Just wondering how normal it is to go into this feeling clueless. 
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Nothing. I thought I would change diapers 3 times a day.
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Not much at all. I did a little bit of reading and a lot of figuring it out as I've gone along.
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We know nothing. He is almost 4 weeks old and we are figuring it out as we go!
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pretty much nothing. i didn't know how to change a diaper, how to burp a baby, how to give him a bath, how to soothe him, how to hold him. I remembered only thing from my prenatal class on breastfeeding and it seemed to help, but i also felt clueless about that.
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Completely normal!! I had been around babies, but was way out of my league at first. It truly does come to you once LO is here
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NOTHING! I had never changed a nappy, in fact I had only ever held two babies previously (once per baby). I was clueless!
That said, I realise now that even the things I thought I knew about babies I didn't really.....! And 8.5 months on I still know nothing.
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not much!! Other then what I learned here.
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I think I had a decent amount of knowledge before I got pregnant because I have a lot of friends who have kids. So I sort of understood breastfeeding/thousands of diaper changes/sleeping etc.
In terms of hands-on experience I don't have a ton. I do newborn photography so I am glad that has gotten me more comfortable. The first shoot I did I was literally scared to touch the baby because I thought I'd break her. Now I know how to pick them up and move them and calm them (a little, at least for the 2-3 hours I"m there). I understand that they cry. Inevitably. And inevitably they will stop (they always do).
But still, at almost 37w I don't feel like I know a TON about babies and I still have lots to learn.
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I feel like I knew the basic stuff, but the complexities of illness, no clue. I still feel like I don't know what I am doing and my son is three!
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I have lots of nieces and nephews so I was familiar with kids - holding them, babysitting, etc. But that is totally not the same as having your own! Like others said, you figure it out as you go. And amazingly, a lot of stuff is instinct!
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I think that's pretty normal if you don't have a lot of babies if your life! I knew a lot. Oldest of six kids (my two youngest siblings are 14 & 16 years younger) and I am a part time nanny. Despite all the experience there are still things I'm clueless about. Or I feel helpless with. Night-time sleep was something I felt pretty clueless about and breastfeeding are two examples. But you definitely pick it all up along the way. DH had to do everything our first day/night due to my c section and he had barely held a newborn prior to LO's birth. But he figured it out quickly and does great!
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Way less than I thought I did, lol! I don't think there's anything that can prepare you for having a baby. Because the hardest thing about it is that every baby is different so even if you've been around babies you've never been around YOUR baby lol
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Before my friend had her babies in Dec, I hadn't even held a ban since my niece was born 8 years ago! I know nothing, but am trying to absorb as much info from my friend as I can before LO gets here
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I was a nanny for many years prior - but as much as I "knew" it didn't change that there is a huge adjustment period! As a nanny, I always gave the kids back at the end of the day and went home where it was quiet and relaxing every evening... but as a parent you keep the kid 24/7
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Nothing. I had held a newborn once, and that's about it! My husband had never even done that! I was worried they were going to notice at the hospital, ha ha ha.
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I knew quite a bit, my sisters had babies before I did so I helped out with them. I was scared though because baby crying annoyed me...and I was worried how I would react to mine, (of course it was different like everyone says
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seriously nothing.
i was never around babies in my life, didn't have nephews/nieces... it's amazing how little i knew!
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I was a nanny for a little girl starting from 4 weeks until she was 2 years old so I THOUGHT I knew a lot. I was so wrong. It's a whole different ball game when the baby is yours.
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Not much at all. I had nephews but never really took care of them. I learned as I went and motherhood instinct does kick in!
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Nothing. But I think that is normal. We live in a society where people only tell the good for fear people will think there is something wrong with their LO.
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@MamaMoose: this.
I KNEW a lot...but it meant nothing because it (learning/parenting) begins anew when the baby is yours.
@spaniellove: if you're clueless, you're right where you're expected to be! You'll be great and when you're not, no one can judge you because you'll be doing your best.
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I knew nothing! I did a lot of reading and still felt clueless when we brought DD home.
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@debbiei8: I was a nanny for several years & babysat since I was 12 so I felt I knew a lot but night sleep kicked my butt!
Also, regardless of how much you know or don't know, it's a lot of pressure being the end all & be all in decision making for this little person. You learn as you go & you'll be surprised sometimes by how you learn to just go with the flow. The point is, you don't have to know anything. You will do great!
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Nothing - I had never even held a baby!
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i thought i knew a little, but after LO was born it became clear that i knew absolutely NOTHING.
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I thought I knew the basics, at least, but as my due date approaches I suddenly feel like I have no clue what we're about to do. We've been watching a lot of YouTube videos lately... That's probably a decent way to learn about babies, right?
Also, this thread is making me feel a lot better - like we're not the only clueless ones!
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@fancyfunction: I was so embarrassed when I was the only female to raise my hand about never having changed a diaper at the newborn care class!
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I knew nothing! I literally had never held a newborn (minus the proped up with pillows sibling photo op) or changed a diaper. I was terrified! But experience comes quickly when its yours
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Thanks to Hellobee, I knew a TON. But I'd had zero hands-on experience.
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I knew a lot! Was still clueless and struggled as a FTM though
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I babysat and helped "raise" my younger cousins, so I knew more than a lot of my friends. But, I was still ?????????? HUH???????? as a FTM on MANY MANY different things.
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It still amazes me that we all came out of the 1st year with all of us alive
because we really didn't know much beforehand.
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I thought I knew a lot...I have 3 younger sisters who I helped my mom with a lot , babysat tons of kids...
Then I had my own and turns out I knew NOTHING lol
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Absolutely nothing! The last time I had interacted with a newborn/very young infant was with my little sister. I was 1.5 at the time. Luckily for me, Hubs has siblings that are 7 years younger, so he knew a lot.
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I feel like I know a lot. I have had quite a bit of experience with babies, but that still doesn't stop me from feeling like I don't know much! Baby boy will be here any day & I am feeling quite clueless about most things!
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I feel like I know a fair amount... That being said, I also think that it's one of those things that you think you know a lot then you go through it and realize you were clueless.
Exactly what @CHAR54 said.
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None!!!
I knew nothing at all
we watched a loooot of YouTube videos the first few weeks - some of our top searches were "how do you give newborn a bath" and "how to swaddle" It took an entire pack of wipes to change our first poopy dipe- we still laugh about that
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Nothing! I was pretty much an only child and the youngest on both side of my families, so I was always the baby. LO was the first diaper I ever changed.
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I think on a scale of 1-10 I am like a 5 or 6 of cluelessness. We did the baby class, I've changed diapers before, I've done lots of research and been around my friends' kids. But actually caring for a newborn that's mine? EEEEP!
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44 comments