I Wish I Knew That With My First One!

For those of us who have more than one child, do you find  yourself learning about techniques, tips, or even products that you wish you would have had or known about when your first baby was born?  It's been 7 years since we have had a baby in the house.  A lot has changed in 7 years? I have learned about so many new different products, and have learned a bunch of helpful hints that I wish I would have had back when Anna was born.

Samuel is the type of baby that does NOT like to be uncomfortable.  When Ethan was a baby, I could let him wear that diaper till it was so full it would practically fall off of him. Samuel on the other hand, can't stand having a dirty diaper at ALL.

When it comes to bath time, Samuel gets uncomfortable.  He does not like to be cold and naked in the tub! I remember trying those different bath time contraptions with my first kids.  The plastic tub made for baths, the slanted metal bed like contraption covered in mesh fabric, the funky blue baby chair type of thing that suctioned to the bottom of the tub.  None of those worked perfectly.

Thanks to my smart friends who have had babies recently, I learned an invaluable bath time techinque.  Putting  a towel in the bottom of the tub and then fill it with warm water.  It must make it super soft and comfy, because Sam loves it!  I wish I would have known that tip earlier!  The first baths I gave him had to be quick because he would cry and get scared.  Not anymore!  Now I get lots of smiles and coos during bath time.

Tip #1: Use a towel in the bottom of the tub.

Baby wearing. It has been around for centuries! Cultures all over the world wear their babies.  Back when my first kids were babies, the big item to have was the snugly. It looked comfortable, everyone had them, and it looked like an awesome product.  But a trip to the zoo with Gable in the front pack snugly proved that wrong. Adam and I took turns using it, and we both left with sore backs.  I also gave the ring sling a try.  This one worked better than the snugly, but I was always paranoid that my baby would suffocate in it.  Now days, we have those awesome wraps like the sleepy wrap, or the moby wrap.  GENIUS!! No more back pulling, no more complicated hooks and buckles. Nothing but pure comfort and mobility on my part.  What has been an extra bonus, is the fact that when I use the wrap type of carrier, it's as if I get to feel a little bit of pregnancy with Samuel, holding him so close and snug to my front.  These wraps are so useful, that even my daughter Madeline has word Sam for me without any problems. What makes this even MORE attractive, is the fact that YES! You could make one yourself.

Tip #2: When wearing your baby, use a wrap!

When Ethan was a baby, and we were brand new parents knowing practically nothing about soothing a crying baby, knowing about a good tight (but not too tight of course) swaddle would have been priceless.  Yes, we could wrap him in a blanket, but we didn't know a good tight swaddling technique.  When Anna was born, my midwife taught us how her Russian moms swaddled their babies.  It's completely different than the swaddling that we all know about. We learned that babies LOVE to be tucked in snug and tight so they feel all warm and secure.  Now days you can even get ready made swaddle blankets. Which worked great for Samuel until it got too hot this summer.  A good proper swaddle is a must!

Tip #3: Learn a good swaddling technique, and use it!

There are many more items out there that I am loving, and that have made my mommy job a lot easier.  There's the Bumbo seat, the playtex drop ins bottle system, and the OH so nice co-sleeper.  I keep asking myself...why didn't they think of this sooner??

What are some of the things YOU wished you could have had when your first babies were little? What invaluable techniques have you learned over the years?