OT: Opposite of Vasectomy Thread

[11thEagleFan]

Good news, Pack! There's a 12th Eagle Fan coming soon! After an unfortunate miscarriage a few months ago, my wife has informed me that she is knocked up. It will be our first child. My question for the Pack is this... What's something that you wish someone had told you about fatherhood? It can be a practical tip, observation, funny anecdote, whatever. I am 30, she's 28, we both work, and are by no means rich, but financially comfortable. Pretty pumped today, guys.

 

[MaroonNation]

Babies fart a lot. Thats all I got. Sorry.

 

[SuspectZero]

Congrats on the new baby. My wife also had a miscarriage a few months ago so I know how tough that can be. Enjoy the next few months of not having a kid and get ready cause everything changes. I never thought I wanted kids but now I couldn't imagine life without my lil homie. Being a dad is great.

 

[BulldogBlitz]

There's a 12th Eagle Fan coming soon! ... It will be our first child

hmm. there are 10 of you?

 

[dawgnautique]

Hope you enjoyed getting her pregnant because your sex life just got reduced by roughly 80%. YMMV. Congrats on your new girl/boy. Absolutely one of the greatest blessings in your life!!

 

[KeyserSoze1999]

Glad to hear about the dramatic increase in the USM fan base. Seriously though happy for you bro.

 

[preacher_dawg]

GAS DROPS!!! The first night we had our firstborn at home, I was quoting Psalm 13, "how long, O Lord, will you forget me forever?" The next day I found gas drops, huge difference. Of course, it would be of great benefit to the child if he/she was raised as a Bulldog fan.

Also, very sorry about your miscarriage. My wife had one with our second child. Miscarriages are different, largely because you don't know how to grieve. It didn't seem quite right to have a funeral, especially since it happened very early in the pregnancy, but it is much more than going to the doctor for health reasons. You are in my prayers.

 

[TBone.sixpack]

Enjoy the titty fairy while you can. Lil Junior is gonna suck the life out of them puppies.

 

[IBleedMaroonDawg]

When they are newborn, resist the urge to pick them up every time they whimper. Take them along everywhere... You'll be glad you did when they get older and know how to act in public.

I am reliving this as my daughter just gave me my first grandchild and we waited till she was born to start getting those little things like cloth diapers and a diaper genie.

 

[11thEagleFan]

Thanks for the kind words, Preacher. There's a good chance that he/she will be a Bulldog fan, as many in my family are. I'm kind of the black sheep. Of course, I may nip this in the bud and just name him/her "Twelve". Will definitely look into gas drops.

 

[UpTheMiddlex3Punt]

It's okay to protect your nuts when the little ones come running at you.

And congrats.

 

[Turd Fergusondawg]

Congrats!

Good news, Pack! There's a 12th Eagle Fan coming soon! After an unfortunate miscarriage a few months ago, my wife has informed me that she is knocked up. It will be our first child. My question for the Pack is this... What's something that you wish someone had told you about fatherhood? It can be a practical tip, observation, funny anecdote, whatever. I am 30, she's 28, we both work, and are by no means rich, but financially comfortable. Pretty pumped today, guys.

1. Save money, as much as possible. My wife quit working three weeks before our first was born, so about 13 years ago. It's tough because kids raise the cost of living, especially with multiples, and life these days seems to cost a ton more than it did when I grew up in a single-income family as a kid in the 70s and 80s. The counter-action is to encourage her to go back to work quickly, but that just results in having to stick a kid in daycare, and that's not cheap.

2. Don't let yourself go physically. Sure, having a newborn is tough. Somebody else mentioned the sex cutoff after kids, and in large part, it's true, due to her hormones and such. The YMMV part is you have to keep yourself fit to encourage her to do the same, and vice versa over time. I know some mothers who never recover from getting pregnant, and I know others who snap back into shape. It takes effort.

3. You're not getting any younger. If you have plans for more than one, have them as quickly as you can manage, and then, to celebrate, GET SNIPPED before she starts ovulating again after your last one.

4. One last thought, related to #2. Encourage her to breastfeed. Not only is it undoubtedly better for the baby than formula (and the hospitals will send you home with formula for some reason), but this COMPLETELY REMOVES any burden of midnight feedings for the dad. My wife breastfed all four of ours, and I never once had to wake up in the middle of the night to deal with a crying baby.

 

[Shamoan]

Congrats. I have two. your life (as you know it) is essentially over....but, it's not necessarily for the worst. Pretty awesome things coming your way. As far as changing the baby, if you have to do it, make it a game. If the baby poops, the last adult/parent that doesn't say "no baby" has to change the diaper. My wife sucks at this game and as a result, I only change 10% of the poops, instead of the 50% that I should change. If your wife is good at this game, give it up and tell her you are only going to change your fair share.

 

[11thEagleFan]

Any help is appreciated, no matter how small. Babies fart, it has been indexed.

