1. that pampers is the best and most reasonably-priced disposable diaper (i don’t like the adhesives on huggies–pampers’ are refastenable and easier to take off without startling baby, especially when he’s sleeping). and for nighttime, pampers all-nights saves you money and trouble once baby learns to sleep though the night. but for the first month, expect baby to go through at least 4 diapers through the night for weewees and runny poopies, so don’t use the all-nights yet. rest assured that baby’s erratic and frequent bowel movement eventually will settle and go down to twice a day–during the day, as early as the second month.
2. that avent bottles (and silicone nipples) are virtually indestructible. they’re anti-colic and well worth the almost php 400 price tag per 4 oz bottles. you will only need 3, by the way. and if you like, another for water and juice, once baby is 6 months old. a cheaper brand will do because soon baby will shift into sippy cups. up to now, anton doesn’t mind we still use 4 oz bottles for his milk. anton has both avent and pigeon bottles, and he likes the avent bottles better.
3. that babies outgrow baby carriers very fast. we have two, a baby bjorn (formerly owned by my nephew) and an evenflo snugli. for some reason anton (and A) seems to like the bjorn better. but the snugli is easier to use, and is as sturdy (and as the name suggests, fits baby snugly). and it’s only USD 20 versus the cheapest bjorns at USD 75. i am skeptical of those hippy slings that they tout to be cheaper and more natural alternative to branded carriers; i constantly worry about properly supporting the baby’s neck and back, as well as the baby’s comfort, especially when the baby’s heavier (you can’t imagine how much babies grow in a week!).
4. that if you’re using disposables on your baby, you don’t have to buy birdseye diapers anymore, but a couple dozens of small gauze diapers will come in handy for spit-ups, and they’re flexible to use as bibs when you run short. (actually, i prefer gauze diapers to bibs.) also, they’re softer for wiping baby’s very delicate skin. made the mistake of buying 2 dozens of quality birdseye; they’ve been sitting uselessly on a shelf of anton’s dresser for 9 months now because i couldn’t find any use for them.
5. that cheerios is the best snack for babies starting to eat solid food. it’s fun and healthy for baby to eat, and it’s fun and healthy for you, too.
6. that babies get bored, too. they need a constant change of scene, because they get tired of staring at the same things over and over. so once the baby gets antsy–especially after you’ve burped him and checked his nappy a million times already–try seeing things from his perspective. your baby is not colicky; chances are he’s just bored out of his wits. so get your bum off the sofa and off the front of your TV set!
7. that it you can afford it, buy one crib for the bedroom and one playpen for the day (most playpens come with a bassinet). needless to say, be prepared to rearrange your furniture to accommodate a playpen in your living room.
8. that breastfeeding is the fastest way to shed the baby pounds. i lost 25 pounds during the first week, and continued to lose 5 more during the second week. i ended up losing more pounds (30 lbs) than i gained during the whole of my pregnancy (25 lbs).
9. that, corollary to no. 8, sadly, you cannot lose the baby pouch merely by breastfeeding. you still have to start doing those crunches after your sixth month to tone up your abs. rest assured, constantly lifting and carrying baby works wonderfully for your arms and shoulder muscles.
10. that motherhood is so incredibly wonderful, and that babies grow up too fast!
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