As we get closer...

anewadventure

Ladies, a few random things popped into my head as my own delivery date rapidly approaches. I know some of you have quite some time to go. 

How about a thread for those random bits of advice (or questions, as you will)...?
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If you're approaching 36 weeks and have not installed your infant car seat yet, PLEASE do this. please. 

PSA: don't wear your wedding rings (or any jewelry, really) to the hospital. Hospital policies vary. Some will make you take it off right away anyway, and then you have to give it to someone to keep track of. You also have to be careful of swelling and having to have your rings cut off of you. In the event you need surgery, such as an emergency c-section, no jewelry is allowed and they don't mess around. Better safe than sorry - leave it at home! You can put it in a nice box on your dresser with a big sign to your DH "bring this after the birth" if you desperately want to have your jewelry back on after LO arrives and you're still at the hospital. 

balletnerd

@anewadventure good tips! We had our carseat installed (I'm 34 weeks). But just had to take it out to put my dogs kennel in there for her surgery and after care appointments. I hope we can re-install it soon. Kinda makes me nervous. Though my husband could always re-install it before we get discharged. I am glad we got the first installation checked by our local fire department - as they gave us good tips etc. for installing it again in the future.

flowerpower5838

If you're using an infant seat, install the base if you have one but don't keep your infant seat in the car until you need it ~~** just in case **~~ you get into an accident as it will likely need to be replaced! 

eazybreezy225

Thank you for the car seat reminder. We purchased one a few weeks ago and it's been sitting in its box until last night when I finally unpacked it. I'm 38 weeks tomorrow, so i definitely need to install it asap!

My advice: get all big furniture anchored to the wall now, so you won't have to try and remember to do it later... because you will forget. The first few months with baby are a blur and you already have so much you are doing daily that anchoring the furniture to the walls isn't a top priority.
When DD2 was 7 months old she had just learned to crawl. She climbed into the bottom drawer of her dresser and the whole thing crashed forward. She was pinned in the drawer and couldn't get out. I was only one room away, and immediately came to her rescue. The only thing that kept her from being crushed was her big sisters twin bed, which the top of the dresser had landed on. It's terrifying to think I could have lost her that day, especially over something preventable... so please just do it, it takes maybe an hour to get it all done.

failuretofly

Throw a spare phone charger in your hospital bag now! With DS we didn't put one in because we didn't have extra then when we were at the hospital trying to phone everyone to tell them he had arrived, both our phones were at like 5% because we didn't think to charge them while I was laboring at home! 

Similar advice for cameras, if you plan on using a camera other than your phone for taking pictures of LO then make sure it is charged!

dkizz82

flowerpower5838 said:

If you're using an infant seat, install the base if you have one but don't keep your infant seat in the car until you need it ~~** just in case **~~ you get into an accident as it will likely need to be replaced! 

Was going to say this same thing. They base would have to be replaced too but it’s cheaper than a car seat!

dkizz82

@eazybreezy225 this terrifies me. I anchored everything in DD’s room before she was born. I didn’t want to do this one. Haha. My wonderful BIL came and did everything. You’re right, you’ll forget or just won’t have time later. 

whiska

I've had the carseat installation on H's to-do list for oh, 5 weeks now, and he kept saying he wanted to wait to get the new car before we did the carseat thing, so then last week finally we got a new car (yay!).  But the seat is still not installed.  Hopefully we can get it done this weekend.

I reminded him, "Look, if I have this baby and then you have to go home and spend time on that and getting it checked, that's precious time you're losing with me and and the baby in the hospital, so that's going to be all on you..."

skc040512

Flame away, but I'm not planning on installing my carseat before we leave for the hospital. Granted, we are using DDs old carrier (it's still good, so no way was I going to spend money on a new one), so both DH and I know how to install it in about 30 seconds. I second the comment about only leaving the base in, though because it's much less expensive to replace. 

My advice is take a date night with your SO in the next few weeks, because it will probably be the last one you have for a while. Also, get a pedicure. It's so freaking relaxing when you're fighting swollen feet and can't reach them yourself. Also, you're going to be in stirrups a bunch, so might as well make your feet pretty lol.

Bailey1823A

I can’t second the jewelry thing enough. Also flame free. We don’t even have the car seat for ours and I’m 37 weeks!  

tmk0325

I want to put my carseat in, but I need a bigger car to put it in... Just waiting on that minivan!  

For any FTM, sterilize at least a couple bottles, pacifiers, etc.  So you don't have to worry about doing that at 3 am when you are sleep deprived.   

