Im pregnant and keeping the baby?

[Danielle]

Hey sorry im making another one on this but i need HELPFUL answers.
I'm pregnant, and the babies dad wants to help everyway he can.
We are so happy to be having this baby, were going to tell my gran in the next couple of weeks and hopefully she won't go mental.
And after we'll be traveling to tell his family.

We are surprisingly organised for this baby, we've got money all prepared for..
nappies
wipes
crib
toys.. Ect

Although this could affect my health majorly i am willing to keep my baby and raise him/ her the best way possible.
This baby will change my life so much and i understand it'll be tough, i wont have very much sleep due to the babies crying, and everyday needs.
Also i wont be able to socialise with my friends as ill be at home looking after the baby, but i can deal with that, i wouldn't change it for the world.
Having a baby is a huge responsibility but in willing to pay the consequences.

Any way can anyone advise how i can look after my baby the best way possible.
like advice on feeding or anything pls xx

[Pippin]

Your question is far too vague. Exactly what sort of advice are you looking for?
How old are you? WHat health condition do you have that can be made worse by pregnancy or child-rearing? Have you read any books on baby care? How far along are you? I trust you will be breastfeeding.

Ok -- I just looked at your past questions, and now I'm really confused.

Yesterday you posted that you didn't even know if you were pregnant yet. Today you not only know you are pregnant, but you've put money aside for everything baby needs, and have made definite plans to have and raise the baby.
You also posted a few weeks that, at 15 you had PLANNED to have a baby. So .. if you are so sure you are mature enough and ready to raise a child, why are you asking random strangers for advice on how to care for a baby? Shouldn't you have gotten all the education in place BEFORE you started trying?

[Deanna]

It's completely up to you how you feel, I tried brest feeding, yes it might sound yucky but when I gave birth it was what I felt was best, don't listen to what other people got to say about you unless it sounds good to you, every baby is different, I live on my own I am 18 and my other half lives with his mum and works all week so we never see him, so if ya on ya own I wouldn't pick the baby up to much as they will get uses to that ( after a few weeks or months) a baby can't be spoilt when new born only when about 4/5 months just remember when you have your baby you will have mother sences, there is nothing you need to worry about what you do is best trust yourself x

[mikah_smiles]

This is too large a topic to cover in Y!A. If you want to learn everything you can about basic baby care, I'd suggest seeing if the hospital you intend to give birth at has prenatal baby care classes and a breastfeeding class. Sometimes they charge a fee for these, but they are well worth the money, because they'll teach you a lot about what needs to be done. They'll also do it in a hands on way. You'll actually hold a doll and practice giving it a bath, changing diapers, etc.

If you can't afford to do that, I'd suggest looking into baby care books. You can borrow these from the library or find them at a thrift store. If you do get an older book from a thrift store, make sure that it isn't older than 2-3 years. Baby care information changes as we learn more and more, and some older books have outdated or even dangerous information in them. That's why you can't always take advice from older family members, either. Because while doctors might've recommended they do something back when you were a baby, research changes things. I'd recommend The Baby Book by Dr. William Sears. If you can afford to buy it, please do. Even experienced parents need reference manuals in the middle of the night.

Lastly, I have two pieces of advice: Firstly, babies don't need the best of everything. They won't care if the outfit they are wearing is a hand-me-down. All they want is to be safe, fed, loved and well-cared for. Save money where you can. Accept hand-me-downs when offered. Remember that clothing can be washed and plastic toys can be wiped down. The only thing I suggest buying new is the carseat and the crib mattress. These two are important for keeping your baby alive, so spend money on them to make sure they are in perfect condition. Also remember that you don't need to buy everything right away. Baby might sleep in a bassinet for the first few months, so you don't have to buy a crib right away. Same with things like high chairs and bouncers, that baby will only use later. If you stalk Craigslist, etc, you can often find real bargains on these larger items. Many people will give them away free, just to get the extra space back.

And secondly, please don't think that because you have a baby you can't go anywhere. Having a baby can be a very lonely experience, especially when you're exhausted and still healing up. It'll feel like everyone is coming to visit the baby, not to to visit with you, and it'll start to feel like your friends who don't have kids are drifting away from you. It's important to get out of the house and go and do things every day, even if it's just a half hour walk around the block. Babies are extremely portable, and newborns especially tend to just sleep. Get a sling and a newborn will happily sleep on you while you go for a long walk. It's also great exercise to lose baby weight. Get into the habit of taking baby outside. Go to the park, coffee shops, the library, etc, etc. Anywhere that kids and other mothers gather. It's important to have other parents to talk to, just so you don't feel like you're the only one going through this by yourself. You can also look for parenting groups that meet in your area, or find a Facebook group to join.

Congrats and good luck!