What are you GLAD you did, and would definitely do again?

Kristen's thread got me thinking about things you are happy you did and would try with subsequent babies. Maybe something you bought that was really handy, or a technique you used that really worked out in the long term.

For instance, I LOVE our strap-onto-a-chair high chair. It takes up no room and folds up and goes anywhere. I'm glad I never got around to buying a 'normal' one.

When DD takes herself off to her room and I find her quietly reading books, I'm really glad I read to her from birth.

It would be good to hear other people's 'positives', that maybe you just never thought of, that could be used with #2.

I am glad I always spoke to my children properly not in "baby talk" like " we go ta tas in the brmm brmm"
and then had to teach them "english" LOL
I am glad I perservered with BF even though it was difficult at first.
Can't think of anything else offhand.

I am glad that I breastfed and used cloth nappies. Aside from the obvious benefits of BF for DD, it has been the most rewardingthing I think I have ever done....A huge boost to my self-confidence too and really allowed me to feel like I was her mum :) And cloth nappies, well, they re just so wonderful! lol

I am really glad that I have the opportunity to be a SAHM too. I knowthat not everyone is in that position, but for me it has been awesome, and DF doesnt want me to go back to work for another year or so, so thats even better!

As we arent having anymore kids, I'm just really glad that I get to be here with her and try and do things the way I wanted, and not the way my mother wanted! iykwim. We live in teh other side of the counrty adn have no family here, so it has actually been really easy to try and do things differently and I am glad now that I was forced to be so independant with her :)

id have to say basically rthe same as alexis!!

breastfeeding
using cloth nappies
been able to be a SAHM even though finacially it is tougher!!

Yeh, I'm with you guys!- I can't evern describe how glad I am that I've put so much time and effort into developing a great bf relationship with DD.

Also glad that I never let her 'cry it out' when she was little, like so many people suggest :angry:. I perservered, always getting up to her throughout all those horrendous nights! and giving her the booby snuggles that she needed. Now, I have a great overnight sleeper and a happy little girl :D

i'm glad i let my dd watch baby bumblee bee vocabulary builder dvds on rainy days.... she's gone from am incredibly highly strung baby to an intelligent expressive toddler and at 16 months i can now just about hold a conversation with her.... she is so much happier now that she understands language and can communicate....

BFing - for pretty much the same reasons as everyone else. Although I realise that I've been incredibly lucky to have had such an easy BFing journey compared to some.

Reading - like Sacha, I love seeing my DS wander off to his room and sitting quietly reading his books.

Walking - nearly every day of his life DS has had a walk in his pram. Often just to the shops, but it gets us out & about and helps keep the cabin fever away.

Mother's Group - I'm glad that I put in an effort to stay with it & get to know the other mum's.

I'm glad I didn't succumb to the pressure to do controlled crying.

I'm glad that I cook most of DS's food, because it makes me feel all warmly earth mother-ish and nurturing. Although when he rejects it, I maybe take it too personally LOL

I'm glad that I also persevered with bf.

Glad I adopted baby sign language particularly for manners - we too didn't "baby talk" - we implemented please and thank you right from the beginning (DD#1 always looked confused when people would say, 'ta' when asking for something from her, say 'please' and she'd respond! :D)

......and finally, routine routine routine. Yes we did,for want of a better phrase, controlled crying as well as routine feeding. Not a popular thing I am very much aware ;) and yet no negative side effects here! :D Both girls are fantastic eaters and sleepers - DD#1 sleeping through at 8/9 weeks and DD#2 sleeping through at approx 3&1/2 months. Hard work yes but so worth the pay off :dance:


ETA: just wanted to qualify the controlled crying too......we'd never let the girls go longer than 10 minutes at a time and less if they reached a peak in that time ;) We never let them cry til they fell asleep exhausted. Always checking checking checking but generally, they'd only ever need one check and then off with noddy they went to play :D You just get to know your baby's cries iykwim and being on routine made it even easier to pick up their behaviours and what it'd mean :)

I'm glad I put my DD into daycare at 4 months old. She's been going for almost a month and has been a much happer baby and her social interraction with us and other adults and children is so much better. She's very confident even at almost 5 months old. Also, I returned to full time work and for me it was a tough decision but the thought of returning was harder than actually doing it and so far I'm actually much happier working than I was when I was a SAHM.

I love this thread. GIves me a warm inner glow to see so many positive posts!

I am glad I went for a baby hammock despite every one else thinking I was a nutter.

I am glad I BF'd all three of them.

I am glad I cuddled them at every opportunity.

I am glad I took a zillion photos, but even gladder that some days I cant get up off the floor to reach the camera because I am too busy playing with my three little ones.

I am glad Lexie was an ooopsie baby, because Olivia and Charlie adore her SO much. As I do.

This IS a great happy thread.

I am glad that I cuddled and kissed (or as some people saw it "spoiled" ) my kids with love, cause now they are the most cuddly affectionate children who love to kiss me!!:)

I am glad that as much as it frustrates me sometimes have let my children sleep in my bed with me, nothing better then a warm little body next to you on a cold winters night.

I am glad that I have never made things more difficult then need be and cooked different meals for the kids and the adults - we all eat together and all eat the same food (sometimes with a little variation eg less spicy). People are always surprised at some of the foods that my kids eat. Not to say they too cant be fussy at times. ;)

I am glad that I am lucky enough to be a SAHM - I love it and wouldnt trade it for the world.

I am glad that I bought a cradle so I could have bubs in my room, I couldnt imagine not sleeping so close to a newborn. So many people have now borrowed it so I know it was a great idea.

I am glad that I bought a lovely "nursery" set - cot,cradle, bookcase, drawers - it makes me happy to walk into the nursery and see everything matching and think this would be a lovely heirloom to pass down. Silly I know but it pleases me! :)

I'm glad I have had an easy b/feeding journey.

