comfortable with preparing and giving bottles, and if you are breastfeeding you should make sure you have established a good latch. know the signs to look for to tell if your baby is hungry. and how to tell if the baby is getting enough to eat. write everything down so you can look at it once you get home.


also know that you have to sponge bathe the baby until the belly button has healed (and circumcision if it's a boy and you choose to have that done).


and if the baby has jaundice (yellow color) you can put them is sun coming through a window to help it clear up.
Congrats on your little one! I'm also due in 3 weeks, but this is my second child. With my first i was 17 years old when I had him. I never took a newborn care class or anything like that. It all pretty much came to me and if I had any questions I asked my grandma but mostly it came to me. My husband now at the he was my boyfriend is the one who had the trouble because he was terrified to hold little babies and try and feed them, and he still is. And he has 2 brothers and a sister that are a year older than our first child, plus 3 more younger siblings. It just depends on how you feel. Good luck and best wishes!
We didn't take classes either. When we were in the hospital we asked lots of questions. My husband changed his first diaper in the hospital. I had lots of practice with that before with my nieces and nephews. Also my mom was a big help those first few weeks. I called her with like a dozen questions a day . Be prepared for feeling like a zombie when the baby is born. The lack of sleep was one of the hardest adjustments to make.
like everybody said before me, parenting does not come naturally. but you will be fine. even to the most prepared couple, parenting can still hit like a brick.





babies are supposed to sleep on their backs to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome [SIDS. could be caused by being suffocated by pillows, blankets.. babies dont have good control of their neck]





no, baby wont choke on his own spit up. most babies like to sleep with their head to the side anyway, so its no problem.





until your baby has control of his neck, dont put any pillows or blankets with baby in the crib.





dont forget the scratch mittens in your hospital bag. newborns have SHARP nails. my son came home with scratches on his face because i brought these generic mittens with sucky elastic.





you dont have to clean babys umbilical cord with alcohol at every diaper change. studies have shown that alcohol could actually make the cord take longer to fall off. my friend used alcohol to clean her sons cord.. it took more than 2 weeks for it to fall off.


the nurses at the hospital i gave birth at told me to just keep the cord nice and dry. if it gets dirty, then swab it with a wet cotton ball. my sons cord fell off in exactly one week.





are you having a boy? decide now if you want him circumcised or not.





beware of diaper changing time... especially for baby boys. you'll find out just how scary changing a diaper can be.





SLEEP WHEN BABY SLEEPS.


..i mean it.
Me and my husband did not take any classes and in my opinion we are great parents. you will be so surprised how natural everything comes to you. enjoy this wonderful experience it is the best thing that will ever happen to you and your husband and you are going to fall in love with each other and the baby all over again. good luck and everything will be great for you!! enjoy
We never took any classes and our daughter is a happy, healthy 1 year old now. And neither of us had ANY experience with newborns before our daughter.


It does come naturally, even if you take those classes, parenting is something you learn as you go.





And for the sleeping on their back, it's to reduce SIDS and rebreathing. Most babies turn their head to one side while sleeping, so most of the spit up gets drooled out.
You'll do great and you'll be fine. It really does come natural and they honestly do send you home with a packet of information with all kinds of your questions answerd that you can refer to.





Babies need to be slept on their backs becuase it reduces the risk of SIDS.. When they lay on their backs they turn their heads one way or the other so they won't choke on their spit up.. Also keep all blankets, pillows, toys, etc out of their sleeping area %26amp; make sure they are wearing well fitted sleepers.
I didn't take newborn classes either, It really all comes naturally. Kids don't come with directions, because every single child is different. The reason why they tell you to place your children on their back when they sleep is to reduce the risk of sids. (sudden infant death syndrome) No they wont choke on their vomit. They turn their head. Just sit back and enjoy your baby!
There's still time to buy a comprehensive baby book and start flicking through it. You will need it sometimes! I often look through mine when I have a little Q and want to make sure I'm doing the right-ish thing.


My book is Baby Love by Robin Barker. It's got all kind of info in there.
Take a class... now. its not all natural. There is a LOT to learn and its better to learn now than when he/she gets here.