First Time Parents: Dos and Donts

I’ll never forget buckling my teeny tiny newborn son into his car seat for the very first time. As we secured his car seat into the backseat of our car, my husband and I turned to each other and said, “Now what? What in the world are we doing?” And the truth is, as first time parents, we had NO idea what we were doing. But through trial and error, we quickly figured a few things out. Are you about to welcome a new little one into your family? These dos and don’ts for first time parents are life savers!

I received samples and compensation in exchange for this post. All opinions are my own. 

First Time Parents: Dos and Don’ts

Dos:

• Take lots of pictures. I can promise you that no parent has ever regretted taking too many pictures of their children growing up.

Photo Credit: Jamie Harper

• Keep a journal. Time passes by SO quickly. At the end of each day, document daily happenings, funny quotes, milestones, etc.
• Take parenthood one day at a time. Bringing a child into this world can be crazy and overwhelming. However, focus on living in the moment and not stressing about the little things.

• Accept help. If someone offers to help watch your child, bring you dinner, let you take a nap, take them up on it!
• Start a routine as early as day one. Notice I didn’t say a schedule. Newborns can be difficult to gauge sometimes. Instead of scheduling times and events, outline a routine for your day. Get up, get dressed, feed baby, go on a walk, nap time, etc.
• Stock up on plenty of diapers and wipes. Trust me, you don’t want to be running to the store in the middle of the night because you ran out of diapers. Free from fragrances, Seventh Generation’s Free & Clear Diapers provide the perfect hypoallergenic diaper for every baby. Created from unbleached brown core fibers, these diapers provide babies with premium absorbency. Completely free from chlorine processing, Seventh Generation’s Free & Clear Diapers make a perfect choice for your gentle little newborn’s skin!

Don’ts:

• Don’t buy every single baby gadget on the market. If I were you, I’d start with the basics (diapers, wipes, clothes, a bassinet, blankets, etc) and then see what you actually need.
• Don’t give yourself high expectations for the first few weeks of your baby’s life. Give your new little family time to adjust and accept the fact that the house is going to be messy, the laundry pile will grow exponentially, and sleep may not happen. It takes time before you will feel like you get the hang of things. To be honest, it took me about 5 months with both of my kids before I thought to myself “I got this.”

• Don’t forget to take time for yourself. In order to properly take care of your family, you need to make sure that you’re taking care of yourself.
• Don’t forget that parenthood is one of the hardest yet rewarding adventures you’ll ever experience. And yes, it’s SO worth it!

Photo Credit: Monica Day

Thanks to Seventh Generation, preparing for baby has never been easier with their safe, natural, and effective home products. Visit Seventh Generation to learn more about their Free & Clear diapers, wipes, laundry, dish soap, and cleaning products.