Its a BOY! (Week 1)

WOW a boy! Being the youngest of 3 boys from the eldest of 6 boys, having a girl first really put the weight of an anvil right on my heart. What do I know about girls? Do I have to think before I speak now? Do I have to have a tea party? Though instantly realising I still have some time before I have to put the seat back down, these and many more questions came to mind but I would not change it for the world. Young girls are loving, caring, playful, gentle and will melt your heart at the blink of an eye.

For now, I have a son. The name lives on, oh the stories and beers we shall share. The anticipation was crippling. We did not know the sex of the baby and during the last ten months found this to be quite rare and a little ostracising. I received looks and comments from friends and strangers that made me feel inferior or small pox ridden, but just because you can does not necessarily mean you should. There are very few surprises left in this world of 24hr news and instant gratification but it was not an issue at all, until the last few weeks when all you want to do is meet the new member of your family. This feeling of anticipation is true regardless if you know the sex or not and is only heightened by not knowing. Another self discovered fact and a con for the "Knowing" argument, is the retail consumerism of a couple that know the sex compared to those that do not. Most expectant mothers simply can not walk past a cute pink or blue outfit that their new unborn baby "simply must have" in knowing the sex. If the mother-to-be loves to shop, ha, well then my friend, now she has someone else to shop for and another excuse.

People will stop you in the street, grab the mother-to-be by the hand and offer you an unsolicited diagnosis on the sex of your baby. Questions will be asked by your co-workers that have not even met your wife/partner and from your answer will also determine for you, the sex of your baby. There are old wives tales that will prognosticate and your opinion will be sought from friends as to what you think it is. Such incidents are flattering at first as its good to know that people do care for and of others, but by the end, it does wear pretty thin and verges on creepy. Regardless, I have found two things to be true in guessing what your next child will be:

1. It does not matter what it is, you will love your child regardless of its sex.
2. What ever you think it is, it will be the opposite.

Enjoy the unknown, you will have their whole life to enjoy their company and save yourself some money.

Family, friends and friends of friends and family will give you what ever baby clothes and toys they have that they want to get rid of. For your first, your wife/partner will have a baby shower and those that did not attend will give you a present anyway. You will receive so many presents and clothes that the need to shop before hand is very limited. There are essentials you need yes, but you don't need half the crap that is on offer. A bath tub, forget it, use the sink. Newborns don't bath that often and its a waste of space. We had one given to us for our first and we used it 3 times. It got moved form pillar to post and I forgot how many times I tripped over it.

Clothing Tip: Get/Ask for the onsies with zippers. The press stud buttons are a pain in the ass at 3am in the dark with little sleep. There is one zipper and and upwards of 8 press stud buttons.

For the the first week and the first three weeks for that matter, all they do is sleep, eat and shit. Enjoy it, it is actually a great transition to family life and between you and me your role is limited in comparison to that of the mother. You will be needed though to change and fetch diapers, grab her phone, knitting, laptop or drink when Mom is in a comfy spot feeding. Though with our second my role has turned into distracting and entertaining the older sibling so she does not grab and fling the shitty diaper at the dog.

Our kids are breastfeed, apart from giving nutrients and antibodies that are not 100% replicated by formula, it  is also a great boost to their immune system which right now is non existent. He says with a whisper "You did not hear it from me but breastfeeding is a great in aiding the Moms to shed those baby pounds (in addition to exercise of course)". If you are bottle feeding then you will be busier than a one armed traffic cop. Bottles need to be washed and sterilized, water boiled and cooled, powder added, bottle reheated and baby feed. In feeding every 2-3hrs there is a lot of this, a lot of prep work. Sterilizing the bottles is made easier with a contraption that looks like a giant Tupperware container, some water in the bottom, bottles in and about 6mins in the microwave and your job is done. If you are bottle feeding, this is a must.

Another concern that come flooding back to me this week is at this young age is, how fragile newborns can be. Obviously holding the head is paramount but it can get challenging changing a squirming baby while trying to force his arms and legs into a onesie. What you must remember is, the delivery. Think of what these little munchkins do to arrive into this world. If they can manipulate themselves to get through an opening like that then putting on some clothes will not be a problem. If you hear a crack followed by a cry, feel free to stop and seek medical advice.

People's Exhibit A: Bath in the sink..