First time parents, what did you think when you first brought your newborn home?

I thought. "Oh no! She's going to die within a week!"

We had the worst ice storm in decades and our power went off the morning after we came home and stayed off for almost a week. We were all huddled in the living room next to the fireplace. I had the baby wrapped up as close as I could get her next to my body, and my husband kept trying to keep the fire going.

That lasted for an hour or so. Then my mom called and told us to get over to my grandmother's house. She was one of the few in the city who actually still had her power on (even though everyone else on her street was out)!

By the way, she didn't die within a week. She's almost three years old now. :-).

I did much the same as you did. I sat there and it suddenly hit me that we were responsible for this tiny baby who depended on us for everything. I worried that we would know what to do, but after a week or so we were all into a routine and everything just fell into place.My daughters are now 10 and 16, but I still remember so clearly bringing them home for the first time.

It just becomes daily life and I can't remember life before them. Congratulations to you and your wife and best wishes for the future with your new baby.

Yep, sounds like a normal reaction! I guess most people's first thoughts are "will I cope? " and "how come there's no instruction manual?"

Those were our first thoughts anyway.

Exactly, I sat in the rocking chair, holding my daughter and seriously wondered what to do next. I didn't even know where to put her!

After a while though, it was the greatest thing on earth. But I admit, it took some getting used to.

I was terrified the first night home because in the hospital there is round the clock care and help but once home I was most fearful of her not breathing in her sleep. I woke up several times (even though she slept through the night) to check her and make sure she was fine.

It all just kind of got real right then, lol. We just fell into the routine and haven't looked back. I think I almost expected our daughter to take off running around the house from day 1, but that took about 7 months, lol.

I don't recall really having time to be shocked.

I wondered when the instruction manual was going to arrive. :).

I was in absolute awe of the miracle of having a child...and I still am.

My parent in law invited all the aunts,uncles,grandchildren to our house. Frankly speaking I don't like it but old folks are very superstitious. I was hoping to spend more love bonding with my baby just between two of us only.

We were the same way. Sort of just sitting there in quiet disbelief. The first night was the hardest for me.

I didn't sleep a wink. I just sat there staring at my baby, I was so scared and paranoid something awful would happen if I fell asleep. Day by day it got easier.

Having a baby completely changes everything. It's a huge adjustment!

I was overcome with joy. I had waited a long time. I was 35 years-old at the time.

He was (and is) my pride and joy. The first thing we did with our son when we got home was spend time with our dog so he could get used to the baby. He was a Golden Retriever named Dusty.

He was three years old at the time, but he was very calm and mature. He was the best dog ever. A friend of mine in Maine used to tell me, "You'll never find another one like him."

He was right.

From the beginning, Dusty could not have been more careful or caring with our son. When Dusty died three years ago, our son (who had known Dusty all his life) cried himself to sleep every night for several weeks. It was hard, but it was a good lesson and practice in life in grieving.

As first time parents during the time I delivered my first born baby--all I wish is that I will become a super mom. That way, am going to know everything how my little half soul baby feels, so that I can attend to his needs every time he moves or when there is a time he cried. It's so strange, it's like am questioning my capacity as a new parent.

When we brought my first baby home, all I have in mind is--this is it!

I, like many others answered, was unsure of what to do next. My daughter had been in the hospital for almost a month after she was born because she had a stroke in utero and her life was touch and go for about the first week. We had been making several trips daily back and forth to the hospital when one day we sat down with her doctor who told us about the complications they were having with her breathing and that we may have to make the difficult decision to let her go.

They were working with her to get her off the ventilator she was on, but every time they dropped the pressure, her blood oxygen levels dropped too. To make a long story short, the next morning we arrived to find her off the ventilator and on oxygen! They had worked with her round the clock and she finally started to respond.

I think she heard the doctor and decided to fight! Two weeks later she was ready to go home but when we arrived it was "what now? " No more hospital trips, no more hoping and praying she would get better and come home.

Prayers answered, we overcame this question by diving right into parenting. On one hand she was somewhat difficult to care for lending to the fact that she was on Phenobarbitol due to having 2 seizures after birth and she slept almost non stop. I had to wake her for feedings, changings, and playtime.

On the other hand it was nice to have the rest! ;) 4weeks later our stress was added to because I had a gall bladder attack and had to have it removed, but that's another story...

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.