Nappy rash and sleep teachers: 5 things I Googled in my first year of being a parent.

There are some universal changes that happen to all women when they become mothers.

We’re bound by some deep level of love, we obsess about sleep or lack of it, and we start to spend large chunks of our life, usually late at night when we should be sleeping, on our phone Googling.

In fact, Google released stats once that showed new parents search twice as much as the general population.

And it’s no surprise really, is it? We’re suddenly faced with the monster responsibility of keeping a baby alive with not much real-life training.

So, what did I Google during my first year of parenthood? Well, let me tell you…

The first bath.

There’s nothing more terrifying than dangling that slippery eel of a newborn over their first bath and not knowing exactly what you’re doing.

So, I Googled all types in relation to this, focusing on the perfect bath type, the perfect temperature and the perfect products.

And here’s what I found:

• A bath with a removable incline is brilliant.
• 37-degree water is ideal.
• A lot of mammas recommended using QV Baby Bath Oil in the water as it’s a bath oil that doesn’t sit on the water’s surface but actually disperses into the water, moisturising the baby’s skin while in the bath.

Normal or not-so-normal poo?

It happens as soon as your baby has their first poo - you are now obsessed with the colour, consistency and size of it for the next year or so.

It’s like some indicator that everything is going OK, or not so OK. Yes, I've stared at the poo charts more than I've stared at my own reflection this year.

Over the Christmas period, my baby daughter Georgie managed to double her poo output, which caused severe nappy rash. Which brings me to...

Every type of rash under the sun.

No one really tells you that even the smallest rash on your baby’s skin can push you over the edge as a parent.

Is it meningitis? Measles? Prickly heat? For the first year of Georgie’s life I probably Googled “weird rash on baby” about 20,000 times.

Of course, we know as parents that if we see strange rashes or any symptoms we're unsure of, going to a doctor or health professional will always trump Google, every time.

Luckily nappy rash is an easy one to identify. I used QV Baby Barrier Cream because it's paediatrician-recommended and works as a barrier against water, detergents, chemicals and other irritants, without being sticky or greasy.

On another occasion when Georgie had a rash I couldn't figure out, I went to the doctor. Generally her skin is OK, but that one time it turned out to be a bad case of eczema. The doctor recommended using QV Baby Moisturising Cream as it’s free of fragrance, soap and common nasties but also keeps the skin hydrated for 24 hours.

A choking hazard?

There’s nothing scarier than starting your baby on solids, fearing that every mouthful could result in choking. And well, it triggered me to Google what to do in this situation a few times a week.

I’ve actually watched more YouTube tutorials on techniques to dislodge food from the airways than I’ve hot dinners recently.

But every mum has their unique fear about their baby. Some worry they’ll lose their grip on the stroller, for others it’s about the room being too hot or cold.

For me, it was and probably always will be choking. I’ve even done a First Aid course, but that did little to alleviate my concerns.

A slight obsession with sleep.

Like air, one is unaware of how important sleep is until it’s taken away.

The newborn stage of living in two- or three-hour cycles over a 24-hour period is exhausting and it isn’t long until you’re scrolling through endless articles about baby sleep cycles and learning all there is to know about the art of getting a baby to sleep.

Seriously, I’ve even followed every sleep guru on the 'Gram (a fave is @thesleepteacher, by the way).

And on that note, I think it's time for a nap... yes, my body is ready for a long, uninterrupted eight-hour sleep. Remember those days, folks?

What are your most searched Google terms in your first year of being a parent? Share below.