What you could not do without!! First time MOM - Page 2

Sarah23 · 12-30-2007, 01:57 PM

Storms -

My insurance covered my breastpump. My midwife wrote a Rx for one, and then I gave it to the nurse while I was in the hospital and I was able to take one home with me.

I know some insurance companies won't pay for it, or will only pay a portion, but it's worth checking into.

~Sarah~

Nals · 12-30-2007, 02:09 PM

Let's see....

I used a swaddle blanket, one specifically made for swaddling with velcro for dd. Let me tell you it was a lifesaver in the sleep department. For the first couple months she would wake herself up with her hands moving and that was the only way she slept more then an hour at a time.

One or two premie outfits. Our doc told us dd would be about 8 to 81/2 lbs at birth so I brought newborn onsies and a newborn size dress as a coming home outfit. Dd was 5lbs 15 oz. She was in premie sleepers and onsies for at least the first three weeks. My mom had to frantically run to walmart to get me a premie size dress for her to come home in!

Gerber "just born" onsies. They have them at Target, they were wonderful.

Nail clippers, When babies are born their nails usually already need a trim, and they are sharp!

Good luck!

StormsDreams · 12-30-2007, 02:25 PM

Nals~ I am scared to cut the baby nails. I am going to ask the hospital to do it before we come home and then i will file them!!

Sarah~ I will check into that. I think mines covers a portion....any recommendations?

advising_lady · 12-30-2007, 02:26 PM

I agree with having a few outfits in preemie size...we had to go out the day after thanksgiving to buy outfits that fit our DS...not fun!

Also, some kind of white noise maker. Our pack n play came with one and it was the only way we got sleep for a while.

A breastfeeding pillow-I have My Brest Friend pillow and I love it! I use it occasionally during the day while he naps so I can work on prepping my lectures for the class I am teaching next semester.

I agree that the bathtub with the hammock is a must. We just took the hammock out on Friday night, but until the baby has ok head control, the hammock is wonderful!

Large swaddling blankets. Those little ones by gerber are worthless (unless you use them as burp rags) I have a couple nice big flannel ones that are great.

Multipurpose waterproof pads. They absorb any accidents on the changing table but don't soak through, aren't cold when you lay the baby down and you can just throw them in the washing machine.

happywife · 12-30-2007, 02:39 PM

I agree w/ Sarah23 on the diapers and drop in liners. They do seem sanitary.

And Sarah-I'm glad I ran into you! We used to follical track together on the funky follistim board.So you are due in April? My EDD is wrong,I think I am gonna go a week or so longer than what baby-gaga says.MY LMP was March the 27th or so and we did IUI on April the 27th so I don't think I add up........

Esmeralda0328 · 12-30-2007, 02:41 PM

If you are breastfeeding....I would suggest buying some breastfeeding bra's beforehand. Rather than being annoyed and in pain right after having baby and doing it. I would probably get just a tad bigger for when your breasts become engorged.

I agree about the boppy pillow that was a life saver for me. Babies can get kind of heavy after propping them up for a while.

Blankets and onesies or t-shirts would be good. I liked the onesies that have snaps down the middle of the chest and then around the diaper. So much easier to maneuver a baby into those.

Manual breast pump is a must. I have a hospital grade electric pump that cost something ridiculous like 10 grand. But that doesn't work when you decided to go out somewhere, the baby won't wake up, and you feel like your chest could burst. I know Medela also has some battery powered ones that looked kind of cool at target.

Sarah23 · 12-30-2007, 02:46 PM

Storms - I've only use the Medela breast pump, but I do like it a lot. And, you can find accessories for it all over the place. Also, I agree with the PP that mentioned getting a nursing bra. Geez....I started out saying that you don't need much the first few days, but I guess you really do!
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happy - Yes I do remember you! Congrats on your pregnancy! Looks like you're almost there! Yeah, I'm due April 10th, but hoping it'll be sometime in March.
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Good to "see" you again!

~Sarah~

MsSuziQ · 12-30-2007, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sarah23
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Suzi - I'm glad to hear you like the "My Brest Friend" pillow. I just recently heard about it and considered getting one. It's not a pain to put on or take off?

Nope, not a pain at all. The old ones had velcro closures, but they had a lot of complaints that opening the velcro would wake up the baby, so they changed it to a clip closure. It's AWESOME!! I absolutely love everything about it! It has a little pocket on the front and that's where I kept my Lansinoh and baby nail clippers (cause I could clip her nails while she nursed or slept afterwards).

Breast Pumps ~ If you want a double electric, the Medela Pump-In-Style is supposed to be the best. I have one and I used it when I went back to work after Maggie was born. It's a good pump and the only complaint I have about it is that there are a dozen pieces to take apart and clean after every use. If you need a double electric though, it's totally worth it. As far as a manual is concerned, the Avent Isis is the best on the market. I have one of those as well this time around and can tell just from looking at it that it will be much easier to use and clean. I won't have to sit by an outlet, assemble all of the pieces and tubes to use it. I will just be able to take it out of the bag and pump away. I've heard nothing but good things about it and look forward to using it. Basically, it all depends on what your needs are as to which pump you buy. Some people just rent a hospital pump until they're sure they will be able to breastfeed. Just a thought.

packerfan · 12-30-2007, 04:48 PM

Something I didn't see mentioned was a carseat cover since you live in cold weather. Yes, you can use blankets, but I love my cover as it doesn't lay right on the baby's face and it has a "window" you can open or close depending on if baby is sleeping.

