20 Awful Firsts You Have To Look Forward To With Your New Baby

By Tiffany in Baby, Neatorama Only on Nov 6, 2010 at 8:11 am


I love being a Mom, but the experience has been slightly less glamorous than I expected.  No, I didn’t imagine it to smell of baby powder and be filled with giggles. OK, maybe I did  a little. Regardless, even if I had been more sane in my expectations I still never could have imagined what real Motherhood was like.  I knew about first laughs, first steps, and first words. I, however, was completely unprepared for those  ”other” firsts.

This is  my top 20 awful firsts Parents-To-Be should brace themselves for.

  1. Baby’s first blood test. They poke them in the foot with something that looks like a thumb tack.  Then they squeeze the boo-boo to get blood out.   All my children cried during their first blood tests.  I’m not a really violent person, but I seriously wanted to punch the lab tech in the face when he did this to my baby.  My advice to you, just breathe and remind yourself they are doing their job.  If you can’t do this then I suggest passing off the job to the other parent.
  2. The first time they projectile vomit on you. I’m not talking a little spit up. I am referring to continual spewing. It’s akin to a horror movie minus the spinning head.  You will be surprised how much comes out of their little body.
  3. The first time your newborn son pees in your face. Yes, it really does happen.  I finally got wise and started covering him up with a wash cloth while changing his diaper.
  4. Their first cold. This will be when you have to break out the bulb syringe and suction like mad.  Goo will be coming out of their noses and you will feel miserable because they feel miserable.  Remember to suction, suction, suction. If you don’t they will puke on you. See # 2 The first time they projectile vomit on you.
  5. The first time they bite you while nursing. Teeth or no teeth this still really hurts.
  6. The first time they spit up on a friend who doesn’t have children. I’m convinced this is why some of my friends are still childless.  Really, I am so sorry.
  7. The first time they have massive diaper failure. I call these poo-splosions.  They typically occur when you are in a hurry, you have placed them in your favorite little outfit, or have somehow forgotten a change of clothes.
  8. The first time they pull your hair so hard you want to cry. Babies have amazingly strong grips and when they finally get a hold of something they don’t tend to let it go. 
  9. The first time they kill a cell phone. Each of my kids has killed at least one cell phone.   The protective case may help you if the baby drops the phone, but it probably won’t protect it from baby drool. Oh, and be aware that many insurance programs don’t cover drool damage.
  10. The first time your little girl rips that expensive bow out of her hair. I admit it, I am one of those crazy Moms who puts gigantic bows on my kids head.  What I have learned from two baby girls:  they can rip an expensive hair bow in two in less than 1 second.   You won’t even see it coming.
  11. The first time they throw food on the floor. Sure, it’s funny the first time. After a while, however, you start to feel like you are living with a wild animal.
  12. The first time they empty out a bookcase or toy chest. My babies were all able to do this in about 30 seconds. I have no idea how they could do this so quickly when it took me a good 5 minutes or more to put all the stuff back.
  13. The first time they attack your cat or dog. There you are trying to get your pet to like your baby when out of nowhere the baby reaches over and places a vice grip on a chunk of the animal’s fur and skin.    
  14. The first time they throw a fit when you take something from them. For a while a baby will allow you to take anything from them without so much as a whimper.  Then one day they get fed up with you and decide they aren’t going to take it anymore.  This is the day we officially lose control over our children.
  15. The First time they poo while bathing in the tub. Only one of my kids has actually done this, but believe me the shock and awe will stay with you forever.  It still makes me shudder.
  16. The First time they put something really gross in their mouth. Babies are like ninjas. They have stealth reflexes. They can grab and lick the bottom of a shoe faster than you can scream “NO!”
  17. The first time they gag on solid food and throw up all over. Gag reflexes are strong.  My advice, don’t be in such a hurry to introduce solid foods.
  18. The first time they say no. No was actually my son’s first word. Not Mamma or Dadda, but “no”.  Yes, I want my children to be independent thinkers.  Sure, the ability to say “no” is important.  But, did they have to learn to say no to me so quickly?
  19. The first time you have to leave them with someone else. There will come a time when you have to leave your baby in the care of someone else.  I don’t care how much you want to get out, or how wonderful the person is that you are leaving them with this simple act will still make you cry.  My brother-in-law gave my sister this advice the first time she had to leave my nephew to go back to work, “Get your happy ass in the car and go to work. We need the money.”
  20. The first time they cry because you left them with someone else. For a while they won’t notice when you leave them. Then one day they will realize you are leaving them and they will cry. They might even scream and cling to you.  You will feel awful the whole time you are out without them. They, however, will be fine anywhere from 30 seconds to 30 minutes after you leave.

Is something missing from my top 20 awful firsts?  Be sure to add your favorite worst firsts in the comment section.


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  1. vonskippy
    Nov 6th, 2010 at 12:21 pm

    From a Dad’s POV – #7 and #15 make you question exactly how cute they must be the other 99% of the time in order to justify their existence. Mom’s by far have a much stronger stomach (or so it seems to me).

