@Greencows4812 sorry don't mean to correct you but did you mean if you were safe to drive then you were safe to feed? I've heard that before which I think is a reasonable sounding rule.
Absolutely do not go shopping for the first few days at least post delivery. Send someone else out to pick up the things you need, or get it delivered. DH insisted on taking me shopping straight out the hospital after our last baby was born (there were a couple things he put off that we needed for the baby and he refused to leave me alone to go get them himself). I just about passed out. Take time to recover, you don't have to be superwoman.
The one thing I would like to add to this list is that Post-partum Pre-eclampsia is a thing and it can be super dangerous if you aren't treated for it. When I got home from the hospital after having my daughter, I just felt weird. It's hard to explain but I just knew that something wasn't right. But I thought that maybe it was just from coming off the pain meds at the hospital. I had a c-section so I had not only been under anesthesia but I had taken advantage of the pain meds to stay on top of the pain. Well I got home on a Tuesday night, I told my husband I wasn't feeling right, and we both just thought it was the meds bc I didn't take any since I got home. Wednesday night I had the absolute WORST headache I have ever had! There was nothing I could do to make it go away. So Thursday morning I made an appointment and went to the doctor, they immediately knew what it was and sent me to the hospital to be treated with a magnesium sulfate drip for 24 hours. So please don't mess around with your health! If you think that anything at all is off or not right, go back to the doctor or to the hospital. Your health is just as important as your baby's so mommies take care of yourself! My husband thought I was just overreacting but it turns out that I was close to having a seizure from it.
My big shocker after coming home was that even though I was no longer pregnant, I still couldn't sleep on my stomach (too uncomfortable if breastfeeding) and still couldn't freely have a glass of wine depending on when I had to pump/nurse next. The two things I'd most been looking forward to going back to!!
You can freely have a glass of wine! One glass is going to do nothing. You blood alcohol percentage is the same percentage of alcohol in your milk. You'd seriously have to be puking your brains out for it to make a difference.
I don't think the bolded is true. I've also heard that your blood alcohol percentage is about the same as the percentage in your milk, but I think it does make a difference because the other person consuming it is tiny. One glass probably won't hurt, but there's a big difference (for most people) between the amount that could harm a baby and the amount that would have you puking your brains out.
edited because spelling is hard and then again because numbers are hard.
I followed the rule that if I was safe to drive, I was safe to feed. This was the general rule from many breastfeeding groups I was apart of.
Edited because words
I wanted to add that while puking might sound kinda dramatic, it's kind of true! Me pretty drunk is about .08 which would mean your milk is .08% alcohol... Orange juice is like .4% alcohol so yes it is quite diluted. I've read that the bigger danger of nursing while drunk is dropping the baby or something. I myself feel comfortable following the "safe to drive, safe to nurse" rule above! And I also usually drink after baby is put to bed so there's several hours (or sometimes just 3 lol) before needing to nurse again.
I agree with the "take it easy" post partum....regardless on your type of delivery. I had a c-section the first time around but felt otherwise pretty good once I got home. I ran around the house like a crazy person and didn't rest and wound up run down with a fever before long!
I was really surprised that my baby was born with some light red dots on her face. She had baby acne. Rub a little breastmilk on it and it goes away quickly.
Awesome Kid #1: Born September 2013! Awesome Kid #2: Due November 2016!
I was really surprised that my baby was born with some light red dots on her face. She had baby acne. Rub a little breastmilk on it and it goes away quickly.
I'm learning here that breastmilk really does everything. I feel like I'll be cleaning my bathroom grout with breastmilk in no time.
I was really surprised that my baby was born with some light red dots on her face. She had baby acne. Rub a little breastmilk on it and it goes away quickly.
I'm learning here that breastmilk really does everything. I feel like I'll be cleaning my bathroom grout with breastmilk in no time.
If you pump some milk and it "goes bad" throw it in the bath with baby. It's amazing for their skin! Just trust me and don't put it in their hair. Yuck.
