New parents are often overwhelmed with excitement and joy when they welcome their little ones into the world. However, there are several challenges that they may not have anticipated or been told. Here are eight things new parents may not be quite prepared for:

1. The labour pain
   As a first-time mother, you may hear a lot from mothers about labour pain. Truthfully, first-time parents will never be completely prepared for their delivery experience.
   
   How does labour pain feel like? How painful childbirth really is? Does getting an epidural really help? Let’s hear what are mothers saying about labour pain.
   
   “Bearable as long as you give time for your body to recover. I went through C-sec surgery!” @chanwon92
   
   “I laboured for 22 hours without an epidural only to have an emergency C-sec mid-push. Had I know I would have to go through an emergency C-Section, I would have opted for that in the first place. It was painless and the recovery was not as bad as expected! 15 months later, I feel my body now is stronger than before! Hand in there mamas ❤️” @chelle91cky
   
   “Caesarean – The after-effect of spinal anesthesia is where the real pain starts.” @ssarahchy
   
   “Insist not getting an epidural for my first baby. The pain level is felt like I am dying but I know I won’t.” @linglingtua.meggan

2. Your newborn’s first appearance
   Newborns will not look “clean” like what you normally see on social media or the internet. It may be quite the opposite because they just came out from inside of you.

• Your newborn’s skin will appear quite blue or grey when they are born.
• Your newborn will have some blood on their skin.
• Vernix caseosa will be on your newborn’s skin for at least 6 hours. It is the white, creamy, naturally occurring biofilm covering your baby’s skin inside your uterus. It is a protection for your newborn skin.
• Your newborn’s genitals and sometimes breasts will be swollen-looking as he or she gets a large dose of your hormones during birth.
• Your newborn may be born with lots of hair, or not. This does not affect how their hair or hair colour will look like in the future.
• Your newborn’s eyes and nose will appear swollen and squishy. Do not worry as all the swelling will fade in a few days.

Parents should also know it is normal for their newborn to look a bit scrunched up because he or she has been in the foetal position for a long time in mother’s womb. Your newborn’s limbs will uncurl gradually as he or she gets used to being outside your womb.

3. Your newborn’s umbilical cord stump
   After childbirth, your healthcare provider will clamp your newborn’s umbilical cord and then cut it, leaving a stump (umbilicus) behind. In one to three weeks, the stump dries out and eventually falls off. As the stump dries, it shrinks and changes from yellowish-green to brown and then black before falling off the belly button. It may seem weird but it is totally normal.
   
   Parents be sure to clean the area gently and keep the stump dry. Learn how to care for your newborn’s umbilical cord here and be sure to stock up Antibacterial Cotton Swab for cleaning your newborn’s umbilical cord stump.

4. Cleaning the never-ending poo poo
   Parents will never expect they can be the poop expert one day because they will be spending many waking hours looking and cleaning their baby’s poop.
   
   Your newborn will first have dark, greenish poop and it is completely normal. Baby’s poop can be as thick as peanut butter or mushier, like cottage cheese or yogurt. Breastfed baby poop usually looks mustard - yellow, seedy, or curdy. Formula-fed poop usually looks like beat-up flan or pudding. Excessively hard poop can indicate constipation, while overly soft or watery poop could point to diarrhea.
   
   Check out our baby poop guide on Instagram here. To clean your baby’s poop effectively, use Antibacterial Cut Cotton. It is easy to clean baby’s different poop situations and helps prevent rashes. Not only that, it is so soft and gentle on baby’s skin that your baby will love you for it!
   
   To ease your never-ending diaper-changing duties, let your baby wear Gauze Undershirt to help you save time changing diapers. It makes diaper changing so much easier with the kimono tie-up design and it keeps your baby cool and dry all day.

5. Serving boobies buffet
   While your baby enjoys feeding off your boobies, you may experience some breastfeeding challenges, or some may call it “nightmares”. Here are some common issues that mothers face during breastfeeding:

1. Cracked, bleeding, blistered nipples
2. Plugged ducts
3. Painful nursing
4. Thrush or mastitis
5. Low milk supply

 Did you know you can clean and soothe your sore nipples with Wet Cleaning Cotton? It is ideal for on-the-go latch-on or pumping.

Please see a lactation consultant if you have difficulties in breastfeeding or attend classes prior to giving birth to learn and be informed on breastfeeding information. Get nipple cream in case you have sore nipples. Please see a doctor when you have mastitis. To read more on how to avoid breastfeeding challenges, click here.

6. Becoming the mini human bagpipe
   Your baby’s “melody” will echo through your house and you need to quickly learn to “play” their soothing songs of burps and farts. Babies cry for a reason and they can only use crying to communicate with you. Here are some common reasons:

1. Hunger
2. Needs sleep
3. Uncomfortable / irritated
4. Needs to be cuddled
5. Teething
6. Dirty diaper
7. Trapped air

7. Getting ready for breath-holding bodily fluids
   And never-ending cleaning and changing. Babies are notoriously messy and because they are full of poo, pee, tears, spit, drool and sweat. You may need to change their clothing a few times a day because their bodily fluids got onto their clothing. Not only that, you need to prepare at least 10 handkerchiefs a day to clean your baby. Get our Gauze Handkerchief today to clean your baby’s spit, drools, sweat, tears and so on.
   
   For easy clothes changing, try Gauze Undershirt. If your baby is restless from their back sweat, try putting on Gauze Sweat Pad to absorb your baby’s sweat at their back.

8. Having a baby changes your life
   You will never really be prepared for it. Your priority shifts when you have a little human. Every decision you make will take into consideration of your child. The forms of entertainment you enjoy will change. Every little thing your baby does and learn becomes an enjoyment and achievement. One thing for sure – you will have much more love to give. Check out what are the 7 Joys of Being a Mother here.