  2. Caroline
    Nov 8th, 2010 at 6:11 am

    - The first time you have let-down in public (without a nursing baby to help), it soaks your shirt because you forgot to put shields on, you are 15 minutes from home, and have nothing to cover your breasts.

  3. beriukay
    Nov 8th, 2010 at 7:15 am

    The first time a friend steps in a puddle of baby pee without shoes on. I hated that, but they were already so accustomed to the baby that it didn’t seem to phase the parents.

  4. John Culp
    Nov 8th, 2010 at 7:21 am

    The first time they take the pot of spaghettio’s off the stove and poop in it because Dad was renovating the bathroom and the toddler couldn’t find his training potty. Fortunately lunch was over and the pot was not hot.

    The first time they climb on the windowsill, fully naked, “wookin for tomatoes”. (I had told him that there was a tornado warning and that we had to get dressed and go in the basement; while I was getting his sister changed, he went commando and flashed the neighborhood).

  5. Dave Brown
    Nov 8th, 2010 at 9:40 am

    I call #15 a “Code Brown!” – My wife knows exactly what I’m calling in the backup for!

  6. lolamouse
    Nov 8th, 2010 at 10:11 am

    The first time she takes a handful of her lunch (Cheerios and milk) from her bowl at a restaurant and gleefully flings it at a businessman in a suit sitting at a nearby table.

  7. Alex
    Nov 8th, 2010 at 11:21 am

    @Dave Brown – “Code Brown” LOL!

  8. Morris
    Nov 8th, 2010 at 12:25 pm

    I remember my childs first serious injury (hopefully last). She broke her arm, and I cried more than she did.

    I still chuckle at the first time we left our daughter with someone else at night. My wife and I decided we needed some time to ourselves, and went to dinner and movie and left our daughter at Granny’s. She called in the middle of our date and said “You need to come home right now!!”. When we explained we couldn’t, she said “But I KA-WHY-ING!”.

  9. Tyson
    Nov 8th, 2010 at 1:39 pm

    Don’t say spit up or puke, say “Protein spill” :)

  10. themonkey
    Nov 8th, 2010 at 2:33 pm

    several vomit scenarios have been covered here – but i’d like to add this one anyway. it’s when you’re laying on your back and lifting the baby up and down and he vomits on you. i happened to get a mouthful once when i brought my nephew in for a kiss. anyone else – or was it just me?

  11. Daeshii
    Nov 8th, 2010 at 2:53 pm

    One of my favorite (yet completely groan-worthy) firsts was, while potty training my daughter, she somehow got it into her head that she needed to shed everything from the waist down, preferably in public (think front yard/playground) and THEN waddle her butt to the bathroom. She never had an accident, but it took FOREVER to get her to wait until she was IN the bathroom to unclothe!!

  12. AmyT
    Nov 8th, 2010 at 3:46 pm

    The first night out as a family, while nursing, and the baby starts fussing to eat too.

  13. smallerdemon
    Nov 8th, 2010 at 3:53 pm

    But, on the whole, you get used to all of these things. The second time they happen you’re like “Ok, how do we restore normalcy as quickly as possible.” and turn into a cold logic machine that just happens to be dealing with a hot illogical mass of infancy as part of the things that need to be juggled to restore normalcy.

    You also find that you don’t panic nearly as much as you think you will the first time any of this stuff happens. I will say that I was significantly more panicked recently when for the first time our two year old darted off in a place with very curvy walls and when we got around the corner she had completely disappeared. I think that makes everything else here by comparison seem pretty tame on the response scale.

  14. Manticore
    Nov 8th, 2010 at 4:46 pm

    20 more reasons I don’t want to have larvae. Thanks!

  15. holly777
    Nov 8th, 2010 at 7:32 pm

    Wow, why do people post this depressing crap? It’s a real downer for mothers to be. Thanks.

  16. talby
    Nov 8th, 2010 at 9:42 pm

    Holly, how about if we all agree to never mention the difficulties (even the amusing ones) that come with being a parent, if you promise not to attempt to commiserate with others when you get to experience these gems for yourself!
    Kid poopa on the brand new sheet set you bought for the equally brand new $1300 mattress? Don’t mention it on your blog! you might upset some random pregnant lady on the other end of the intertubes!

  17. Chakolate
    Nov 8th, 2010 at 9:51 pm

    Holly777, Yeah, a lot of this stuff will happen – and you won’t really care, because you will have the most amazing baby in the world, right there in your arms.

  18. hearsetrax
    Nov 9th, 2010 at 4:33 am

    ROFLMFAO @ holly777

    its hard to believe my neice is almost ready to graduate high school

    its truely amazing in sense those first half dozen years of both mirth and previously unthinkable horrors

    but in the end and if the job is done right …..
    its truely worth it

  19. syd
    Nov 9th, 2010 at 6:20 am

    How about the first time your child repeats something she or he overhead – that should have been kept private?