I'm glad I put DD in her own bed so that she was in a good sleeping habit that suited all of us.

I'm glad that I don't always do what "people" say because it isn't always best for my DD>

I'm glad I can stay at home with her to play and do nice things together.

I'm glad that I have such a beautiful giel who is learning so much - it's so exciting and rewarding! I have used "ta" just because I thought it would bea easier and she can nearly say it now!

I'm glad we bought the things we did for her - we were well prepared!

Im tickled pink i bf all my babies

Im glad and somewhat grateful that im a SAHM and can be there for my girls

Im glad DH and i muck around with our girls and make them laugh.....it really shows in all 3 of them.

Must admit previous posts have reminded me of things I should be glad for! LOL.

I'm definitely glad I've breastfed, and tandem feeding was very rewarding, DS absolutely adores his sister and looks after her very well! I think they have a very special bond from feeding together.

I'm very grateful I'm able to be a SAHM. I can't think of a more rewarding job.. altho I can think of plenty of jobs with less hours! LOL.

We are definitely doing baby signs with DD. We are convinced that we had no tantrums from DS because he was able to tell us exactly what he wanted (can't explain the recent tantrums tho LOL except that he's 2 now!!) DS is helping to teach the signs too - so cute :)

Food - I agree - no catering to fussiness here, and I think it's resulted in no fussiness! We also get funny looks when DS sits down and eats anything and everything. Fingers crossed DD loves her food too!

I was prepared to feed DD to sleep just like DS did, but she's been a completely different baby sleep-wise. Self settles with a dummy. Both are welcome in our bed and always will be. And I'm glad we've been very relaxed with our sleeping.. or lack thereof. Have never really stressed about the lack of full night sleeps, and just gone with the flow. I'm sure they'll sleep one day LOL. oh - and the armsreach co-sleeper bassinet we got for #2 has been really good. Wish we'd had it for #1.

Also glad we've read to the kids from very early on. DS loves his books and you can find him reading them to himself (paraphrased of course ;) ) DD.. well, she just wants to chew on them at the moment hehe.

Can't think of anything else.. but i'm sure there's more...

I'm glad I breastfed Claire, even though heaps of people told me to just put her on formula. I still do breastfeed her and I love the special mummy & daughter time we get from that. (by the way, no disrespect at all to people who use formula, it was just annoying to have people tell me to use formula when I had perfectly functioning boobies)I'm glad I gave and still give her lots of cuddles and snuggles. She loves a good snuggle. and I'm glad we co-slept even though everyone told me I was a nutter and that it would turn her inot a brat (she is certainly not a brat)I'm glad I cook most of her food for her. Some days she doesnt like it, and I get offended, lol, but tonight she loved it. I like that I know exactly whats in the food.I'm glad I chose Family day care instead of a big centre. She loves smaller groups of people and has become so expressive since she started going. I think she gets more individual attention.Glad we used cloth nappies. We've saved so much $. Glad I could spend the first year at home with her, and glad I can still spend a few days at home with her week when I'm not at work. I love spending time with her. She is such a little person now and getting so clever. Glad we played lots of music and sang with her, and read book with her. She loves dancing and singing now and its the cutest thing to watch, and she loves her books.

Great thread :)

- I'm glad i breastfed and kept going even tho i felt like quiting - Was just the most amazing experiance
- Im glad i 'spoilt' Izzy with heaps of cuddles and kisses and picked her up when ever she wanted, im glad that we have the type of bond NO one else has with her.
- im glad i was able to stay at home with her and watch her grow :)
- I'm glad i didnt go out and spent a fortune on the best of everything - we did great with a 2nd hand cot, highchair, bassinet, and saved me money to go and buy her heaps of other stuff...
- I'm glad i read and sang to her from a young age :) she still loves it now... If shes getting cranky in the car I belt out a tune and she happily sings along (in her own language lol)
- I'm glad i didnt listen to every bit of advice i was told - i only took on the bits i liked
- Im glad i did demand feeding and let her set her own routine, shes been the most happiest content baby its wonderful :)

First and foremost I'm glad I'm broke.... Being a SAHM is THE best thing I have done for my kids :dance:

I'm glad i breastfed all 5!!! Pumping for 8 months for my cleft Bubba is the best thing I have done for him so far in our very long journey together...:hug:

I'm glad Kane chose me to be his special mumma....Not everyone gets a special needs baby, and I am truly blessed...

I'm glad I parent with a great sense of humour!!!

I'm glad I've parented my OWN way... I have 5 great kids!!!

I'm glad good, healthy food, music, dance, books and having fun is part of our everyday lives.

I'm glad I'm their parent, and to be honest, I'm a GOOD one!!!:cryinglaugh::cryinglaugh:

I like this thread :D

im glad that i kiss and cuddle Maddy at every chance i get

I am glad i implemented a routine early on, its been such a great thing for maddy and i will be doing it for no#2 even earlier, we started properly at 3months and the change in her was amazing , my happy baby!!

I am glad i encourage her to play and grow - i get tired of hearing people say "dont let her roll yet, dont encourage her to crawl/stand etc..." at 5months if my buba wants to sit on her own or stand she can and i wont stop her :)

Im glad "in a way" i went back to work part time, it has really made me appreciate the time i have with Maddy. I do however hope that i can be a SAHM for a while when no#2 arrives....

I'm glad that I found the strength to ignore the criticisms and all that "helpful advice" from others and instead did what I thought was right for DD#1 and for me. As a result, my cloth nappy wearing, cuddled to sleep, sling worn bub wouldn't be the beautiful, secure, independent little girl that I have today.