I was really surprised that my baby was born with some light red dots on her face. She had baby acne. Rub a little breastmilk on it and it goes away quickly.
I'm learning here that breastmilk really does everything. I feel like I'll be cleaning my bathroom grout with breastmilk in no time.
If you pump some milk and it "goes bad" throw it in the bath with baby. It's amazing for their skin! Just trust me and don't put it in their hair. Yuck.
Good idea! I tossed a lot of milk since I'm a SAHM and didn't need as much as I pumped. I never would have thought of the bath!
There is so much amazing advice on here! I'm a 4th time mama and learning a lot lol. My advice is do what feels right to you when it comes to caring for your baby don't let people tell you that your doing things wrong do it your own way. Also yes there are so many scary things that can happen and you do need to take care of yourself so you can care care for you baby but don't be scared to take your baby out and live life with all my kids I was out and about as soon as we left the hospital. I struggle with PPD so staying busy helped me a lot! And don't forget if you need a break take it listen to your body it's okay to do nothing sometimes... The most important thing is to ENJOY your newborn cause it goes so fast and you don't get that time back.
excuse me if I repeat things I didn't read through all the comments but from what I remember of that whirlwind time of the first few months
#1 thing that stuck with me and got me through some rough times was someone telling me it all gets easier after 6 weeks. It is true to an extent! You get comfortable, you start feeling more confident, you learn your baby's personality and needs, etc
#2 if your hospital has a soaking tub in the unit after you deliver USE THAT THING!!! You may think you don't want to leave baby for long but man, that soak was one of the best of my life
#3 Gripe water sounds weird but it was great for my baby during those times when NOTHING would stop him from crying
#4 let your baby sleep! you think you have all these grand plans about sleep training and then you get a huge wake up call (no pun intended) babies sleep A LOT at first, and whenever they feel like it.
#5 DEPENDS... I know, it's almost like a defeat even thinking about wearing them but... they are a life saver! like seriously... SOOOO much less work and they hold those magical cooling pads perfectly. like PP said, just order on Amazon so you're not embarrassed.
I'm a FTM, but I have a story. My mom is white and my dad is asian. I was born with "Mongolian Spots" all over my butt - it's an asian thing. They were giant purple marks that looked like bruises. If you didn't know, you'd have thought the nurses in the hospital were abusing me. So if there are any asian ladies out there, or gals with asian baby-daddies, something to watch out for. My mom worked with abused kids so she knew about this, but if she hadn't, I think she would have flipped out on the hospital staff. Oh, and the Mongolian Spots went away. I'm not sure how long it took for them to fade, but I do not ever remember having purple blotches on my butt.
@missameliapond First Nations babies get them too. Each of my kids had a small, blueish Mongolian spot (my husband is Native) for a few months and I'm really glad I knew what it was before they were born or I'd have freaked out haha. I know they can be pretty big in some kids.
K.
Son, K, 9 | Daughter, C, 5 | Daughter, M, expected November 7, 2016
@missameliapond First Nations babies get them too. Each of my kids had a small, blueish Mongolian spot (my husband is Native) for a few months and I'm really glad I knew what it was before they were born or I'd have freaked out haha. I know they can be pretty big in some kids.
Black babies get these as well. I have seen them be blue or even a little greenish!
ETA: just did a quick search cause I got curious. According to What To Expect, these are extremely common in babies of color. Specifically, babies of Native and African descent are more than 90% likely to have them, Asian babies - 80% and Hispanic - 70%.
Me: 31; DH: 31 NTNP: May 2015 TTC #1: late August 2015 PCOS Dx: January 2016, starting Femara Feb 2016 BFP: 2/29/16 - Happy Leap Day!
So many great things are already here! I echo a good bit of them (and have noted the Depends suggestion - love that) and want to add that California Baby calendula lotion does wonders for dry spots, diaper rash, and mommy skin and breast milk cures a lot of things like eczema, rashes, funky eye gook, and baby acne. Just squirt a little on the area!