 

[Shmuley]

Congrats, inferior college sports fan. My advice is this: After about 6 weeks, the critter is ready for a normal human's sleep cycle. Meaning, he/she does not NEED to feed in the middle of the night. These little bastards will learn QUICK if mom is willing to give in and flop that titty at the first squeak of protest. if Mom gives in, then she's destined for misery well into month 6 or longer. Beginning week 7, do not let Mom budge when hellion starts screaming at midnight. It will be a struggle to keep her away (send her *** out for a 2 hour drive that first night) and the critter will scream/cry for 2 hours or more that first night. The second night, the screaming will subside after 30 minutes or so. The third night, you might hear a whimper. After that, you're done and everyone can sleep. Do whatever you have to do to keep mom and her magic tits away after bedtime beginning week 7. You're welcome.

 

[Shamoan]

Preach! Do yourself a favor and take this advice. It is critical.

 

[13thEagle]

Thanks for the kind words, Preacher. There's a good chance that he/she will be a Bulldog fan, as many in my family are. I'm kind of the black sheep. Of course, I may nip this in the bud and just name him/her "Twelve". Will definitely look into gas drops.

I knew there was a reason i skipped 12

 

[Go Budaw]

Big congratulations to you sir. My wife and I also experienced a miscarriage prior to having our first child (which was recently) so I'm especially happy for your family as I remember that emotional roller coaster quite well. It's definitely one of those things that is difficult to talk about with people that haven't been through it and hard to understand how to grieve (as another poster said).

As far as advice, the one thing I can tell you is that you don't have to come to a message board asking for it. You'll get plenty of that from family, friends, and coworkers whether you ask for it or not. An important thing to remember for anything related to how to raise or interact with the baby is that you should take what anyone tells you with a grain of salt. You are going to hear a million stories about somebody else's child and how they found some magic bullet to get their kid to sleep better, stop crying, not act out, get smarter, get out of diapers sooner, etc. This advice will often be contradictory from one child to the next, because every child is different. So file those stories in the back of your mind, but take the time to get to know your child and his/her specific needs. When in doubt, trust your instinct about what to do. Usually it will be the correct call.

 

[aTotal360]

The last 6 weeks of her pregnancy are longer than first 6 months.

 

[1msudawg]

When the baby sleeps. You sleep. Dont do things around the house. Sleep. Trust me.

And congrats!

 

[rugbdawg]

Congrats! Buy a fine bottle of wine that is meant to age 20-25 years. Make sure the year of the wine is the year of your child's birthday. When they turn 21, have that wine with them.

 

[The Fatboy]

Play your music and TV as loud as you did before they came along. If you don't anything from firecrackers to the doorbell to vacuum cleaner will wake them up. They need to learn to live with you. Not the other way around.

 

[HammerOfTheDogs]

You learn to enjoy swimming again

When I was a kid, one of my favorite places to be was the pool. However, when I reached adolescence, I didn't care for being around water unless it included fishing, skiing, and/or cute girls. Going to the pool just for the sake of going to the pool was out....

Until I became a father. Next spring/summer, get yourself a little baby pool. The next year, get one a little bigger. When the kid's 3 or 4 get them one big enough for a filter.

Also, when you go to a hotel, go to one with a pool. You learn to have fun again at the pool when they're little.

 

[HammerOfTheDogs]

Hope you enjoyed getting her pregnant because your sex life just got reduced by roughly 80%. YMMV. Congrats on your new girl/boy. Absolutely one of the greatest blessings in your life!!

I'm married with four kids. What is this "sex" thing of which you speak?

 

[Dawgbite]

1. You may never sleep again, or so it seems
2. Cowbells are perfectly good shower gifts.
3. Don't blink, before you know it, he/she will be 32, working in California for two weeks and you will be dog sitting instead of sitting at the regionals!

 

[StatesboroBlues]

If it is a girl...

Create an email account and send emails every so often...a few pics here and there but actual letters. Give her the account when she is 18 or maybe when she graduates college.

I guess it would work for a boy but you would have to change it up a little...

Obviously other things people have mentioned...

 

[HomeBoyDawg]

1. Change poopy diapers from the start and you'll have no problem later. There's little to no smell at first but it gets progressively worse over time. I have an especially weak stomach but had no trouble changing my 3 boys' poopy diapers.
2. Find a special time for just you and the baby. Mine was bath time. When they were old enough, I'd let them play for quite a while. I'd play with them and sometimes sit in the floor beside the tub and read the paper while they played. Also a good time to give them a kid's sucker since they're already in the tub. Afterwards, little boogers slept good, too.

 

[PhredPhantom]

My dad used to (passed on now) say, "Now you'll get twice as much out of life. You'll be up night and day."