I have the Medela pump, but I work and use it a ton, a double electric may be overkill if you are SAHM (can't remember if you are working or not after baby).

I also loved the fleece sleep sacks. I usually just used them overnight since it was less "traumatic" to change diapers and I wasn't wanting to really wake baby up too much. Plus have enough onsies and sleepers, they poop often and blow-outs are pretty common (especially at 1am--LOL). We used the onsies under sleepers just the 1st few months with DS1 since he was a Feb baby and it was cold. Once it warmed up, I rarely put a onsie on unless it was one of those cute ones.

Since you are having your baby early, I would think NB diapers will last you awhile. We really could have only used 1 package with DS2, but the hospital sent home a whole package and we got some as a gift, so I STILL have some left.

A baby book and take it to the hospital for footprints!

Nals · 12-30-2007, 04:52 PM

Mssuzieq makes a good point. I'm soooooooooooo glad I didn't buy an expensive pump before I had my baby. I never got my milk in at all. Just the colustrum. The lactation consultant gave me a medela manual pump and let me borrow a hospital pump for a week to see if that made a difference. I also took Fenugreek and Reglan but it didn't make a difference. I would have bought one if my milk had come in but I'm glad I waited to see because I would have been out $300.

AriaLane · 12-30-2007, 10:43 PM

I love the suggestion to bring the baby book to the hospital to get the baby's footprint.

This would be an awesome sticky....anyone know how to do that? In the meantime, I'll just bump it.

meddlem · 12-30-2007, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MsSuziQ
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Alcohol prep pads for the umbilical cord stump. You have to clean it with alcohol with each diaper change.

Not always true. More and more hospitals are going to 'dry cord care' where you leave it completely alone, don't get it wet, don't use alcohol, nothing. They are saying that is better for the baby now, and what the hospital I'm giving birth at teaches its moms.

Here is info from the mayo clinic website:

Keep the stump clean. Parents were once instructed to swab the stump with rubbing alcohol after every diaper change. Researchers now say the stump may heal faster if left alone. If the stump becomes dirty or sticky, wash it with soap and water and dry it well. Hold a clean, absorbent cloth around the stump or use the low setting on a hair dryer, being careful to hold the dryer a safe distance from the baby.

MsSuziQ · 12-30-2007, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meddlem
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Not always true. More and more hospitals are going to 'dry cord care' where you leave it completely alone, don't get it wet, don't use alcohol, nothing. They are saying that is better for the baby now, and what the hospital I'm giving birth at teaches its moms.

Here is info from the mayo clinic website:

Keep the stump clean. Parents were once instructed to swab the stump with rubbing alcohol after every diaper change. Researchers now say the stump may heal faster if left alone. If the stump becomes dirty or sticky, wash it with soap and water and dry it well. Hold a clean, absorbent cloth around the stump or use the low setting on a hair dryer, being careful to hold the dryer a safe distance from the baby.

Very interesting. I was not aware of that. Thanks!
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StormsDreams · 12-30-2007, 11:33 PM

What is this hammock for the baby bathtub!?!
MInes doesnt have one!?!?
Ahhh....
I just purchased three nursing bras...
Lets see i am going to get that car seat cover and i think i will hold off on buying an electric pump to see if i can get one from the hospital...

~*Heart*~ · 12-31-2007, 03:07 AM

On the umbilical cord stump thing, here's my experience with 2 kids~

With DS, the hospital told us to leave it alone. We did NOT have to sponge-bathe, he has had full tub baths since the day after he was born. His stump fell off exactly one week after birth and we never had an issue with it smelling or bleeding or anything. It just fell off during a diaper change.

With DD, the hospital told us to swab with alcohol, avoid tub baths, all the "traditional" stuff. We did everything that we were told and let me tell ya, it was NASTY. It started oozing and smelling (wasn't infected, though) and took more than 2 weeks to fall off! I had to gently swab around it, pull on it a bit to get under it, all that stuff. It was quite disgusting.

So, with that in mind, DS #2 will be done just like DS #1...tub baths from day one, and no alcohol swabs! That is what worked the best, IMO.

Nursing bras: I have ordered ONE GlamourMom nursing tank. They have the long tanks on ebay for the same price as the SALE on the short tanks! And free shipping! So I got my normally $35 + shipping tank for $29! My SIL loves hers, but says that she prefers a sports bra for night time. But she adores her GM tank! I was surprised they had my size (I'm a 44DDD).

I'm trying to think of what I couldn't do without the first few weeks...

OH! Someone mentioned the cover for the infant seat...I agree, however, I prefer the JJ Cole BundleMe to the one that just covers the baby with the little peephole. The BundleMe is nice and warm and eliminates the need for snowsuits or coats. A sweater and a hat do fine in the coldest weather with this thing! It completely surrounds the baby, and you can flip up the front part to cover the baby completely when you're running him/her out to the car. DS was always warmer than DH and I when he was in his BundleMe!

The other thing I found very useful was a bouncer. Specifically I had the Fisher Price Ocean Wonders bouncer for both DS and DD. That thing was what let me be able to shower!! Unfortunately, to this day I can't think of the music it played without getting misty-eyed thinking of little tiny DS in his bouncer...I miss him being so tiny!

I'll keep thinking...it's only been a year since I had a newborn, but you really do forget things as they get bigger! I feel like I have to start from scratch again!