63 replies to this topic

[KennyandFooty]

Thoroughly enjoyed reading all of the advice and events in this thread. I'm only halfway there, but KNOW this information is going to be very handy! Thanks to all who have contributed! Would love to hear even more!!

[elephantshoes]

Hmm - one thing that I haven't seen so far is that an epidural can make you itchy. Within about 5 mins of getting it I was scratching my arms and chest like crazy - the nurse said it was perfectly normal and to try not to take off any skin!

 

Also, make friends with the nurses!  We LOVED ours and had a blast with them (24 hr labour) and we're pretty sure that they hooked us up with a semi-private room with no other patients (therefore private) because they liked us and wanted to help us out post delivery...every other room had at least two families in it and we were told that there was no way we'd get a private room even though we were willing to pay for it.

 

Regarding the adult diapers, I had so much water gushing that they were of limited use for the way there (although that is what I wore to the hospital and they were most likely better than what a pad would have done) - I ended up having to just use a towel because there was so much coming out.  When they came in really handy though was after the birth back at home, and I needed to get up with the baby every few hours.  I ended up just sleeping in the diaper with a t-shirt and was able to get up and walk around without worrying about pants etc....I suppose you could do that with pads and underwear too, but it was just nice to know that everything was covered, nothing needed to be wrapped/unwrapped and could just be chucked when used up (vs washed with possible stain removal)....simple is so nice for those first few days.

 

Oh, and one more thing...my best friend dropped off cut up fruit and veggies and it was a godsend - make sure you have food available that's already prepared and can be eaten right out of the fridge/container.  You will have NO TIME to assemble anything those first few days (hummas and pita chips saved us)!

[Sasabee]

Elephantshoes - i agree re sliced fruit. My Mum picked up a large pack of strawberries on her way to visit me at the hospital and honest to god it was my favourite thing of the various goodies people brought me.

A post delivery piece of FYI - It is normal to have bloody poops (sexy right?). As a person who has had colon issues in the past i almost had a coronary when i wiped and saw blood at about 6 wks after delivery. My "bum doctor" told me that this is a normal post delivery symptom. I was then able to breath again. Yup that's me all sorts of plumbing issues

[PaleSpring]

Baby bundlers are great for sleeping because the quick access makes it so much easier to change diapers than regular pjs! Some babies dont mind night-time changes, mine used to scream his head off. If you dont have to get legs in and out of the pjs and fuss with snaps and zippers, it just makes a bit smoother. These are baby bundlers in case anyone didnt know, basically an open gown at the bottom

 

 little-bundles-graphic-bundler-2-packs-for-baby-uni.jpg   5.51KB   0 downloads

[PaleSpring]

Also, if you use a diaper disposal...I find that the newborn diapers dont smell bad at all so you can just toss them in your bathroom trash, that way you dont have to waste so many refills when you're going through so many diapers a day!

[PaleSpring]

Baby's second night! Thank God a nurse at the hospital warned us and gave us this handout to prepare us! I would suggest to not just read it and make your partner read it, but print it out and take to the hospital with you, because if you are like me, you will read it again a couple more times when you are freaking out on the second night!

 

http://kellymom.com/...s/second-night/

[KennyandFooty]

LOVED that article.Thanks for posting!

[PaleSpring]

Ohh yes one more thing I didnt learn until after baby was born...there arent just 3 trimesters! There are 4! The 4th trimester is the first couple of months after the baby is born....baby is born but in many ways still needs the environment of the womb to be happy and comfortable!!

 

Some links below to help your baby adjust in the 4th trimester....especially if baby has colic!

 

http://www.coliccalm...ster-theory.php

http://babycalm.word...n-your-arms-30/

 

Dr Harvey Karp..5 S's...these are a lifesaver!

http://www.happiestb...e-whole-family/

 

http://www.happiestb...de_DR.KARP_.pdf

 

Swaddling tips

 

White noise

http://www.troubleso...ve-white-noise/

 

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNqERBWaJeM

[PaleSpring]

LOVED that article.Thanks for posting!

 

 

You're welcome my dear! OMG Team Blue!! Congrats!!!!!!!!! So exciting!!!

[Maralee]

Baby's second night! Thank God a nurse at the hospital warned us and gave us this handout to prepare us! I would suggest to not just read it and make your partner read it, but print it out and take to the hospital with you, because if you are like me, you will read it again a couple more times when you are freaking out on the second night!

 

http://kellymom.com/...s/second-night/

OMG, so darn true!  I spent all the 2nd night sitting in a rocking chair, watching snow fall outside our hospital room, with a baby on my boob the whole night!  Good to know (would have been great to know before it happened!).

[PaleSpring]

Some great articles!