 

[11thEagleFan]

Some really good posts here. I'm digging it. My wife (obviously) wants a girl. I'm fine either way, just hoping for a healthy child. Really like Mutt's post about the pool. Used to love swimming with my dad. Rugby's idea about the wine is a cool one too. The email account is a cool idea I hadn't thought of. You guys leave my wife's boobs out of this! They're large, they're magnificent, and they're gonna stay that way (fingers crossed). I already know that I'm gonna have a problem keeping her out of baby's room. She's a natural caregiver. If I so much as sneeze or cough during the night, she's asking if I'm okay. Very excited right now though.

 

[SallyStansbury]

Don't let them sleep in the same bed with you. Reference Shmuley's comment about food and sleep training, the theory of that post is on target. He was a little over the top, but make those comments work for you.

Do not underestimate the potential insanity of your wife. All women are crazy, with lack of sleep and hormones it will be worse.

Moms eating things that make her gasy or hot/spicy food, or caffeine will flow through the breastmilk and impact your kid. Mom modifies diet or provides gas drops. Limiting gas in the kid promotes happy sleep (for all).

Save money.

Get ready for ballgames, swimming, gardening, all that stuff....more fun than you can imagine.

 

[Lawdawg.sixpack]

^^^ this. And RICE CEREAL. Load up the last bottle of the evening, I'm talking about as thick as oatmeal. I don't remember when to start, maybe 6 weeks or so.

Congrats

 

[DerHntr]

For food issues which seem to be a battle for a lot of parents including my family:

Everyone, and I mean DAMN everyone, will think your bundle of joy starting at about the age of 1 deserves sweets (cookies, cake, candy, sugary drinks, etc.). Don't be a Sugar Nazi but also remember that it's your kid and you only get one shot at starting them off on a healthy path. You can tell grandma that the kid can't have a cookie if you want.

Similarly, put the food that you are eating on their plate early even if it's just a small amount. They will follow the leader pretty quickly. I have too many friends/family that cook an entirely different meal for their kids almost every night and it's because the kid won't eat casserole, vegetables, salad, etc. I have had people show up for dinner at our house with McDonalds for their kids because, without even asking what we were cooking, they knew their kids wouldn't even try it, much less eat it.

Long story short about food: "it is a lot easier to start a good habit than to break a bad one."

 

[Crazy Cotton]

go ahead and accept that you are going to take way, way to many pictures. You need some way of keeping track of all those files, and backing them up. buy the extra cloud storage from apple or amazon or whoever, and download picassa to help organize your photos if you don't already use it.

 

[JungRebel]

Congratulations. Don't let the parenting book or books sit unread on top of the toilet. Do not get a USM student to feed your kid.

 

[Dogariffic]

Have a photo taken at birth and every month after for the first year. The transformation will amaze you.
Also develop patience if you don't have any. Children are a blessing. But they don't know anything except what you teach them. If you freak out they will. They sense fear and frustration like a dog can. If they act out grocery shopping etc and throw a fit simply remain calm about it.... Don't get embarrassed about it and act out because that will make it worse.
And now the biggie. Make them your priority after your wife. Work is important but family more so. Don't get so hyped about work driving to the office you forget about your child in the back seat..... Make it a habit to always check the backseat when you park..... People say this could never happen to them...... But it can.
You are blessed! Enjoy every minute of it!

 

[sandwolf.sixpack]

Good news, Pack! There's a 12th Eagle Fan coming soon! After an unfortunate miscarriage a few months ago, my wife has informed me that she is knocked up. It will be our first child. My question for the Pack is this... What's something that you wish someone had told you about fatherhood? It can be a practical tip, observation, funny anecdote, whatever. I am 30, she's 28, we both work, and are by no means rich, but financially comfortable. Pretty pumped today, guys.

My tip is to not ask other parents about being a parent (especially young parents)....because almost all of them will say something like, 'congrats, being a parent is great, but.....' and then they will proceed to focus on nothing but the ****** parts of being a parent (meaning the parts that require effort or sacrifice) and do everything they can to temper your excitement. It irritated the hell out of me.

All that said, congrats. Being a parent is awesome and a lot of fun. You absolutely should be pumped about it.

ETA: I do actually have one suggestion...if you have a boy, do him a favor and raise them as a LSU, Bama, Florida, etc. fan....sure he will be a bandwagon fan, but it will save him a lot of heartache.

 

[MagicCityDawg]

I laughed

Do not get a USM student to feed your kid.

Poor Nugget.

 

[11thEagleFan]

If it's a boy, he absolutely will NOT be raised as a Bama, LSU, or Ole Miss fan. Most likely candidates other than Southern Miss are Mississippi State (most of my family) or Arizona (his mother's alma mater). He needs to learn about disappointment.

 

[UpTheMiddlex3Punt]

Do not ever, not even once, complain to your wife that you got a bad night of sleep. Never.

 

[BiscuitEater]

Biggest thing I learned is .. each and every child is different. Don't let the 'quote' experts tell YOU and your wife what is best for your child. Every child has God given gifts. Find out what your child's gifts are and let them know that they loved.