Moms Confess: My Craziest Worry when My First Baby was Born
By Charlotte Hilton Andersen, REDBOOK
"Don't forget to hold his head! And keep his feet covered! And, please, don't walk while you're carrying him!" As my friend shouted instructions to the two of us sitting on the couch holding her baby, my other friend and I looked at each other and blurted in unison, "First-time mom!" As we giggled, I remembered what first-time motherhood was like for me. Two years of trying to have a baby can make you a little crazy, so when my first son was born, I was a wee bit overprotective. And by that, I mean I slept next to his bassinet on the floor with the lights on all night long so I could check his breathing. Every 20 minutes. Thankfully, we're not alone in our neuroticism. 10 moms share their best first-time mom stories:
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1. "I wouldn't drive with my first baby for almost a month. I refused to leave her alone in the back seat. Baby and I went nowhere unless my friends came to pick me up and drop me off. " -Krista
2. "I had my firstborn next to our bed in a cradle. I also had a baby monitor in his cradle so I could hear him breathe even though he was only three to four feet away. That was 12 years ago. Second baby...slept on his stomach." -Shannon
3. "The first night after our son was born, my husband heard him spit up and immediately had a panic attack. He thought that the baby would certainly choke to death on it if he so much as sat down again. I got some great sleep, but hubby spent the rest of the night pacing the room!" -Kerri
4. "With my firstborn, I tried to keep everything silent in the house. I literally tiptoed past his room and never did laundry or anything else that made noise while he slept." -Robyn
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5. "For her first birthday, my daughter did not get to plunge into a frosting covered cake. I made her eat a very healthy carrot cake. My father-in-law teased me about it whenever he had the chance." -Melissa
6. "My first son had terrible jaundice. I was constantly asking my husband, "Do you think the baby looks less yellow now?" And he would answer, "Not any less than fifteen minutes ago." -Jess
7. "I wouldn't even let my son ride in a car with my parents (who I trust 100%) for a couple years. I also didn't want to leave him with anyone except my parents. I made sure I was home for his naps and washed his hands like crazy."-Shannon
8. "I put a dental mirror to her nostrils to see if she was breathing. She was a very quiet sleeper!" -Kim
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9. "I had my son in a bassinet next to me. I worried he would quit breathing in the middle of the night, so I would try to sleep with my hand lightly over his stomach to feel him breathing. Then, I became paranoid that I might accidentally push too hard or my hand would move in my sleep... those were a few sleepless nights! At this point, my husband saved my sanity by moving the baby to the crib in the other room and putting our monitor to use!" -Amy
10. "When my oldest was two months old, I had my mother-in-law come over to babysit for a few hours. I wrote two full pages of very detailed instructions for her to follow. She was very gracious and didn't give me any grief about it, even though she'd raised seven babies of her own!" -Melissa
Did you do anything as a new mom that seems a little silly to you now?
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