OT - My Wife is Pregnant with Our First

It doesn't matter what you read to them, just read. It doesn't matter what you do with them, just do. It does matter what you say so be encouraging. There is no amount of money in the world that I would exchange for the time I was able to spend with my kids.

It's all down hill from here. Congrats though man.

Sound advice:

1. Sleep now.

2. People will want to go overboard on newborn clothes if you have a shower (especially if they're the first baby in the family or within a group of friends). If people insist on buys clothes, consider asking for some older ones thrown in.  They'll grow out of the newborn stuff pretty quick.

3. Get a book or two, but don't feel the need to go overboard (especially at the expense of sleep, see "1" above).  The AAP has a book, "caring for your baby and young child" that will cover all your bases after the birth. It's probably a better reference than a page turner that you'll read front to back,  http://shop.aap.org/Caring-for-Your-Baby-and-Young-Child-Birth-to-Age-5…  Odds are, this is the same book you're pediatrician will have had at home.

I just ate some pho

One thing that I regret before having the baby was taking time to travel and do fun things with my wife. Go ahead and spend some money and do the things you want to do, because when the baby comes you won't be able to do it even if you want. Kids are awesome but they change things. Enjoy the freedom and flexibility while you have it, go spend some money, enjoy yourself!

I was telling a drug rep earlier this week about a few trips my wife and I are planning this year and he stopped me to say "you don't have kids, do you?" I smiled, at least for now.

I have a 2 year old with another one due in a month. I have a few tips for you: 1. Be prepared for unsolicited advice...and advice you don't want even though you asked for it. Heck, even take my advice for you with a grain of salt while you're at it. 2. I hate saying this because people always take this the wrong way, but temper your expectations and how open you are about talking with others about this pregnancy until after the 1st trimester. 3. Travel, for the love of god travel somewhere now while you can. 4. Read the damn books: Dr. Sears, What to expect, etc... The least you can do for your wife is to be knowledgable. You'll never be able to really understand what she will feel for the next 35 weeks or so, so you better be able to empathize and speak intelligently with her about it. 5. Help your wife research OBs and hospitals rather than just choosing who and where is the most convenient. This is as important as it sounds. 6. Start researching your work's parental leave policy. If they don't provide anything or don't allow for a longer, gender neutral type leave, now is the time to start banking PTO time. 1 or 2 weeks may not cut it. I took 8 weeks off and it wasn't until a few weeks in that I truly developed an unbreakable bond with my daughter. I'm sure there's a ton more, but I need to build another crib and diaper changing table while my daughter yells at me about Peppa Pig, so I need to get going. P.S. - Burp clothes, there's no such thing as not enough burp clothes.

As others have mentined: 529 plan. You should be aware that you can use ANY state's 529 and another state's may be better than yours. Look for the one with the cheapest fees, the type of investment strategy you're into, and see if your in state one offers any tax advantages. I went with the Utah one.

Work on cultivating patience.

Bring lots of warm socks to the hospital. No joke. 

Pics of wife?  ~ RCMB

 

Seriously though,  congrats!

Lot of good advice here so I can't really add to it. Save for education, spend time together, get sleep--all great advice. Also, take a lot of photos. I used to say when my kids were little that there likely isn't any amount of money I wouldn't spend later just to come back and go to a Cub Scout meeting or piano recital. Well, I can say now it's true. So make the most of it, try not to have regrets, and take a lot of pictures and video. Edit: also try to keep a journal or diary. It's amazing all the things you forget about later until you're prompted.

Travel - take a trip that you wouldn't/couldn't with kids. You'll find travel is much tougher and less frequent as a family. Do it soon though while your wife is still comfortable. We hiked the Inca trail to Machu Picchu and am glad we did.

As others have said, get sleep and start.a 529 plan.

Also, see movies in the theater. You'll get to see many ar home, but new releases will soon require a sitter.

I'm closing in on #2, and what I'd say is basically do whatever feels right with the first.  People will tell you not to do this, do that, read this, skip that, but that usually represents their own interests.  Ultimately kids are a slew of new and crazy challenges at each turn, and you'll usually have a sense of areas of your life that mean something to you, aso you might as well go 100% into figuring out the answers.  For example, my wife and I are avid runners, so finding a good running stroller and knowing when you can take the little bugger out with you were important, so we read some blogs about exercising with kids and went through 2 running strollers until we settled into the one we've had for years.  I never cared about clothing, so we basically bought what made sense at the moment but didn't stock up.

So congrats, and have fun in this process.

Congrats man!

Congrats Raback!

In addition to all the great advice offered by others on this thread:

Now is the time that life insurance and having a trust/will become really important.

You'll be fine. The secret to life is that no one really knows what they're doing. We're all just making it up as we go along. You've been on the board for years and seem like a stand up guy. Just give your child everything good you've had in your life and try to steer them away from all the bad you've experienced.

