Re: FRI: Being a Parent
From: Anna Meenan, MD (annam@uic.edu)
Fri Jul 26 16:42:34 2002
Actually, when we moved my mom into a smaller house i found out the
truth about baby books, though in her case it was stretched out over 7
kids:
1st 2 kids--baby book is filled in completely all the way through age 7,
with a lock of baby hair mounted in the first kid's book.
Next 2 kids---Baby book filled in through the first step and first word.
Next 2 kids--Name, birthdate, and first smile in one book, name and
birthdate only in the other one.
7th kid--give her the blank baby book so she can use it for her own kid
because mom never wrote in it.
I am proud to say, though, that all three of my kids' baby books are
completely filled in and extended through their current ages (13, 15,
and 18). Just call me obsessive compulsive.
--
Anna Meenan, MD
At Fri, 26 Jul 2002, Joanne Bulley, MD wrote:
>
>Being a parent. . .
>
>Being a parent changes everything. But being a parent also changes with
>each baby. Here are some of the ways having a second and third child is
>different from having your first.
>
>Your Clothes
>
> 1st baby: You begin wearing maternity clothes as soon as your OB/GYN
>confirms your pregnancy.
>
> 2nd baby: You wear your regular clothes for as long as possible.
>
> 3rd baby: Your maternity clothes ARE your regular clothes.
>
>Preparing for the Birth
>
> 1st baby: You practice your breathing religiously.
>
> 2nd baby: You don't bother practicing because you remember that last
>time, breathing didn't do a thing.
>
> 3rd baby: You ask for an epidural in your 8th month.
>
>The Layette
>
> 1st baby: You pre-wash your newborn's clothes, color-coordinate them,
>and fold them neatly in the baby's little bureau.
>
> 2nd baby: You check to make sure that the clothes are clean and discard
>only the ones with the darkest stains.
>
> 3rd baby: Boys can wear pink, can't they?
>
>Worries
>
>1st baby: At the first sign of distress - a whimper, a frown-you pick up
>the baby.
>
> 2nd baby: You pick the baby up when her wails threaten to wake your
>firstborn.
>
> 3rd baby: You teach your 3-year-old how to rewind the mechanical swing.
>
>Pacifier
>
> 1st baby: If the pacifier falls on the floor, you put it away until you
>can go home and wash and boil it.
>
> 2nd baby: When the pacifier falls on the floor, you squirt it off with
>some juice from the baby's bottle.
>
> 3rd baby: You wipe it off on your shirt and pop it back in.
>
>Diapering
>
>1st baby: You change your baby's diapers every hour, whether they need
>it or not.
>
> 2nd baby: You change their diaper every 2 to 3 hours, if needed.
>
>3rd baby: You try to change their diaper before others start to complain
>about the smell or you see it sagging to their knees.
>
>Activities
>
> 1st baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics, BabySwing, and Baby
>Story Hour.
>
> 2nd baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics.
>
> 3rd baby: You take your infant to the supermarket and the dry cleaner.
>
>Going Out
>
>1st baby: The first time you leave your baby with a sitter, you call
>home
>5 times.
>
> 2nd baby: Just before you walk out the door, you remember to leave a
>number where you can be reached.
>
>3rd baby: You leave instructions for the sitter to call only if she sees
>blood.
>
>At Home
>
> 1st baby: You spend a good bit of every day just gazing at the baby.
>
> 2nd baby: You spend a bit of everyday watching to be sure your older
>child isn't squeezing, poking, or hitting the baby.
>
> 3rd baby: You spend a little bit of every day hiding from the children.
>
>Swallowing Coins (my favorite one)
>
> 1st child: when first child swallows a coin, you rush the child to the
>hospital and demand x-rays.
>
> 2nd child: when 2nd child swallows a coin, you carefully watch for coin
>to pass.
>
> 3rd child: when 3rd child swallows a coin you deduct it from his
>allowance!!
>
>--
>Joanne Bulley, MD
>Keene, NH, USA
>