I am so not looking forward to the lack of sleep again for many months to come... I'm already telling myself, this too shall pass.

weaver15

We can't put the carseat in my car just yet as for a few months after little one is here we have to take 2 cars till we get a van. So I'm waiting till the weekend before I get induced or if I start having contractions. I dilate very slowly even with medicine. I don't dilate fast till my water breaks. If that happens my husband can install the carseat before picking me and the LO up. 

ridedatide

OMG I soooo wish I could do any of this. We are still displaced from Hurricane Irma. We found out 2 weeks ago that we would be unable to go back to our rental so at that point and after looking at other rentals we decided to buy. We are suppose to close on the 5th of December. Our baby is due the 21st so I seriously feel like everything is last minute. This past week after work everyday I was packing up the old rental. I don't think I've ever been so tired before because I was doing it everyday after work while my SO worked. The house needs some work and he is really to get started on it. meanwhile i would just love to be able to get our room and the babies room set up. He has the idea that we should tear out all the tile and live on a concrete floor till we can afford to replace the flooring (tax return time). He says he does not want the baby and all of its stuff exposed to the dust from the flooring. To a point I understand where he is coming from but this also is leaving me super uneasy. 

Anywho if any of you were wondering why i'm been checked out that's why.  

I hope you guys are all able to finish up those last minute touches. I'm sure everything will come together. 

dilbert890

I installed my car seat base bc I saw my out of town police officer cousin a couple weeks ago. I was in a car accident and it still has to be replaced so check with the manufacturer if you’re in a similar situation 

breezybee

@ridedatide girl, I am so sorry that you are still in limbo from the hurricane.  I completely sympathize and wish there was something i could do to help.  Tell your husband that you only need one stressful thing at a time, and ripping up flooring would definitely be pushing it over the edge!  Hang in there!

ridedatide

@breezybee thinks for making me feel like I'm not crazy for thinking this way. Sometimes I wonder if it's the hormones or just normal thinking considering everything. 

ShyTonia

@ridedatide I’m so sorry you are going through all this at this time. It’s so very hard and youre not being crazy at all. DH and I lost everything, house and all to Hurricane Sandy and I can’t imagine going through all that while expecting a baby. I give you so much credit and hang in there, it may not seem like it now but everything will work out just the way it’s meant to be. Xoxo. Do you have any help moving stuff. It worries me you are doing so much of it yourself. Just because I’m the same way but have forced myself to slow down the past week because my body is telling me too. But I know you may have no other choice. Just know I’m thinking of you
CONGRATS on the new home! Also where are the rooms located to where he wants the work to begin? I would suggest having heavy plastic hung in the doorways of the rooms and also in the hallway or other doorways to the work site. That way there are a couple protective barriers before getting to you guys rooms and then you can get started. It’ll be better for all of you to have some comfort at the end of the day. All this is a lot especially with a new baby. Just a thought.  Xo

ridedatide

@ShyTonia wow sorry you also lost a home due to a hurricane. We are officially all done at the other house as of today. soo happy about that. I was doing a lot of it because of his work schedule and him not being able to help me. My family does not live near by and I always hate to ask other people. The tile is throughout the house so there is really no way to escape it. I know what he's saying it's just frustrating. I guess one way to look at it is that I will not have to help him tear it all out. 
Thank you for thinking about me and trying to come up with solutions. it will all eventually work out in time. 

ShyTonia

@ridedatide yes it will xo! DH and I decided to have a deck built and now we are going on 4 weeks waiting for the permit to go through. I can’t believe we will be cutting it this close to the delivery date. Lol but at least the construction will be on the outside. Still not something I wanted to deal with at all at this moment. I was fine to wait till spring but he was too excited to wait. Lol 

ridedatide

@ShyTonia yes I guess come spring you will be able to enjoy it that much faster. I can't believe that the permit has still not gone through after 4 weeks. That just seems crazy to me. I hope you guys are able to get the majority of the construction completed before LO gets here. 

KathrynJ088

In Texas, if your baby is born before 37 weeks, the hospital is required to do a car seat test before discharging. They make you bring in the car seat AND base for a 90 minute test where they hook baby up to monitors to check heart rate, blood oxygen levels and respiratory rate. I'm not sure what other states do this, but I'd suggest that just knowing how to install before 37 weeks would be sufficient. If you or DH are taking your car to somewhere for installation prior to 37 weeks, it would suck to have to pull the base back out and not know how to reinstall it!
We did the test with Iree on Thursday, and I'm taking the other seat and base to the NICU tomorrow for Luke's test. We're close to him being discharged finally!

