My husband and I adopted our son so there was no breast feeding. Nighttime feedings were just slightly more involved than pulling him into bed with us. We started pre-filling his bottles with his formula and leaving a coffee cravat with warm water on his dresser so all we had to do was go in his room, pour the water, shake the bottle and sit with him and feed him. This was calming for all three of us. There was no walking through the house or turning on lights. That has to be my BEST advice for a non-breastfeeding mommy!

Everyone has an opinion on co-sleeping. I say do both! I put my daughter to bed in her crib and get up to feed her two times every night (she is a month old). If she falls back asleep, then I put her in the crib again. If not, then she comes to bed with me. This way, she is used to being put into bed alone and when she sleeps through the night she will end up there in the morning. It worked like a charm with my older son and he had no problems sleeping away from us.

Take advantage of relatives or friends wanting to watch the baby for a few hours, or even overnight, if it's convenient for you. You can catch up on some much-needed sleep, do the housework that hasn't been done, or have some alone time with your spouse. Just be careful not to get pushed into it, if you're not ready. And don't feel guilty about it if you're not ready to let someone else watch your baby.

When first home from the hospital, new moms should consider staying in pajamas for the first week. That way, when company comes, they think automatically that you are not up to a long visit and can come and go for a shorter visiting time. Dad can also step in and guide people out cordially when the new mommy is getting too tired to handle guests. This is a wonderful time for parents to ease in to being a new family!

As a childcare educator and mother of three with one on the way, the best advice I can give is to keep worry to a minimum. Just about the time you start to pull your hair out over a stage in your child's life, it ends and another begins. Children go through so many different stages throughout their lives that you will drive yourself crazy over worry. Go with the flow, do what feels right, and sit back to enjoy the ride. They are the best gift you can give yourself and your family!

Starting at birth, talk to you child as if he/she understands everything you say. Don't be afraid to use big or complicated words. My son spoke in complete sentences when he was one, and now that he's six, he can understand abstract ideas beyond his years because he has such a large vocabulary. Also, I was absolutely miserable with the nighttime feedings for the first two weeks until I finally took him into my bed. It was great for both of us and he never had a problem sleeping alone when he got old enough for a toddler bed. My husband and I don't sleep alone, why should our precious baby?

As a first-time mom, I was scared to death and didn't know what to expect. When my son came, so did everything I needed to know. He basically let me know what was wrong and I adjusted to his needs and wants right away. It really does just come naturally! I definitely suggest buying a swing. It works miracles for me. My son just sits in there for hours at a time wide awake and easily falls asleep too. It definitely helps when your baby is crying and you can't get him to fall asleep!