It’s been awhile since I was a new mom. Even though we learn throughout parenthood what works and what doesn’t for our children, there is no time quite as questioning as infancy. I remember being pregnant and having so many questions in my head… questions that no amount of reading could solve. There had to be people who were ready to wring my neck (thanks Mom!) for asking questions that may have seemed silly to them.
The fact is that pregnancy and infancy are a scary time for many moms and dads. This little life that you are growing or raising can’t tell you what is going on. They can’t say “hey mom, give me something to eat”… although that may be what they are truly needing. We all go through the same learning curves. Asking my pediatrician questions about health and wellness was one way I was able to quench the need for information.
Did you know that 52% of pediatricians say the number one topic of questions from new moms is about infant feeding. “Pooping” questions were second (43% of respondents) while sleeping was third (41%). I can completely agree with that. I know those were questions that I had!
With my first child, I formula fed. It was what I wanted and what worked for me. I was concerned before he was even born what I should be feeding him. I still had months of pregnancy left and the dreaded – What infant formula is best?- question was growing stronger daily. I wanted to do what was best for my son. Even when I was breastfeeding my girls, I worried about feeding… were they getting enough milk, were they growing okay?
I have a fantastic pediatrician, as you know if you are aware of Jemma’s story. She is very knowledgable and always keeps up with the latest medical information. One thing she did to ease my mind about feeding my new baby was reassure me that all formulas are safe. Did you hear that??? The FDA strictly regulates infant formula to keep little ones safe, so store brand infant formulas, like Walmart’s Parent’s Choice and Target’s Up and Up, are nutritionally comparable to national brands like Enfamil® and Similac® and meet FDA standards. She knew that money was not abundant in our house and told me to switch to store brand formula as soon as our hospital supply had run out. What I didn’t realize is how much I would be saving. I am unsure now what I actually did save, but the fact is that you can save up to $600 per year, without compromising quality and the health of you baby.
My pediatrician isn’t the only one to believe this either. According to the “Pulse of Pediatricians” survey, 71% of pediatricians believe all infant formulas are basically the same; the brand doesn’t matter. Again, did you hear that??? The brand doesn’t matter!
As a new parent, I had so many other questions. I started thinking about what those were and, thinking back, how much I worried unnecessarily! Let’s chat about some of those new parent questions…
- Will my baby ever sleep?
- Is that normal poop? Seriously?
- Can I bathe them in a tub? How long do I have to wait to do that?
- Is it really safe to give them vaccinations?
- When can we go out on the town and show this little boy (or girl) off?
- Should I avoid going out all together and become a hermit? (kidding, kind of)
- Which carseat is best?
- When should my baby be eating more, sleeping more, doing more?
- Can I possibly care for this little being the way they deserve?
- How did I get so lucky???
There are so many things to worry about when raising kids so I have learned one thing over my time as a stepparent and parent… don’t stress about the little things. There will be big things to worry about, yes, but if you are worried about the small things, you are going to be miserable and miss out on how fun and exciting childhood is for the parent. If you can stop stressing about one thing, like the formula you use, then do it! If you have a question or fear, talk to your pediatrician about it. They are trained to help you and to know what is best for you baby. Talk to friends and relatives to gather information on what they do and bring your thoughts to your child’s doctor. But the biggest thing is this: Enjoy that little one because, take it from me, they grow up fast.
I have the opportunity to give one of you a $25 Visa gift card to buy something fun for your little one… or maybe something they need! All you have to do is answer the mandatory question to be entered. You can complete the other entries if you would like.
What is one question you had as a new parent? If not a parent, what do you think you would be most concerned about?
The product, gift cards, survey results and information have been provided by Perrigo Nutritionals Store Brand Formula
I use to always check to make sure she was breathing when she slept.
I don’t have kids but my sister has three. I don’t have a question but I did learn something being around my nieces. My little niece is 3 months and she is getting used to breathing so she breathes kind of loud. My sister said that happens for the first 6 months or so until they really catch on and learn. That is one thing I did not know!
If I were a new parent I would be most concerned with baby’s safety and comfort. Of course enough nourishment too.
I wanted to know if my son was getting enough to eat.
I was concerned whether or not my baby was getting enough nourishment.
My concern was often if they were eating too much or too little
I think I would be most concerned about making sure I could tend to all our baby’s needs with our already hectic schedules. 🙁
Wow — it was so long ago! I read dozens of books and learned a lot. I think how MUCH they need to eat topped my list, tho.
I wondered how to safely freeze and store breast milk.
I wondered how much to feed my newborn son, and how to know when he’d had enough.
I’m most worried about balancing work and being a new mom, but I think I also wonder about what to do when they get a fever.
i was worried about the crying alot
I always wanted to know if they are getting enough nutrients and enough sleep.
Thanks for the nice giveaway.
Oh I think my biggest question has always been nutrition! Always concerned if they are getting everything they need.
I wanted to know how often my baby should poop and pee.
A question I had was do I need to warm of the formula.
Thanks for the chance to win!
wildorchid985 at gmail dot com
I always questioned if my LO was getting enough sleep
I wondered if using formula was giving my baby what he needed since I wasn’t breast feeding and how often and how much to feed him.
Do I really need to sterilize all the baby stuff – bottles, etc?
One question I always had was how do I know my child is getting enough nutrients.
I was concerned about whether bottle feeding would be not as good for the baby.
thank you
Question: when is the right time to start my child on solid food?
I wondered about sleep schedules.
How often to feed and when to start solid food.
I always wondered if my baby was gaining enough weight. I also wondered when to call the doctor.
I asked how much and how often do you feed a baby.
My question was usually if my baby was eating too much or not enough.
I wondered if it was ok to not breastfeed — what the pros and cons were
My question was is she eating enough?
I didn’t know when to start my son on baby food and how much to feed him.
id be concerned about when i should switch to solids
When my oldest was born, I was so worried about everything lol. I didn’t have one person to ask because I chose to do things so much differently than the older generation.
The question I had-Is my son getting enough nutrition with just breastfeeding? I wanted to make sure in case I needed to supplement his feedings.
I remember asking the doctor about how much to feed and how often. My biggest concern was if my daughter was getting enough.
I wondered how to treat cradle cap.
How to tell when you need to take your child in to the docotor when he or she is sick?