Edited: your/you're

splsmama2016

KathrynJ088 said:

In Texas, if your baby is born before 37 weeks, the hospital is required to do a car seat test before discharging. They make you bring in the car seat AND base for a 90 minute test where they hook baby up to monitors to check heart rate, blood oxygen levels and respiratory rate. I'm not sure what other states do this, but I'd suggest that just knowing how to install before 37 weeks would be sufficient. If you or DH are taking your car to somewhere for installation prior to 37 weeks, it would suck to have to pull the base back out and not know how to reinstall it!
We did the test with Iree on Thursday, and I'm taking the other seat and base to the NICU tomorrow for Luke's test. We're close to him being discharged finally!

Edited: your/you're

All states have different policies regarding car seat tests. Even if you deliver full term, if babe for some reason seems to have even the slightest of concerns, the on call pediatrician may require the test. So knowing how to put the base/car seat in and out of your car properly is a must!!

thank you @KathrynJ088 for bringing this up!!

jlemons-2

This thread inspired me. Dig out the car seat today, washed all the swing,bouncer, playmat covers, and took all laundry out of the pack n play. Progress! I think I just might start on my hospital bag too...

failuretofly

jlemons-2 said:

This thread inspired me. Dig out the car seat today, washed all the swing,bouncer, playmat covers, and took all laundry out of the pack n play. Progress! I think I just might start on my hospital bag too...

I hadn't even considered washing the swing and playmat 

Mandayno

Very dumb questions here, but I have no clue!!! How exactly do you sterilize bottles and pacifiers without using a specific machine? Also do you need to sterilize them after every use? If you sterilize them and then put them in the cabinet are they no longer sterilized???? For breast feeding mom's what all parts need sterilized? 

Edited because spelling counts!

skc040512

@Mandayno I always just sterilized mine by breaking the bottle completely down, put them in a stock pot and fill it with water. Let it get to a rolling boil for 5-10 minutes and then air dry. I only sterlized mine like once a month at first (and honestly I stopped after the first few months). Also, a lot of dish washers have a sanitize setting that will do the job too - mine just sucks and doesn't have that setting.

Mandayno

@Skcobb thank you so much!!! I wondered about that dishwasher setting!! For some reason I just had this notion they had to be sterile before each use and that was stressing me out!!!! 

sjis

@Mandayno to make things fast and easy, I used the Madela micro steam bags for sterilization. They are good for 20 uses. I usually wash everything, pop them in the bag with some water (I don’t remember how much), microwave for two min and done! 
when I used a pump I’d usually sterilize everything, minus the tubing, every 3-5 uses. Of course in between i’d wash and dry. 

failuretofly

@Mandayno with DS I used the dishwasher to wash everything so I just made sure it was on the sterilize cycle every time... but that only lasted a month or so... I just ran all of the pacifiers and bottle nipples (DS is still using the bottles) through a sanitize cycle. If you keep them in an airtight container/bag they are still clean when you go to use them, but I would no longer class them as 'sterilized' if you just put them in the cupboard with the rest of your stuff. 
That reminds me... I should get all my pump stuff organized! 

ShyTonia

@Mandayno thanks for bringing this up! I was wondering how to clean and store the bottles for the first time!
So @failuretofly I should sterilize them, dry them and then put them in a ziplock. not plain out in the cupboard?

@sjis I got those bags too. I’m excited about them. 
About the pump parts...
I’m so annoyed I can’t order my breast pump till after she is born. I would love to get familiar with it. Ugh. My insurance is so stupid(just for this reason, they are actually really good otherwise)

balletnerd

Anybody used carecentrix to order their pump? We faxed in our info and prescription about 2 weeks ago and haven't heard a thing. Did you hear from them before it arrived at your house? I mean I don't even know if they got the fax....

tmk0325

sjis said:

@Mandayno to make things fast and easy, I used the Madela micro steam bags for sterilization. They are good for 20 uses. I usually wash everything, pop them in the bag with some water (I don’t remember how much), microwave for two min and done! 
when I used a pump I’d usually sterilize everything, minus the tubing, every 3-5 uses. Of course in between i’d wash and dry. 

Yes, get these. They will save you so much time!  I think the box has like 5 in and each bag is good for 20 uses. Not very expensive and you can get them at Target, amazon, etc. 

Tennis11785

I'm glad we're having this discussion around steralizing bottles and stuff.  Because that's on my radar to research how to do it and do it correctly.  

splsmama2016

I “sterlized” my pump parts by boiling. DO NOT BOIL THE TUBING. Made that mistake and i ended up having to buy new ones because they never dry out completely. We boiled the bottles, nipples, collars, lids, pacifiers initially, then used the Medela steam bags after that. Pretty sure it’s 2oz of water. 

I ordered my pump through Edgepark, and because it hasn’t been 18 months since i got my last one through them, i have to wait another 3 Days to finish filing for mine. They were crazy easy to use both times, and this time I’m getting a Spectra S2. It’s closer to a hospital grade without being the Medela hospital grade, which i also have as i purchased from a local Mom who’s twins were NICU babies. 