 

http://www.elephantj...-wish-id-known/

 

 

http://mamaseeds.com...&action_ref_map

[elephantshoes]

Baby's second night! Thank God a nurse at the hospital warned us and gave us this handout to prepare us! I would suggest to not just read it and make your partner read it, but print it out and take to the hospital with you, because if you are like me, you will read it again a couple more times when you are freaking out on the second night!

 

http://kellymom.com/...s/second-night/

 

Wow.  I wish I had read this article prior to our daughters birth.  We were already home by night two and I was on the verge of a complete meltdown by about 4am with the screaming baby.  All she wanted was to be held and I just assumed that she would sleep through the night like she had in the hospital. 

 

Thank you for sharing!  Hopefully this will help out some other first-time moms.  By far this was the hardest night of my/her life.

[quandry]

Some things I learned years ago from my first two:

If you have stitches down there, do some "lamping". Essentially it's a lamp with a regular bulb(you need the heat) that you place about a foot away from your bare groin, turn on and place a blanket over your legs to lock the heat in. The warmth dries the area lessening the chance of infection and also encourages blood flow which quickens healing.

My second was STARVED the second night and wouldn't stop crying. My milk hadn't come in so we have in and did a bit of formula via baby dropper. My milk was in the next day but we managed to get a couple hours of sleep without his hunger wails.

Forget clippers or files for baby nails. While baby is feeding take the outside hand and bite their nails. It's easier, quicker and less likely to hurt baby than anything else. Nails are very soft after a bath so I'd do it after I'd bathed them. Italians believe if you use clippers on a baby that they will become a thief. Lol

Babies cry. Sometimes a lot. It's ok to be frustrated. And it's ok to put the baby in their crib and walk away for a few moments. You need to gather yourself sometimes and that's ok.

Dads won't do things as well as you and that too is ok. They need to do things too even if it isn't the way you would. Baby might even cry but again baby won't die. Really! If you can, take times in those first few months to give dad alone time. Grab groceries yourself. Send them on a walk. And realize even if baby is crying a bit when you come home that they are ok. Let dad figure things out and they'll feel more useful.

If your baby has colic take a look at your diet. Caffeine. Broccoli and other veggies. Gas makers and stimulants. For us the trigger was milk. I craved milk with both kids. My daughter had colic but I never figured out why. When I was pg with second I found out my first had a milk allergy. My second only had one bad crying bout after being at a shower that was all milk based treats ( milk drinks with fruit, cheese and cheesecake). I cut out milk and my son never really cried again.

Do things. See friends. Visit. Go shopping. Babies are portable and if you plan around naps you'll manage. And be happier for it.

The noise in the hospital wouldn't let me sleep. I did need to come home and it was easier for me. Everyone's different but I found being in the hospital harder than being at home.

About five weeks after I stopped bleeding. A week later I started gushing and passed a fist sized clot. I landed up at the ER. I did have retained placenta but was ok. If you start bleeding after stopping see your dr just in case.

Try not to buy big items right away. If you can, borrow to see if they work for you. My daughter hated the peg perego stroller (800$!) I bought. And the swing. I did use them for my son, but every baby is different and money doesn't grow on trees!

I read a book on getting baby to sleep by a dr Ferber. It was a lifesaver. My dd co slept and was a horrible sleeper. My d's at three months was ferberized and slept much better (and in his own room) than she did. I could lay him down fully awake and he'd sigh happily and sleep. Even with a house full of people.

Which brings me to my last advice. It's tempting to tiptoe around a sleeping baby but don't. Life happens. And silence is not always possible. Get baby used to a bit of noise and they will sleep much better!

[kookacola]

I wish I'd seen this before I had dd.  None the less, it is a good list DB.  The hormone crash is so so true.  I remembered mine after reading about it in your list of advice given.  One thing to add, if you're pregnant and you get back headaches while driving in the car, ask someone to put a static belt under the car.  It helps keep the static from the road from touching the car and therefore easing the headaches and sickness in the car.  Next, if you get sore breast from the milk coming in and it's a little engorged, try some potato peels and put them in between paper towels and have the peels damp, place them on your breasts and it will help with that. I had a doula suggest this to a nurse who was with me in the hospital.  When baby sleeps, try to sleep, if you can't catch up on the laundry.  Also, take time and hold baby as much as you can.  I spent hours holding dd in the rocking chair and I'd talk to her and read to her and sometimes we feel asleep in the chair.  If breastfeeding doesn't work out, don't beat yourself up about it.  Sometimes it will just fall into place once you're both home and relaxed.  My dd didn't latch on until 6 weeks after delivery and I went to a lactation consultant and she gave me some help.