Things I wish someone would have told me!
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I wasn't able to breast feed...for whatever reason, my milk didn't come in. I felt guilty and disappointed, etc. I think as a new mom, you just expect to breast feed and that it will be easy and "normal". However, looking back, I wish someone would have told me that it my baby would be just fine being fed formula. I have a very happy healthy 2 year old. She's had her share of colds, but has been relatively healthy. She's loves to eat fruits and veggies and drink water, etc. I don't think the way you feed (BF vs. formula)your baby pre-determines their health. I do think the choices you make for him/her as a toddler does. I/we enjoy riding bikes, going for walks, and getting lots of fresh air. We rarely have the TV on. You just need to do what's best for you and don't let anyone (friends, family, media, etc) make you feel guilty. Healthy family, healthy baby! Congrats and good luck on the new arrival!0
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Regarding breastfeeding vs. formula - the decision was not actually mine, but my bodies. I am pro-breastfeeding and believe if a mother is comfortable she should try. Even if you do it just a handful of months! I tried my hardest, seeing many lactation consultants and using many different products, but after my second son was born the last LC I saw said I had something called IGT (Insufficient Glandular Tissue) and I just didn't produce milk (or very, very little). I pumped for a month with my first getting barely anything out each time. It was very hard for me to deal with, but I've come to terms with it now. I am newly pregnant with baby #3 and will do formula from the start and I am at peace with it.
Regarding cloth diapers - we use cloth on both my boys. I have a 2yo and a 6mo. I don't want to spam on here, but love the cloth we use and can talk your ear off regarding many different brands as we've tried a ton.
I have to look into IGT!! I wonder if that was my problem too. I saw a lot of LC and they essentially told me that I wouldn't be able to. They would weigh my daughter, i'd nurse her for 30 to 40 minutes and they'd weigh her again. She wouldn't even gain 1/10 of an ounce. It was very difficult to come to terms with. Good luck with #3!0 -
...and to get back to a less serious note, make sure you new mommies stock up on those lovely pads and undies at the hospital They look ridiculous but really come in handy once you're home.
...it's normal to want to send your baby back to the hospital on your first night home when he/she won't stop crying,
...and don't feel bad when you can't swaddle them as well as the nurse can at the hospital
...let dads, sig others, friends, family help. they love to and you will need to rest
...snuggle that little peanut as much as you can. They grow up way too fast
Congratulations and Welcome to Mommyhood!!0 -
Remembered another one...I've mentioned this before on previous posts...but I think it worth saying again. If you are nursing most likely you will have raw nipples. "Soothies" were lifesavers and bring them with you to the hospital! When you shower put on the Lanolin cream before getting into the shower. The water from the shower will feel like razor blades on your tender nipples and the ointment helps protect them from the water (aka water razorblades! lol). Trust me...learned this lesson the hard way!0
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Another one - take those mesh panties from the hospital home with you, and ask for more on the way out. :laugh: They came in so handy those first few days home from the hospital when I was recovering from a c-section. 0
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Another one - take those mesh panties from the hospital home with you, and ask for more on the way out. :laugh: They came in so handy those first few days home from the hospital when I was recovering from a c-section.
I stole so many of those bc I wasn't about to ruin my own and the plastic sheet cover things, I took a lot of random things from the hospital I knew I'd use at home. Hell, who has modesty after having a baby?0 -
Another one - take those mesh panties from the hospital home with you, and ask for more on the way out. :laugh: They came in so handy those first few days home from the hospital when I was recovering from a c-section.
I thought I was the only one who loves those things! lol, i agree take em home!!! They are great post c-section :happy:0 -
I stole so many of those bc I wasn't about to ruin my own and the plastic sheet cover things, I took a lot of random things from the hospital I knew I'd use at home. Hell, who has modesty after having a baby?
Oh yeah, I took home the plastic on one side/fabric on another side things they put under you in the hospital bed! :laugh: I took the mini toothpaste, packs of gauze and pads and even a few newborn side button shirts for my son. :blushing:0 -
If you have a boy and circumsize. keep the gauze moist before you put it on! It will stick. My neighbor/close friend had a boy 2 months after and his was VERY stuck the night they came home from hospital. Dad almost passed out (doesn't do well with blood) and mom was an emotional wreck because he was screaming.
Also, if you do decided to BF and baby is crying ALL the time...dr may say it's just colic. Try eliminating things from your diet like dairy,whey, eggs and soy. Both my boys had this. It's an "allergy" or reaction to the protein. Stinks but life is so much better when you cut it out. In fact, this time I'll stop consuming all of that at the end of August (due Sept 25). I'l slowly introduce it but I have a feeling all my children will have it, It's likely that's why I screamed when I was a baby and was colicky.
