A 4-5 month old will be mobile within weeks — often faster than you expect.
Living room
BEAB-approved socket covers
Secure freestanding furniture to walls
Corner guards on sharp edges
Move toxic houseplants
Kitchen
Stair gate on the doorway
Cupboard locks (especially cleaning products)
Hob knob covers
Stairs and doors
Stair gates top and bottom — top must be screwed to the wall
Door slam stoppers
Bathroom
Non-slip bath mat
Move medicines and razors out of reach
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Lower every expectation. The house will be messy -- that's fine. Survival mode is valid. Focus only on: feeding baby, keeping baby safe, and keeping yourself alive with food and fluids. Everything else waits. Accept every offer of help and don't be afraid to ask for specific things.
Try different positions -- over the shoulder, sitting upright on your lap, or tummy across your lap. Gentle circular back rubbing or patting works for many babies. Some babies need to be winded mid-feed, not just at the end. If one position isn't working, try another.
Introduce a bottle around 4-6 weeks if breastfeeding (not before, to avoid nipple confusion). Try when baby is calm, not desperate-hungry. Have someone other than the primary feeder offer it. Experiment with different bottle teats. Warming the milk to body temperature helps.
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