NEW PARENT SURVIVAL KIT Having a baby is hard work, not to mention trying to keep up with the rest of your life. Read on to learn how to stay sane, ask for help and raise a healthy baby BY ELLEN RANTA OLSON The a u t baby, hor with he Edwin r . They say pregnancy lasts for about nine months so you have time to prepare for parenthood. "They" have obviously never had an actual baby. No preparation is sufficient. I confess: I was a smug nonparent and an even worse pregnant lady. I had grand illusions of days spent lounging in bed with a sleeping newborn, catching up on reading and Netfl ix. I fi gured my free time (free time!) would be spent cooking, cleaning and getting back into shape. When it came to prepping for actual childbirth, I felt ready, and after 25 hours of grueling labor, I met my beautiful son and reality hit: He was mine. I was a mom. I had to figure out how to keep him from screaming his head off. I just wanted a snack and a nap. While I thought a lot about having the baby, I hadn't really thought through what the next few weeks and months would look like-and what I might need to do to keep this tiny human alive. Here are the things I wish someone had told me before we became a family of three. FALL 2017 29