Infant Esoterica:

CONSENSUAL BIRTH PLAN: We did homebirths for both. No meds, no interventions. They went great, wouldn't have changed a thing. Hospital ten minutes away in case we needed it. The important factor is that we CHOSE how we'd give birth. It was fully consensual.

Lack of meds, synthetic oxytocin, pain meds—all that stuff mattered too and if you can skip 'em, it's ideal, but the main thing is engineering a harmonious, celebratory entrance for the kid. That could be in the hospital. That could be at your home.

Figure your plan out.

I won't go into breastfeeding. Obviously you want to do that. To explain fully why would take an entire thread. Maybe later.

Skin-skin contact with both parents is essential. Chest to chest. Doing as as early and often as you can --> lasting connections.

DEAD HANGS: From day one, a baby can hold his own weight dangling from a bar. Many ways to test.

Lay them on their back on bed or soft surface, get them to grab your thumbs and start lifting up. They'll come off the ground and relinquish grip when tired. Repeat.

Your baby will just hang fully from your thumbs and drop when done. Do this over a bed, somewhere soft they can safely drop. Expect laughter.

If you do this from day 1 and never stop, you build powerful grip strength. ie normal grip strength, the grip they're meant to have.