Bob Mendelson - Oh Baby!: Loving (and Surviving!) Your Newborns First Year

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Table of Contents

WARNING:

This guide contains differing opinions. Hundreds of heads will not always agree. Advice taken in combination may cause unwanted side effects. Use your head when selecting advice.

INTRODUCTION

You will soon be celebrating three new holidays; Mothers Day, Fathers Day and your new babys birthday. The title of Parent will apply to you. You will be responsible for the well-being of a new member of the family. You are bound to wonder: are we ready? Big decisions and lifestyle changes lie ahead. Your priorities will change.

Unfortunately, babies dont come with an instruction manual. New parents are about to embark on a period of intense OJT (On the Job Training). However, this book will give you an opportunity to learn from hundreds of experienced parents who have been there and done that. Some of their advice will apply to you and your unique situation, and some will not. Consider which suggestions work for you; enjoy reading the others.

All babies are different and your baby is yours! You will make the right decisions for your baby and your family. You will receive much advice from many sources. Decide (as a couple) whom to ask for advice: who are the experienced parents you admire? Family members and close friends are often helpful, but you may be treated as if you have no experience (and/or no sense). Learn to graciously ignore unrequested advice without antagonizing the advisoryou might need them to babysit later.

By now your obstetrician has been selected. Now you want to find the pediatrician who will help guide you and your family for the next two decades. Spend time shopping for the best physician. Ask trusted friends and relatives for recommendations. When the same name or pediatric group keeps coming up, make an appointment for a prenatal visit. If possible, both parents should attend, prepared with a long list of questions. Find out all you can about the pediatrician, his/her group, call schedule, practice style, availability in case of emergency, and so forth. Compatibility in this two-decade relationship is most important.

Above all, enjoy this most exciting and challenging time in your life.

ROBERT A. MENDELSON
M.D., F.A.A.P.

LITTLE HEADS

So youll know just how expert our parent-respondents really are, weve included their credentials in this book. Look for these icons and numbers:

= A son
= A daughter
= Twins
= Pregnant
Numeral = age in years except:
M = Months
W = Weeks

CHAPTER 1

Birth: A Very Special Delivery

Another reason for choosing your pediatrician prior to your due date is that he or she might be needed to help in the unusual event that a pediatrician is needed to help with the baby in the first minutes of life. Most deliveries will go as expected, and your new baby will be placed in your arms with many smiles and congratulations. However, occasionally your obstetrician requests the attendance of a pediatrician at the delivery. This can happen in cases of premature birth (so choose early), multiple births, the need for a cesarean section, or if the obstetrician notices anything that indicates your baby may be in distress. With modern monitoring technology, fetal distress can be diagnosed early and steps can be taken to minimize risk. Having your pediatrician present to take care of the baby can put your minds at rest. Youll know that everything possible is being done to assure a wonderful outcome.

ONE OF THE HARDEST PARTS ABOUT HAVING A BABY is actually having the baby. Make sure to scream loudly in jubilation and celebration!

LOIS
BURIEN, WASHINGTON

MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE EXTRA ROOM for rush hour. There was just nothing more frustrating in the world than being stuck in slow traffic for the birth of our son. Luckily, we still made it to the hospital, but we cut it much closer than we would have liked.

DEKE
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA

MY WATER BROKE A MONTH EARLY with our second child. My husband, John, was at the other end of the house in our room. We didnt have anything ready for the hospital. I wandered around the house in a fog putting my bag together, while my husband followed behind me saying, You dont need that. We have to GO!

PAT CURRY
WATKINSVILLE, GEORGIA

---

Labors not as tough as everyone tells you. It was the greatest day of my life.

M.H.
13M

---

DELIVERY PLAN

Every well-prepared couple should develop a delivery plan to discuss with their obstetrician during prenatal visits. It is a good idea to prepare this plan during the second trimester (middle three months of the pregnancy) so that changes can be made if appropriate. Here are some decisions that should be made:

1. Who can (and will) be in the labor room with Mom.

2. Type of anesthesia, and use of medications for pain.

3. Location of hospital where baby will be born.

4. Specific preferences of the family and of the parents-to-be.

The obstetrician will discuss the types of deliveries available and what would constitute reasons for a C-section. A meeting of the minds of the doctor and both parents provides peace of mind through this wonderful but sometimes nerve-wracking process.

I HAD PLANNED FROM THE BEGINNING to have a home birth. I was at peace with the idea up until an hour before my daughter was born. At that point I was screaming to be taken to the hospital! But my friend, a midwife, was there, and she reminded me that I wanted a home birth, and to stay true to that. With no regrets, I got what I wanted.

JEANNE-MARIE CROWE
FAIRFAX, CALIFORNIA
11W

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