Is there anything that you wish you had done

2shihtzus

in your babies' first few months that you didn't?  I have been thinking about this, probably somewhat because of Amanda's post with things she wished she knew.

For me, I really wish that I would have taken a video at one of the kajillion times when they were both screaming and I had tried everything to calm them down but nothing worked.  When people have posted videos of both of their babies crying, I almost feel sad that it never occurred to me to do that.  Not that I enjoy babies crying but like it or not, it was a large part of my life for a few months and I want to remember what it was really like to have 2 newborns and truthfully, I barely remember what it was like and my boys are only 14 months old.  I think it would be funny for my boys to look back at when they're older but also it would maybe refresh my memory of that time (even though a lot of those memories are paaaiiinfulll).

So, since there are so many MoMs that are expecting right now, what's something that looking back you wish you had done that you didn't or something you wished you had known?

OrangeSmoke

Newborn pics.  It didn't even occur to me to arrange them ahead of time and when the babies came, I was so overwhelmed.

ditto on the videos.  We didn't do any videos before they started rolling over.  In retrospect, not sure why we didnt!

 

kafunder

This isn't from the first few months, but I wish I had taken more pics of me pregnant with my bump. We have a few but b/c i was on bedrest and always felt gross, I never wanted my picture taken. Now, I can barely remember what I looked like and wish I had more pics from when they were in my belly.

 

MrsLnt

I wish I would have hired a newborn photographer.  I took my own (I'm an amateur photographer) and it was a lot of work less than 2 weeks post c-section.  They came out okay but not great and I didn't get all the fabulous shots of both babies together like people who hire them out.  I was just tapped out financially and overwhelmed at the idea of finding a photographer.

I also wish I would have been able to have more perspective about how short the newborn phase is.  I was miserable and depressed for the first several months of my babies' lives and I really don't remember too much of anything.  I spent a lot of time alternating between crying and being angry.  I feel like I didn't appreciate having a tiny new baby because I was just so overwhelmed and wanted the time of totally helpless lump babies to go away.  

violaplayer

I wish I had let go and enjoyed it more. I was a little uptight about the babies and didn't always just enjoy them.

JosiePosy

I wish I had brought my camera with me to the NICU the day I got to hold them for the first time. DH was at home and I was still at the hospital in recovery. I went to the NICU by myself and the nurses helped me hold them. I will always remember it, but I have no pics. I also wish I had worked harder with my pumping. I might have been able to go longer than 10 weeks, but I made mistakes and I couldn't recover once my supply tanked.

SpinningJess

Great post!!  After having a singleton, I feel like I did learn somethings.  Like taking weekly bump pics, I have a few bad quality pics from my first pg (DH NOT world's best photog LOL).  Even if they are self portraits in the mirror, I have a good progression of this pregnancy.  As for NB pics....I LOVE that the hospital I'm deliverying at has professionals do the hospital pics, instead of those mug-shot type pics.  I will be buying a CD for $100 that has all of the photos on them, she said about 10-12 per child and we'll do a few with them together.  I'll have all of the rights for copying, posting and printing.  (here's a link to her page...so excited for this!  www.charleys-angels.com)

Thanks for the tip on videos of screaming babies.  Wouldn't have thought of that!

CaliDutchGrl

I wish I was more diligent about writing stuff down. I am just so busy/tired/overwhelmed/etc to take the time! I try to write down important dates on my calendar but sometimes I forget.

juliannat

kafunder:

This isn't from the first few months, but I wish I had taken more pics of me pregnant with my bump. We have a few but b/c i was on bedrest and always felt gross, I never wanted my picture taken. Now, I can barely remember what I looked like and wish I had more pics from when they were in my belly.

 

This!

2shihtzus

I agree with PP's about not taking more bump pics because of feeling like I didn't look good, I was the same way and I hate that I was like that!  I also never took bare bump pictures and I wish I would have.

I also agree about writing stuff down, I now have a calendar where I try to jot things done like first tooth etc. but I wish I would have started doing it earlier.  When people know when their babies started STTN or first smiled, I am always amazed because I really don't remember exactly.  That's not good though, I wish I did.  I hope this helps the MoMs that are expecting!

sescms2004

My biggest regret is not having a single photo of the 4 of us the day they were born, or even from the whole week we were all in the hospital together.   Granted, things were super hectic, with delivering in the operating room (even though it was a vag birth), and then both babies going straight to the NICU.  I wish so bad I would have just asked a nurse to stop for 2 seconds and snap a pic of us all together in that moment.  It makes me sad. 

thiswillbe

I wish I had gotten a picture of me holding both babies while we were still in the hospital. The one picture I have of me with both babies, I have a boob out feeding one of them. I also wish I'd done the hospital pics. I was super embarrassed about how jaundiced they were (felt it was my fault for not making enough milk) and therefore didn't get them done. Stupid! I really regret not doing newborn pics once we were home. I also wish I had done stamps or imprints of their hands and/or feet when they were tiny. This is kinda minor, but I wish I would have had a plan for storing the pictures and videos. I didn't/don't have a good filing system, and it makes it hard to find my favorites.

amanda31H

I didn't get a video camera until 6 months so I totally regret not getting earlier video of their life.

I've said this before but I didn't let anyone take pictures of me in the hospital with the girls (well...I have one) and avoided pictures with me in them when we got home.  I swelled up so much after the c-section (Hah- and I thought all my pregnancy swelling would go down after delivery....) that I felt so gross and didn't want photos to remember it.  Stupid and vain.  Should have done it- who gives a sh$t that I was swollen?  I sure don't now.

 

amanda31H

I also wish I'd done the hand and foot print things...

AND

that I wrote more milestone stuff down.  I really didn't.