I'm a FTM, but I have a story. My mom is white and my dad is asian. I was born with "Mongolian Spots" all over my butt - it's an asian thing. They were giant purple marks that looked like bruises. If you didn't know, you'd have thought the nurses in the hospital were abusing me. So if there are any asian ladies out there, or gals with asian baby-daddies, something to watch out for. My mom worked with abused kids so she knew about this, but if she hadn't, I think she would have flipped out on the hospital staff. Oh, and the Mongolian Spots went away. I'm not sure how long it took for them to fade, but I do not ever remember having purple blotches on my butt.
My husband and I are complete eurotrash. English/Irish/Scottish/French and can trace it back for hundreds of years. My fair skinned baby boy came out with a blue-ish bruise at the top of his buttcrack. I didn't think much of it, but at 6 months of age, I thought to ask the Pedi about it. Mongolian spot! Wtf, how cute it that?! Somewhere down the line I suppose. It's super rare for caucasian kiddos to get it, only 5-10% get them.
It's a melanin related skin thing, not really a bruise. Totally harmless. Our Pedi said it would disappear by puberty if not much sooner. I kind of love it, it's the prettiest shade of blue and I tickle it when I see it.
My big shocker after coming home was that even though I was no longer pregnant, I still couldn't sleep on my stomach (too uncomfortable if breastfeeding) and still couldn't freely have a glass of wine depending on when I had to pump/nurse next. The two things I'd most been looking forward to going back to!!
You can freely have a glass of wine! One glass is going to do nothing. You blood alcohol percentage is the same percentage of alcohol in your milk. You'd seriously have to be puking your brains out for it to make a difference.
I don't think the bolded is true. I've also heard that your blood alcohol percentage is about the same as the percentage in your milk, but I think it does make a difference because the other person consuming it is tiny. One glass probably won't hurt, but there's a big difference (for most people) between the amount that could harm a baby and the amount that would have you puking your brains out.
edited because spelling is hard and then again because numbers are hard.
A good rule of thumb is "if you can drive, you can breastfeed." 1-2 glasses of wine is perfectly fine. They make testing strips if you're concerned. I learned that I could have 2 glasses without a change on the strips.
also, if you have been heavily drinking, you don't need to pump and dump. Alcohol continues to exchange between your blood and your breastmilk. By the time you're sober, your breastmilk is alcohol-free. That being said, I had issues with oversupply, so the few times I did go out and have a few too many I had to pump for my own comfort.
I was really surprised that my baby was born with some light red dots on her face. She had baby acne. Rub a little breastmilk on it and it goes away quickly.
I'm learning here that breastmilk really does everything. I feel like I'll be cleaning my bathroom grout with breastmilk in no time.
I think one of the bummers about weaning my DD is that I don't have any BM to put on my eczema. It's the besssssst for eczema.
Munchkins bottle sterilizer was one of the best things we bought! Sterilizing helps prevent thrush and yes you can boil your bottles but that has always left the chalky mineral-y residue that drives me crazy. The same reason I can't do matte nails, paint, lips, etc. Sooo dry.
Munchkins bottle sterilizer was one of the best things we bought! Sterilizing helps prevent thrush and yes you can boil your bottles but that has always left the chalky mineral-y residue that drives me crazy. The same reason I can't do matte nails, paint, lips, etc. Sooo dry.
Another one of those things that works great for some moms and not for others. I never once boiled nor sterilized our bottles, just put them through the dishwasher. DD and DS were both full-term so our pedi said I didn't need to worry about it.
Munchkins bottle sterilizer was one of the best things we bought! Sterilizing helps prevent thrush and yes you can boil your bottles but that has always left the chalky mineral-y residue that drives me crazy. The same reason I can't do matte nails, paint, lips, etc. Sooo dry.
Another one of those things that works great for some moms and not for others. I never once boiled nor sterilized our bottles, just put them through the dishwasher. DD and DS were both full-term so our pedi said I didn't need to worry about it.
We didn't initially either but DS got thrush so we absolutely did not want to take any chances.
