It might happen immediately after hearing the heartbeat of the tiny bean in your belly.
Or it might happen a little further down the track, once the baby is about to arrive.
But either way, the majority of expecting mamas and papas will at some stage be visited by the sudden and stark realisation that they are soon to become real life parents, in charge of a real life baby, who is as clueless as they are about details like the correct positioning of a baby carrier and how to install a car seat safely.
Before you hotfoot it to Google screaming ‘but what if I make a mistake?’ and stammering about that time when you were five and killed your goldfish with kindness (read: too much food), take a deep breath and find solace in the fact that everyone starts out knowing next to nothing, even your favourite celebs.
We’ve rounded up the top celeb baby mishaps - so while you may not know exactly what a Mei-Tai wrap is (clue: not a cocktail) you will know how to avoid the mistakes they made.
1. Ryan Reynolds and ‘baby carrier gate’.
Chances are good you cooed over the photo of new daddy Ryan Reynolds with baby daughter James strapped to his chest. You may also have noticed that she was, to put it bluntly, kind of weirdly positioned in her baby carrier. With her legs caught up under the waist belt of the carrier, she was unable to assume the ‘froggy leg’ or ‘M’ shape that baby wearing experts recommend for optimal positioning and hip support.
To avoid ‘doing a Ryan’ visit your local baby shop and have the staff show you exactly how to strap on and adjust the models of carriers that you’re interested in. YouTube also has a bunch of great videos that cover the basics for most major models of carriers.
2. Pregnant Snooki versus the pavement.
Mothers everywhere said a silent prayer that the same fate hadn’t befallen them when photos emerged of reality TV star Snooki stumbling and almost falling while heavily pregnant. Thankfully she managed to hold it together and stay upright.
While rough pavement coupled with some pretty impressive wedges was to blame for Snooki’s predicament, it pays to take care when heavily pregnant, especially when walking on slippery or overly uneven surfaces or wearing heels. Moral of the story? Walk cautiously and choose flats once you hit the third trimester.
3. Kourtney K and the ‘case of the rolling baby’.
In a 2011 interview just before her son Masons’ first birthday, Kourts admitted that her worst parenting moment had occurred during the early days when Mason accidently rolled out of her bed and onto the floor. “I freaked out. He was fine but crying so I emailed the doctor at four in the morning.”
It goes without saying that having your baby on an elevated surface should only ever occur under constant supervision. If you’re considering bed sharing, seek advice from a qualified professional as to how this can be carried out safely (for example using an ‘in bed’ co-sleeper or sidecar-ing the cot up against your bed).
4. Kate, Wills and a ‘royal’ stuff up.
The whole world went ‘nawwwww’ when photos emerged in 2013 of brand new dad Prince William taking son George home from the hospital. Some of those ‘nawwww’s’ quickly turned to ‘noooo’s’ however after eagle-eyed car seat experts noticed that the little prince was not correctly fastened into his capsule. Ensuring that you choose the right car seat for your child and learn how it works is paramount in the lead up to bringing your baby home.
The Euro NXT is the latest seat to be launched by Europe’s leading car seat manufacturer Maxi-Cosi. It utilizes GCELL next-gen crash absorbing technology complete with the exclusive ‘crumple zone’ which enhances the protective properties for your precious bundle, and it’s suitable from birth to four years with exra ability to rear face for longer (up until 30 months of age).
Just don’t do a ‘William’ and make sure bub is strapped in properly.
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