Well, the days of sleeping in and resting as much as you want are over by the time you take that first child home. Once the children are all out of the house, you'll be too old to sleep in. So here's how I, as a man, felt getting ready to go home from the hospital:
1)First, I don't know that I even showered the two days at the hospital, so that was grose. On top of that, I had just changed a few dirty diapers for the first time. What's with all this recording every "bowel movement" and pee action that takes place?( I know there's a real medical reason...) It's just one more thing for parents to worry about. Listen, if the baby isn't going to the bathroom you'll know. Yet, and the guilty will remain unknown, I know people who were still recording BM's for weeks. Why can't we just call it "poop"?
2)I realize some people have home births, car births, etc,. but typically parents start to get everything packed up and ready to go home. I've gotta be honest here. I wasn't ready to go. People were waiting on us, and I kind of liked it. Plus, because we didn't have cable for the second and third child, I was all about the cable.
3)At this point, it's time to put that "perfect" take home outfit that you've been waiting to put on a six pound baby that can't even hold his/her head up. Just getting the legs through is hard enough! Are you kidding me? What kind of marketing scheme have we fallen prey to? This need to have a special outfit just to sit in the car just might have signaled the beginning of our country's economic downfall. What a waste of money! And then you get home and swaddle the baby so he/she can sleep, so the clothes are hidden anyway!
4)Well, you've got everything together and head out the door to put the baby seat into the carseat base. Now, I'm glad I have a rule-following, researching wife, because when I got the to van to put the carseat in I didn't even know which way the carseat went. I played it off well, and the nurse never knew. Men, newborns are rear-facing. On this note, make sure you check how to use the carseat correctly. It freaks me out to see how some of our friends use their carseats. There's a carseat manual for a reason!
5)You finally arrive home, and reality sets in. The men are going to play basketball, and you're left changing a poopy diaper, entertaining a house full of guests wondering, "How did this happen?"
Don't worry, regardless of how new and scary this all is, it's part of God's plan, and the new life is one of the most precious things you will ever hold in your hand.
Financial Tip of the Day:
Don't try to keep pace with the Joneses and feel like you need to buy a "new" car. There are plenty of great, more affordable new vehicles that satisfy what you need, not want.
Questions:
1)What's the dumbest/awkward thing you did the first day with the baby home?
2) Have you noticed a lot of people putting their child's lives in danger because they don't know how to use the carseat correctly? Should people say something to their friends? This can be tricky.
My cousin and her husband completely unthreaded the car seat straps to put in the newborn head support thing, not realizing the head support had snaps that could be unsnapped and placed around the strap. Dumb, not unsafe. :)
ReplyDeleteI have been enjoying the words of wise ole Matt again! It has been so long! Ha.
Thanks for those words. Wow, taking car seats apart can be a nightmare!
Deletefirst of all you should buy a NEW car, you should buy American, and you should specifically buy from a little place called Perkins motor city Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram dealership. way to under sell the family business. second some of these cars are AMAZING for parents. when you're carrying in a baby and 20 grocery bags, and still have to find a way to close the tailgate, 1 word FRUSTRATING. with the new Dodge Durango that problem is solved! just hit the tailgate button conveniently located at a level you reach it, the tailgate automatically closes for you. carrying a car seat a diaper bag and your purse? no you don't have to set those items down in order to unlock the car! hands free un lock senses when you're close to the car, and unlocks thecar for you! so my dear Matt, let's promote these new cars, for their ingenuity, their thinking, and their belief in the American spirit!!!
DeleteI understand your point about the new vehicle. We have a minivan and much prefer that over the foreign 2-door Honda Civic I drive (who wants to buy the car from me?). However, those things you mention about the car are "nice" but not necessary, especially if it puts people into debt or into financial strain!
ReplyDelete