Munchkins bottle sterilizer was one of the best things we bought! Sterilizing helps prevent thrush and yes you can boil your bottles but that has always left the chalky mineral-y residue that drives me crazy. The same reason I can't do matte nails, paint, lips, etc. Sooo dry.
Another one of those things that works great for some moms and not for others. I never once boiled nor sterilized our bottles, just put them through the dishwasher. DD and DS were both full-term so our pedi said I didn't need to worry about it.
We didn't initially either but DS got thrush so we absolutely did not want to take any chances.
Does the dishwasher not sanitize things? I thought the water was hot enough that between soap and the water and then a heated dry it wasn't an issue.
Munchkins bottle sterilizer was one of the best things we bought! Sterilizing helps prevent thrush and yes you can boil your bottles but that has always left the chalky mineral-y residue that drives me crazy. The same reason I can't do matte nails, paint, lips, etc. Sooo dry.
Another one of those things that works great for some moms and not for others. I never once boiled nor sterilized our bottles, just put them through the dishwasher. DD and DS were both full-term so our pedi said I didn't need to worry about it.
We didn't initially either but DS got thrush so we absolutely did not want to take any chances.
Does the dishwasher not sanitize things? I thought the water was hot enough that between soap and the water and then a heated dry it wasn't an issue.
We live in an old rental house with no dish washer (boo). We were happy just to get washer and dryer hookups. We used really hot water but we also didn't want to scald our hands. Getting the sterilizer just made things easier for us.
Re: Nitty Gritty Advice for FTM
Edited to to add I fixed it. Thanks!
DH insisted on taking me shopping straight out the hospital after our last baby was born (there were a couple things he put off that we needed for the baby and he refused to leave me alone to go get them himself). I just about passed out. Take time to recover, you don't have to be superwoman.
Awesome Kid #2: Due November 2016!
excuse me if I repeat things I didn't read through all the comments but from what I remember of that whirlwind time of the first few months
#1 thing that stuck with me and got me through some rough times was someone telling me it all gets easier after 6 weeks. It is true to an extent! You get comfortable, you start feeling more confident, you learn your baby's personality and needs, etc
#2 if your hospital has a soaking tub in the unit after you deliver USE THAT THING!!! You may think you don't want to leave baby for long but man, that soak was one of the best of my life
#3 Gripe water sounds weird but it was great for my baby during those times when NOTHING would stop him from crying
#4 let your baby sleep! you think you have all these grand plans about sleep training and then you get a huge wake up call (no pun intended) babies sleep A LOT at first, and whenever they feel like it.
#5 DEPENDS... I know, it's almost like a defeat even thinking about wearing them but... they are a life saver! like seriously... SOOOO much less work and they hold those magical cooling pads perfectly. like PP said, just order on Amazon so you're not embarrassed.
so many more but these came to my head.
Son, K, 9 | Daughter, C, 5 | Daughter, M, expected November 7, 2016
If I remember correctly it has licorice and cloves and a few other things in it. It's marketed for helping colic and hiccups.
ETA: just did a quick search cause I got curious. According to What To Expect, these are extremely common in babies of color. Specifically, babies of Native and African descent are more than 90% likely to have them, Asian babies - 80% and Hispanic - 70%.
NTNP: May 2015
TTC #1: late August 2015
PCOS Dx: January 2016, starting Femara Feb 2016
BFP: 2/29/16 - Happy Leap Day!
Welcomed baby girl: 06.10.14
Second pregnancy EDD: 06.16.16 MC: 10.29.15
Welcomed baby boy: 11.25.16
It's a melanin related skin thing, not really a bruise. Totally harmless. Our Pedi said it would disappear by puberty if not much sooner. I kind of love it, it's the prettiest shade of blue and I tickle it when I see it.
also, if you have been heavily drinking, you don't need to pump and dump. Alcohol continues to exchange between your blood and your breastmilk. By the time you're sober, your breastmilk is alcohol-free. That being said, I had issues with oversupply, so the few times I did go out and have a few too many I had to pump for my own comfort.
Edit because clarity.