You'll be a great father. Your entire life has prepared you for this. Just make sure the first song she or he hears is The Victors. :)

I was so worried about the jinx factor, I spent the morning of the day I brought my wife and son home from the hospital putting the crib and changing table together. I think I was painting the following weekend, too. My son has always liked the smell of a freshly painted room for some strange reason. If you don't have a dog, you may want to get one. Dogs require periodic attention like kids, so they are a good warmup to the main event. They are invaluable floor cleaners once you get to the high chair feeding phase. Our westie would immediately run and camp under the high chair the minute we touched it. She knew goodies would start raining down from above. When your child is 3 or 4, you have to take them to Disney World. The characters are "real" at that age and it's amazing watching their reactions to the whole experience. Congratulations and enjoy the ride.

Congratulations!

Becoming a father was / is the best thing in my life.

get a hospital supported midwife!

 

also the MET or the 529 is a good way to go.

A sense of humor will get you through a lot of the tough times. And the first few weeks are tough. I became a dad six months ago and it changes everything. Everything.

Everyone is an expert on pregnancy and child rearing so you will be bombarded with advice-ignore most of what you hear.

People have short memories and what they believe worked for them may be a result of sleep deprivation-trust your instincts.

Interview at least two
pediatricians to find someone you believe you can work with.

IMMUNIZE your child!

I've got two kids, age 2 and 5. It is a huge game changer, but your life isn't over. We've continued to have great lives and have found fun things we can do that includes them. Make sure you also find time to spend as a couple. My last and most important unsolicited advice...Don't take unsolicited advice about raising kids. Everybody is a fucking expert. Once you get the basics down, you'll know what's right for your family. Having kids is awesome, enjoy!

Just had my first this past Christmas Day. Enjoy your time together with your wife. Take day trips and weekend getaways.

Start a 529 College Savings Plan.

Stock up on Diapers. Make them a part of your weekly grocery bill. We stockpiled nearly 2500 through weekly purchases and baby showers/diaper parties with the fellas.

Definitely go to at least one birthing class. It's a drag but comes in handy in the delivery room.

Photos are a must, I upgraded to a 128 gig iPhone for this reason since the photo quality is so good nowadays.

Bring a blowup mattress to the hospital. Sleeping in a hard recliner chair isn't fun.

Get your sleep now. Also try to work out a schedule wth your wife as time approaches l, especially if you don't get much paternity leave. Routine is key but every day is unpredictable.

Momaroo swing is a freaking lifesaver. Our son sleeps like a champ when he's in that thing! Pricey, but worth it.

Enjoy the ride!

Seriously.

My wife is very resourceful and this breaks down all things neede. Honestly, as far as being a parent, you will be surprised by how quickly you are able to act like a parent. No one has it completely figured out, don't over analyze...be present, support your wife and it will be the best responsible you will ever have Sorry forgot to say congrats!

Get used to the fact that however much money you make, it won't ever be enough to stop you feeling like you're falling behind. That said, prepare for a love affair that makes everything else in your life meaningless.

But wait until she's at least 3 month's pregnant before you tell anyone.

Take a long trip together. We scraped together a 10 day trip to France while pregnant for our 1st. 10 years and 3 kids later, we still talk about it all the time.

Just three things you need to do for the next 9 months: sleep, sleep and sleep some more. Savor every last second of child free restfulness. Also, when the little bundle of joy gets here NEVER EVER bring it into your bed at any age. It will be really really hard at times but that's a hole that you can't dig yourself it of. You're welcome.

Divide and conquer. Don't be those parents who feel if one is away both need to be awake. Switch nights, or one deals until they can't any longer and switch. If it gets your kid to sleep do it. Maybe it is the car seat or a bouncy chair or crib. My daughter slept in a bouncer chair I set by the couch every night where I slept. Me and my wife got plenty of sleep.

Ask any and all questions to your pediatrician. None are too stupid. Do what works for you not what worked for other people. Never let people make you feel bad if something you do works, but they think is dumb.

In closing enjoy the shit out of that kid because they grow too fast.

My advice is to load up on the diapers and cherish the sleep you get now.  My firstborn son slept ok but my daughter didn't and would only take milk straight from the tap for what seemed like forever.  It's great to have a plan going in, but especially with the first, don't be afraid to alter the plan based on what's best for the wife, the baby and the family.  We had the best intentions going in to the first birth and we diverted quite a bit to make sure everyone was comfortable and I have no regrets about that.  Best of luck to you sir!  And your child gets to enjoy Harbaugh in his prime!

Congrats! I have an 8 month old and my best advice is to enjoy the things about being a parent that aren't fun and the rest will be cake. Seriously, learn to enjoy changing diapers and 3 am feelings. Tough to get head around but once you do it will be easy. Also, take a birthing class. Definitely bring air mattress, hospital beds suck. Learn how to swaddle and tightly! Try all differently things that work on calming child until you find one that works. Lastly, once they get old enough, it's okay for them to cry themselves to sleep. Once you realize that it's as much a benefit to them as it is to you, your life will be so much better!

My advice is to just relax. People freak out too much at having children. They aren't as fragile as the Internet would have you believe. Just do your best, take your lumps, learn from mistakes, and give them more than you had. If you do that, it'll turn out well. Cheers!