    It’s amazing how much you *try* to monitor yourself after that (of course, it will never work perfectly…)

  20. CH
    Nov 9th, 2010 at 6:48 am

    I’ve heard a couple of my friends have things like this happen. One recently had her son spit breast milk back at her.

    @Holly, this is what happens when you have a kid or anything that you have to raise, like a dog. Mammals aren’t born just knowing. While I’m childless, I’m also fully aware that raising children isn’t always without it’s “code browns”

  21. Courageous Grace
    Nov 9th, 2010 at 3:35 pm

    Oh, some of these are memories, some are still happening, and I’m sure I have some to look forward to (with my 2nd on its way). The “Code Brown” completely grossed out hubby, but the first time it happened to me I sighed, said “that’s kinda disgusting”, and grabbed a washcloth to scoop it out of the tub, drained the tub, than rebathed the toddler who deposited it.

    What was really disgusting to me was when he would take off his diaper and smear poop all over his bedroom floor (thankfully I have laminate floors).

    My most frightening first was when he took a nosedive towards my mother’s power chair and received a deep forehead gash from it. That one ended up with a trip to Cooke Children’s urgent care.

  22. Mich
    Nov 9th, 2010 at 7:02 pm

    I’m not a parent but I constantly have to babysit my sister/nephew/niece when they were younger since the parents hard their kids fairly late.

    Some of my worst experiences always had to be whenever I took them to the store or mall. They constantly grab items and never want to let things go and end up crying, sure it’s cute that they would want a large stuffed bear but there is no way I would spoil them with a $60 bear. And other incidents would be at the market, I don’t know how they manage to do it while they’re sitting in the shopping cart seat but they still manage to spill a shelf’s worth of cans or boxes.

  23. elisabobeesah
    Nov 9th, 2010 at 7:58 pm

    Not all awful firsts, but here goes:
    First black-eye. That just happened here with Baby Boy #2.
    First time they figure out how to slide down a slide by themselves.
    First time they jump.
    First time the youngest intentionally picks on the oldest. Which happened surprisingly fast here.
    First time the siblings make each other laugh. Awesome.
    First time one kid goes after the other’s poop. Because babies don’t know poop is gross.
    First time they play in the toilet.
    First time they break down in public.
    First time you break down in public.
    First time you find them flinging water all over the kitchen and you see an inch of water everywhere. That was mostly horrible but also hilarious to catch him in the act.
    Oh it’s horrible and wonderful and tiring but still pretty great and I wouldn’t go back to a life pre-kids for anything. Ok, maybe for a few days of sleeping, but then I’d miss my boys terribly.

  24. Girl
    Nov 10th, 2010 at 2:02 am

    My twin brother and I once took off our diapers and smeared them all over the wall while being babysat. My parents weren’t happy when they came home. Also, when we were four, we went to visit our grandparents and apparently we flipped them off and called them “Fucker heads”…

    :)

  25. glynis
    Nov 10th, 2010 at 6:46 am

    My only comment is this — I’m on the other side of raising kids as mine are both adults now. Treasure these moments because they will pass too quickly. And remember to keep some ziploc bags with you, they come in too handy for all kinds of yuck. :-)

  26. Father of 3 boys
    Nov 13th, 2010 at 4:25 pm

    The first time you see your little guy’s pee pee after the circumcision. It is a little shocking.

  27. dpantelis
    Nov 15th, 2010 at 3:53 am

    I am a new father of a lovely son. Whatever he does I think he is the one and only who I REALLY love in this life.

    http://www.leanspawithacai.net

  28. Tigerbitten
    Nov 15th, 2010 at 7:02 am

    I laughed at most of these cause they are indeed true. As mother of one (and another on the way), I’ve helped/hindered with 5 of my 9 nieces and nephews from when I was 14 yrs old. Still do.

    Lordy but the things I had to do to NOT kill the little darlings. Still debating on the lobotomy of 7th niece (she’s 10)

  29. Pigiron
    Nov 18th, 2010 at 8:55 am

    - The first time he escapes from his crib. This just happened to me. I went into his room to check on him after hearing him cry, and he was standing there waiting for me. It’s shocking.

  30. erak
    Dec 7th, 2010 at 12:08 pm

    @Tyson (Comment #9)

    “Don’t say spit up or puke, say ‘Protein spill’”

    I’m pretty sure “protein spill” is what leads to a baby.

  31. ark
    Jan 27th, 2011 at 11:28 am

    I call #7 a poo-mergency

  32. ash333
    Feb 3rd, 2011 at 3:49 am

    It was hard to pick just ten for my best and worst list, but I did my best to highlight the best and worst reader comments of 2010. Keep em’ coming!audi s4 turbo

  33. Xaxion
    Mar 18th, 2011 at 10:20 am

    How about the first time you step on a barbie on the way to the bathroom at 2am. You haven’t lived until you get a puncture from a barbie leg.

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