Top Ten Pieces of Advice for New Parents

10. Dreft laundry detergent is bullshit. The upshot: you don’t have to over think or overspend to be a great parent. (Brett Kessler)

9. Essentials include the ItsBeen timer, Little Noses gas drops and Nuk pacifiers. The upshot: seasoned parent pals know best what small things will make a big difference. (Robin Kaley Shorter, Victoria Deaser, Heather Doucet)

8. When baby has a diaper blowout, it’s time to upgrade to the next size. The upshot: parenthood is filled with duh-isms like these, but it’s okay if you sometimes need someone else to kindly point them out to you. (Yvonne Anderson)

7. Grandparents are welcome to visit the newborn. The upshot: only if they’re really willing to help. After all, there’s a new Pampered guest in town. (All of Wendy’s best mom pals on Facebook)

6. Parenting is a 50/50 job. The upshot: a dual-income household in which Mom and Dad share parenting to-dos can be a perfectly healthy, happy place. (Alicia Magaña Gargaro)

5. You’re in good hands with Faith. The upshot is twofold: 1) a labor doula, or birth coach, can offer great peace of mind throughout pregnancy, labor and delivery; and, 2) trust your instinctual wisdom. Have confidence in what you do best, and in who best to ask for help. (Faith McGinn, Tara Zucker)

4. Make sure there are no plastic bags in the crib that may cause suffocation. The upshot: shelve all the ridiculous parenting books and just go have fun with your kid. (The Home Safety Checklist)

3. Dads rock. The upshot: real men take paternity leave, ask for help, wear Baby in a sling, pick up groceries... (Patrick Harcourt)

2. Blog about your baby. The upshot: they grow up fast. Capture the moment. (Allen Shorter)

1. What the world needs now is love, sweet love. Enough said. (Jackie DeShannon, Laura Lear)