Take home the squirty bottle with you from the hospital....its wonderful when you go to the restroom. It helps with the burning.0 -
Here are some things I wish I had known:
1. Just because you decide to breastfeed doesn't mean you will lose weight more quickly! That is always touted as one of the benefits of breastfeeding, but in truth, is only true for about half of moms. I breastfed exclusively and it took me FOREVER to lose the weight, and guess what... the weight loss really sped up after I stopped breastfeeding! I referred to it as "Walrus Syndrome." My body was hanging on to all of the fat to make sure I could make enough milk for my baby.
2. The sound of other infants crying will make you leak, not just your own. Sometimes the sound of a baby crying on TV can make you leak as well!
3. Physical intimacy with your partner, while typically OK to resume after 6 weeks, isn't going to be the same for a while. It takes time for your body to heal and adjust after a baby. Be patient with yourself and with one another. It might even be that things that "worked" for you pre-baby no longer have the same effect. Experiment and know that different than before is OK.
4.You will never experience fatigue like the first six weeks home with a new baby!0 -
4.You will never experience fatigue like the first six weeks home with a new baby!
you said that right!! (the other stuff too but that one is true for everyone)0 -
Actually...I will say that the first two weeks I was like "man...this parenting thing isn't as hard as I thought it would be...I'm not tired at all and I've not slept good in weeks!!!" and then....CRASH! It seemed like my adrenaline was still pumping and when I had no more left I was more tired than I'd ever ever been. And just so happened that it was when my hubby had to go back to work! We made it through though. I guess the lesson I learned from that was not to push myself so hard. Let the laundry pile up, don't worry about trying to jump back into working out...just be for 6-8 weeks and then get your life more in order. I tried to be superwoman, and was actually pretty good at it, but at the cost of being exhausted beyond words! So sleep when baby sleeps...whenever YOU CAN!!!
Another thing I remembered was...the best gift I ever got after the baby was born was a friend of mine set up meals to be delivered to my house every other day for 3 whole weeks!!!! It was AMAZING beyond words! So if your coworkers or your friends ask if there is anything they can do, I'd recommend asking for meals! It was so nice to have a hot meal (and most of the time they would bring dessert too!!) so I would actually eat something. If I didn't have those meals I would have ate a lot of cereal and pb&j's... It was such a blessing.0 -
"Everyone will have advice, even I can dish it out (if you ask for it of course), but at the end of the day every baby is different and what works for one might not work for yours. Some babies have difficult personalities and some babies are "angel" babies...Does that mean that you are a bad parent if you have a difficult/higher maintenance baby than that oh so lucky mom of the angel baby? NO! Just means that you will have to do what is best for you and your baby and whatever works I say DO IT!"
This quote is fantastic.
I have a friend who recently had a baby and emails me unsolicited advice constantly and my baby isn't even here yet. I just want to shake her and scream. I know it is going to be hard but I also know that my baby will be different from her baby. If I have a question to ask her then I will. Period. End. Of. Story. :flowerforyou:0 -
lol! Sometimes we get so proud of ourselves for "figuring it out" that we feel the need to spread the word. I'm sure she means well and just wants to make your transition a bit easier....but thing is that we have to figure it out on our own. Even if that means asking for advice for something we can't quite figure out. 0
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Oh and something else I was thinking about adding to this "things I wish someone would have told me"...make sure to buy several GOOD, COMFORTABLE nursing bras if you are breastfeeding because you will LIVE in your bra (24/7 except when you bathe and workout and in that case I wear TWO sportsbras with nursing pads...awesome huh!?). I wear my bra so much that even during sexy time with the hubby I'm sportin my trusty ole nursing bra...
Which brings me to another wonderful thing about being a mommy that I never knew about....leaking during sex. So you will be dry "down there" and wet on the top parts! lol! During sex you release oxytocin, the same hormone that is released during nursing to help the milk release... Unless you are into having a puddle of breast milk, then just plan on keeping on that good ole trusty nursing bra with nursing pads 0 -
Just wanted to let you ladies know that this website
http://www.pregnantchicken.com/blog-archives/
is soo funny! I would take a look at it and find the one about things I wish someone told me! 0 -
I've read that blog and everything on it is so true (and funny yes!) 0
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heather- where did you get your good nursing bras from?
also, what do you think will happen if you have sex before 6 wks??0 -
I got mine from Amazon. They are the Bravado nursing bra http://www.amazon.com/Bravado-Body-Silk-Seamless-Nursing/dp/B000XV7ORI They are amazing. I have 3 of them and I am in them 24/7 (except when working out and showering).
Your cervix isn't healed yet and you may get an infection or start bleeding. I couldn't imagine even wanting to have sex before 6 weeks...but I'd advise not to. Dr's orders 0 -
LOL---not me its the hubby....
how did y'all hubby handle it?0
