The 3 things I wish someone told me before my first baby arrived
I spent months reading every parenting book I could find. Most of it was fluff.
After actually going through it with our first, here are the 3 things that actually mattered:
1. Sleep schedules are a myth until ~4 months
Stop stressing about a "perfect" routine in the first weeks. Your baby hasn't read the book. Focus on survival mode first, structure second.
2. You don't need 90% of the gear
We bought a $400 swing our kid used twice. A swaddle, a white noise machine, and a good carrier will get you through 80% of the first year.
3. Your relationship needs active maintenance
No one warns you about this one. Sleep deprivation + a crying baby = tension. Schedule 10 minutes of actual conversation every day. Not about the baby. About each other.
I put everything I learned into a set of practical ebooks — no theory, just what actually works. If you're expecting or in the thick of it right now, check out the Family Blueprint collection.