I do suggest that mamas who are going to breastfeed, pick up a couple nipple shields to have on hand, just in case your nips get so incredibly chapped that the thought of nursing makes you cringe. LIFESAVERS!!! 

Also, if you haven’t done so already and had been contemplating it, open a BRU credit card and save 15% every Thursday. Lol. 

flowerpower5838

splsmama2016 said:

I “sterlized” my pump parts by boiling. DO NOT BOIL THE TUBING. Made that mistake and i ended up having to buy new ones because they never dry out completely. We boiled the bottles, nipples, collars, lids, pacifiers initially, then used the Medela steam bags after that. Pretty sure it’s 2oz of water. 

I ordered my pump through Edgepark, and because it hasn’t been 18 months since i got my last one through them, i have to wait another 3 Days to finish filing for mine. They were crazy easy to use both times, and this time I’m getting a Spectra S2. It’s closer to a hospital grade without being the Medela hospital grade, which i also have as i purchased from a local Mom who’s twins were NICU babies. 

I do suggest that mamas who are going to breastfeed, pick up a couple nipple shields to have on hand, just in case your nips get so incredibly chapped that the thought of nursing makes you cringe. LIFESAVERS!!! 

Also, if you haven’t done so already and had been contemplating it, open a BRU credit card and save 15% every Thursday. Lol. 

Nipple shields saved my being able to breastfeed. DS wasn't a great latch but didn't have any kind of correctable issues. I got one from the LC in the hospital but I ordered a few from Amazon after as well. Great thing to have on hand JIC.

skc040512

RE nipple shields - I had a lactation consultant give me one and I literally ripped it off about 3 seconds after she correctly put it on. It hurt about 1000000000x more than nursing did (I could get DD to latch occasionally on the right side, but never on the left). Apparently, some women experience a shit ton of pain using them depending on breast and nipple shape. If you need one, get a few from the hospital and then order extras to be delivered once you get home so you don't waste money if you're like me. 

Even though I had a terrible experience, I have a number of friends who used them with huge success. Just don't count on them saving you.

Also, not looking forward to building up tough nipples again...

cait5413

I sterilized bottles and pacis before first use, and then...I just washed them. The mam pacis do come with a case you can use to sterilize in the microwave, so I did that occasionally, but bottles just get washed (by hand, or more often in the dishwasher) and put in the cabinet. Most come with instructions on how to sterilize them, and most also say you don't need to keep doing it. 

Marley629

@balletnerd is carecentrix and edgepark same? I only ask Bc my insurance company gave me telephone number to carecentrix but when i googled it, edgepark came up and I ordered through them.  They may be waiting for your physician or insurance to respond. I had to wait a few days for that it just received email saying it was shipped 

Mandayno

Thank you ladies sooooooo much for l of the helpful information!!! You gals are seriously the best!!! My dishwasher was pretty full already so I boiled all the bottles I had (was really scared I was going to melt everything into a pile) and it worked out great!!! I'm not afraid of it anymore haha!! I still have to do my breast pump parts... EXCEPT the tubing (thank you for that advice). I do have a box or two of the sterilizing bags and didn't even realize you can do about 20 uses! This makes me actually excited to use them!!!! 

Ok nipple shields..... Just looking at these things intimidate me! What exactly are they for and how do I know when I need them? And just from the comments here I of course do realize everyone is going to be different. What exactly is their intended use though? I thought they were just for inverted nipples. 

failuretofly

@ShyTonia ya 'best practice' is to keep them seperate... You do you haha

My thoughts on the whole nipple shield thing... I think it's one of those things you shouldn't just go to on your own. If you are having enough trouble with BFing you should be consulting a lactation consultant and they will advise you the best course of action (nipple shields, tongue ties etc) and teach you how and when to use them. 

Piccola1988

@rideatide I am so sorry to hear you’ve been displaced!  I chose to buy a house while pregnant (and move in just a few weeks ago) and I insisted we renovate the kitchen right away because I am an insane person, so it’s a mess entirely of my own making and I’m still freaking out.

Would your husband be ripping out and installing the floors himself?  The reason I ask is that if it’s the actual materials you need your tax return to afford and not the labor, you can open a credit card with Lowe’s, buy tile/materials from there, and repay interest free over time (I think it’s at least a year). They offered us that option for our kitchen remodel when we bought our cabinets although we ended up just paying outright.  I’m not sure how handy your husband is but something like pergo flooring is inexpensive and really easy to put down.  If you’re up for laying tile I was surprised to find how affordable that was too.