First, CONGRATULATIONS!!!  Take LOTS of pictures and videos.  You only get one shot at it.

I am assuming that she will be taking feeds by bottle so you all might want to make sure she is OK with that from the get go.  When our three were first born I did the night time feedings.  Ours ate every three hours like clockwork.  I have had friends that do on demand feeding and it seems like a NIGHTMARE!  It was MUCH easier planning anything knowing that they ate at 12, 3, 6 and 9.  It makes getting anything else done around the house easier also.  Ours started sleeping through the night (skipping the 3am feeding) around three months.  That is a GREAT break.  Be sure your like/love your pediatrician and ask if things don't jive with what you have read/heard.

Keep in mind that when your wife was pregnant she probably only heard horror stories about things going wrong.  Now that your little angel is here you will only hear about how so and so's kid walked at eight months, was potty trained at 12 months and wrote her first novel before all her teeth were in.  OK, slight exaggeration:)  Your kid is her own individual.  Don't freak out (that is my wife's job) if she is lagging on some things.  Just discuss it with your pediatrician.  That being said be your daughter's advocate.  Ours went to the hospital at around 18 months and we had to fight to get her good care.  We were on vacation and at a teaching hospital so everyone got to "practice" on her.  I love how Doctors get to practice while the rest of us do our jobs:)

As a SAHD I took it upon myself to do EVERYTHING.  My wife not only has to work but she now is the sole provider for the family.  DO NOT underestimate this stress and pressure.  I cook, I clean, I do the yard work etc....  I even make her coffee for when she get out of the shower and a thermos to take to work.  In short, my job is to make every other Dad look like a loaf, JK.  I do not expect her to; clean if I cook, let me sleep in, get up with the kids at night, clean, etc....  Heck, I even go put gas in her car sometimes at night just because I know she does not like doing it.  What I do expect/demand (she knows this and is reminded of it frequently) is that she is appreciative of all that I do.  I have told her and will tell her again that once she starts expecting it and stops appreciating it I will stop carrying this size load.  I have at least on one occasion dumped out her coffee in the morning when she snipped at me about something.  I think it was something like "ugh! this is not very hot" to which I said, as I dumped it in the sink "then you can make a hot one."  It is VERY important that you all still have "date" time/nights.  It is also important that while your duties may "switch" your roles do not.  You are still the man in the house and she is the lady of the house.  I have also had to tell her from time to time that I am not one of her employees.  That being said I have sent her to her room and just the other day I counted to three when I asked her to do something, oops:)

Whew!  Sorry for the brain dump.  If you want more I am sure we have it.  This is just off the top of my head.  Keep in mind that advice is worth what you pay for it:)  lol

My #1 advice... start a blog.  Mine is www.stayathometripletdad.blogspot.com.  It keeps me sane, well at least at the same level of insanity:)

Al

I had not heard of cluster feeding until your post.  I would contact the lactation department at the hospital where you all gave birth and/or a local hospital.  Every baby is different but if you can, I would get her on a schedule.  We were a bit blessed in that the NICU nurses got our Triplets on their schedule, we just had to keep it.  We also kept charts on EVERYTHING.  It is a necessity with three but might makes things easier with one unless you have a great memory, I do not.

On another note it may be good for you and your wife to sit down and set up some ground rules.  You know, who is responsible for what.  That way there are fewer misunderstandings.  My wife does not sleep well and once up does not go back to sleep easily.  I on the other hand can wake up five times a night and go right back to sleep.  I also fall asleep in under a minute so I did/do almost all of the night duties even when I worked.  BTW, we had a nanny from 6 mos to 18 mos Monday - Friday 7:30 - 5:50.  The wife or I did the first five months with a month of daycare in between.

One of the tough things we deal with, you will too soon enough, is agreeing on behavior/disciplining.  Personally I think the person at home should be the "bad cop" or the "heavy" while the working parent is the "good cop."  We have friends that do the "you just wait till your mom/dad gets home."  This IS NOT a good idea.  I want my wife to be able to spoil them a bit and give them "grace."

I try to have the house put back together by the time she gets home so she does not walk into chaos.  I let her choose if she wants to eat with the kids or if she wants me to feed them first.  I feel bad for her (you can prepare your wife for this) as when she gets home is usually when the kids get crazy.  Most babies/gets get cranky in the evening.  Also, when they are older they will get all excited to see her and they will "show out" sometimes for attention.  I let my wife take our daughter out on fun little Mommy trips.  Of course I have everything packed for her; diaper bag, wipes, extra clothes, etc...

Gotta run, headed to Church:)

Al

Back in the day they use to have a noisy handcrank.

So  Fisher Price has a new one that goes side to side and back and forward.  I just went to LR to look at it. It is called MY little lamb cradle and swing. Has music and a mobile. The thing is magical. Works on batteries.

The black Jeep bag rocks too.

Y a get to where the baby and you start to realize feeding/ playing/ napping schedules. The swing helps us get to that nap time when she is getting fussy. Usually an  hour after eating she'll nap for two.  

Oh, Invest in batteries. If the swing, bouncer, jumparoo, mobile on crib quits; you'll want to replace the right away.

Cheers! Jeff