Exciting times! You've told everyone you're pregnant. Soon you won't be able to go anywhere or do anything without some well-meaning soul giving you a bit of advice.

One of the best pieces of advice I was given before I had my first baby was to relax and enjoy the baby and not to worry about stupid things like housework. The house will be there in 3 months time but you can never recapture the time spent with a newborn baby.

We asked our members what was the best and most useful advice they were given before and/or after the birth.

Don't treat pregnancy as an illness and enjoy every minute.
curlykez

Think one of my best pieces of advice was to sleep when baby sleeps so if during the day your baby has a nap you should have a nap too. The first few months can be tiring for a new mum. Actually umm years.......
emmared

The best advice I was given before the birth was to accept help after the baby was born. I think pride gets in the way sometimes but you really do need all the help you can get in those first few weeks, whilst you are getting used to being a mom for the 1st time!

The best advice after the birth was to always go with your instincts. No one knows a child better than their mother... no truer word spoken than that!
blondelou

When another mum goes on about their baby who's the same age as yours sleeping through - just ignore them as its normally a lie.
vickianboyz

I think you should....
1. Rest as much as possible in the 2 weeks before baby arrives.
2. Leave all housework and let friends and family help with it all when they visit.
3. When baby sleeps, you sleep and don't try to catch up with house work.
4. ENJOY THEM, they are not babies for long
GillianD

The best advice I received was:
1. Enjoy them while you can as they grow up so quick
2. Go with your instincts not what other people tell you to do as a mum always knows their baby best
3. Don't be so proud and let others help (Before having Corey I did everything. I wouldn't let Paul do the washing, cook tea or anything as I had to have it done my way but after I just let him as I spent all my time fussing over corey)
and last but not least
4. Invest in a good buggy! I've spent over £400 on 4 separate buggys which all ended up being rubbish if only I'd invested in a good one to start with I would probably have saved a few quid
zoelouise88

My advice would be:
1. DO NOT BLINK, or before you know it they will be one year old
2. Take any help offered, it means you can spend more time with the baby
3. Try and schedule visiting so that you aren't watching the door every 5 mins to see whose visiting next.
4. Have a good stock of essential baby stuff in before the birth so that you don't have to go far for a week or two
5. Definately get an online shop, food shopping with a baby whilst "tender" is not a good idea!
Amadamico

My baby sister has two gorgeous kiddies and she was my strength and my guide during my pregnancy even though she was in New York. She organised all the things she thought I would need like cot, tummy tub (I was pertified I would drown the baby if I used a normal baby bathtub), clothes of all ages up to a year and then she coached me on the birth...

Wanna know what she told me? It's pretty graphic if this is your first labour but she was TOTALLY spot-on..

She told me that it might be unimaginable now but there will come a time when the bump will have to come out and some insane person will tell me to 'push' and I should imagine that I had to do a really big, hard, constipated poop - she also said I should imagine thatI was trying to crap out a watermelon - so that I would focus on the back-hole, not the front...

I laughed like a lunatic when she told me (that was surely her being over-dramatic and exaggerating it, right?!?) but it was quite spooky 'cos when I heard someone tell me to 'push', her voice came into my head and I did just what she'd said! It was really quite easy after that...he shot out like a cannonball and they all had to rush to catch him
Mummy Lorrie

Do a lot of cooking and freeze in batches for the first couple of days after the baby arrrives.
Arrange for someone to drop and pick up other kids from school for first 2 weeks.
Everyone who came round when i fed the baby i'd get then to burp him.!!
Also if anyone wants to come round to visit, tell them to bring their own snacks!
Naz1996

Don't be afraid to say no. People obviously want to visit, but if you're too tired to see them then just tell them no!
Jaidynsmum

I was told......
"'Let gravity do the work!'
and for the labour
'Don't fight the contractions and work with them. Let the buoyancy of the water relieve your pain and focus on pushing the head out, that's the hardest bit!'
The best advice I received after the birth was from my very supportive partner Geoff.....
'Don't do too much at once. Forget the housework and focus on bonding with your baby. You'll have a million and one things you'll want to do but it'll have to wait. Accept my help and everyone else's that they offer. Don't try to be Supermum or Superhuman, your body cannot take it, like it or not you are physically damaged and it will be many months before you recover. All I want you to do is sit there and feed the baby. Unfortunately, I can't do that as I'm sure he'll prefer your boobs to mine. Now please, just sit there and feed him when he needs it and for Godsake, talk to me about how you're feeling. I know you're feeling really, really low, but I also know you know it's mostly hormones compounded by physical pain. Talk to me and I'll do all I can to take your pain away, just let me help'.
Sel

The best piece of advice I was given was don't try and get back in your pre pregnancy clothes straight away and give your body chance to get over the birth. I'm still waiting for it to remember I have a washboard stomach and I'm a perfect 10!
babybrett

It's completely random but someone recommended straws for the delivery. And it was true. I couldn't possibly have held a glass.
And also to pack a dark coloured towel for the shower/ bath afterwards
drainpipe

Sleep when the baby's sleeping and spend time with them instead of doing the housework
Also, stock up the freezer, make sure your hospital bag's packed before your due date, put some chocolate in the hospital bag (and share it with your partner if you're feeling generous!) and buy some comfy pyjamas because you probably won't be wearing anything else for the first couple of weeks
hopeful3

Best piece of advice I was given for the labour was to try to stay calm and focused. and thats what I did. I just kept concentrating on seeing my little one so that I forgot all about everything else -although not the pain!
callumsmum

1. Listen to your instincts, rather than other people!
2. NEVER say you'll never do something with your child when you see an older child doing something, likelihood is you'll eat your words.
3. Use cheap sanitary towels after the birth, the Always type draw moisture away and make any stitches pull - the cheaper the better, even if they do feel like bricks in your knickers
iolaus

KC
March 2009

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I'm pregnant - what should I do now? - Whether you decide to continue with your pregnancy, or not, find out what happens next. (External Link)

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