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January 2014 Moms
megngregk
member
FTM ?'s: Newborn Care
megngregk
member
Thanks for all the input yesterday on our L&D questions, BTDT mamas! You all rock.
NEWBORN CARE
How to clean the umbilical cord, and how often? How long before it falls off?
How to treat the circumcision? Anything I should keep an eye on?
Assuming baby is healthy, how many times do you go to the Dr. in the first month?
How often should a 0-3 mo be bathed?
Best way to trim LO’s nails?
Do you need a baby hamper, or can you just use a regular old adult hamper?
How do you stop unsolicited advice about your newborn/parenting?
How to dress LO so he isn't too hot in warmer climates, too cold in colder climates:
Should the thermostat in your house be set at a particular temp?
Do you swaddled baby, then put in sleep sack, swaddled over the sleep sacks, or just use one or the other?
How soon was baby sleeping in their crib?
Would you choose a pedi closer to home or one that will see LO in the hospital (20 min difference)?
Was the transition from Rock N Play to crib difficult? How did you get LO to sleep flat once they've been so used to sleeping at an incline?
How much (and how far ahead) of LO's clothes do you wash before LO is born?
How long (days/weeks) can baby sleep in the newborn napper part of the PnP?
This discussion has been closed.
Re: FTM ?'s: Newborn Care
How to treat the circumcision? We just dabbed on some petroleum jelly and placed a gauze over until it looked healed
Anything I should keep an eye on? Increased redness, pus, discharge, swelling (all general signs of infection)
Assuming baby is healthy, how many times do you go to the Dr. in the first month? DS went for a weight check a few days after leaving the hospital, then at 1 month, 2 months, 4 months. But practices vary with "normal" schedules
How often should a 0-3 mo be bathed? Until the cord falls off, sponge baths only. Then we would wash every 3 days, that's also how often we bath DS now. Newborns don't get super dirty plus you don't want to dry out their skin
Best way to trim LO’s nails? Nail clippers and BE CALM, you both can do this!
Do you need a baby hamper, or can you just use a regular old adult hamper? Depends how you wash your clothes. We combine all laundry and wash with free and clear detergent. Gentle on everyone's skin
How do you stop unsolicited advice about your newborn/parenting? Let me know
How to dress LO so he isn't too hot in warmer climates, too cold in colder climates: Rule of thumb is one more layer than what you would be comfortable wearing
Should the thermostat in your house be set at a particular temp? We like to keep our house between 68-72
Do you swaddled baby, then put in sleep sack, swaddled over the sleep sacks, or just use one or the other? We did onesie, sleep gown, swaddle sack (Summer Infant Swaddle Me)
How soon was baby sleeping in their crib? For us, DS slept overnight in our room in a RnP. We did naps in the crib early on. He moved into the crib full time at 4 months. But everyone is different.
Would you choose a pedi closer to home or one that will see LO in the hospital (20 min difference)? Close to home, LO has a LOT of appointments the first year.
Was the transition from Rock N Play to crib difficult? How did you get LO to sleep flat once they've been so used to sleeping at an incline? Transition scared the sh!t out of me and DS was fine, no issues. Just put him in the crib one night and he slept like he normally did (poor sleeper, up every 1-2 hours, but that was his norm then).
How much (and how far ahead) of LO's clothes do you wash before LO is born? One size up for now, ie newborn and 0-3 months all washed. Will wait to do 6 months until LO needs that size
How long (days/weeks) can baby sleep in the newborn napper part of the PnP? N/A we didn't use one.
Married 10-20-12 | First Baby Due 1-22-14 | Team PINK | Me (29) Hubby (33)
January 2014 | December Siggy Challenge | Favorite Christmas Movie: "It Nearly Wasn't Christmas"
How to clean the umbilical cord, and how often? How long before it falls off? I think it took about 10 days for DS's to fall off, and we really didn't do anything special to it. They told us using alcohol to clean it wasn't necessary, to try to keep it dry, and keep an eye on it for bleeding, etc.
How to treat the circumcision? Anything I should keep an eye on? Again, here, they didn't give us too many special instructions, except keep an eye on it. He had some little plastic ring deal that fell off after a week or so. Keep an eye out for adhesion (skin sticking to the head), push the skin back every day, after it's healed.
Assuming baby is healthy, how many times do you go to the Dr. in the first month? Ohhh...Hm. I think we went at 3 days, 1 week, 2 weeks, and a month? Maybe? I'd have to look back.
How often should a 0-3 mo be bathed? Not often--once a week is really all that's necessary, unless they have a blow out or spit up all over themselves.
Best way to trim LO’s nails? When they are sleeping and very, very carefully.
Do you need a baby hamper, or can you just use a regular old adult hamper? You can use whichever you want. Baby hampers often match the decor, but are definitely not necessary.
How do you stop unsolicited advice about your newborn/parenting? Politely nod and ignore it.
How to dress LO so he isn't too hot in warmer climates, too cold in colder climates: If you'd be comfortable in what they are wearing, they are probably fine.
Should the thermostat in your house be set at a particular temp? I don't think there's a set temp. During winter, we'll probably keep it at 70 consistently, which is a little warmer than we have it now, and we won't of drop it overnight.
Do you swaddle baby, then put in sleep sack, swaddled over the sleep sacks, or just use one or the other? We only used one or the other.
How soon was baby sleeping in their crib? For us, 5 or 6 months, but it depends on what you want. There's nothing wrong with putting them in the crib from the first night, and there's nothing wrong with keeping them in your room longer than 5 or 6 months. This time, we'll be keeping him in our room until he STTN, because he'll be sharing a room with DS, and we don't want to wake DS up if we can help it.
Would you choose a pedi closer to home or one that will see LO in the hospital (20 min difference)? Closer to home. Our pediatrician and hospital work together, so we saw the pedi that saw him in the hospital, and we'll take this guy to the same one, no matter who is in the hospital at the time.
Was the transition from Rock N Play to crib difficult? How did you get LO to sleep flat once they've been so used to sleeping at an incline? The RnP is *not* meant to be where they sleep all the time.
How much (and how far ahead) of LO's clothes do you wash before LO is born? I'd only take tags off and wash a couple things in each size (NB and 0-3 months) until you know how big baby will be. We had nothing washed when DS was born since he came a little over 5 weeks early and put him in brand new, straight from the store clothes when he came home from the hospital and then washed everything in his size that night. Nothing bad happened.
How long (days/weeks) can baby sleep in the newborn napper part of the PnP? I forget what the limits are, but it tells you in the instructions that come with it. There's a certain weight limit, and because the sides are so low, you obviously don't want baby pulling up.
Bump Unofficial Glossary
How to treat the circumcision? Anything I should keep an eye on? I found the easiest way was to cut up gauze ahead of time, lube them up with Vaseline, store them in the Vaseline tub, and then I just had to pull out one during a diaper change. That first diaper change was SO difficult. DS1 was actually circ’d a week after birth because he wouldn’t BF (so they didn’t want to circ him in the hospital). I bawled and bawled that first diaper change. Luckily my mom was in town for a dinner meeting, and she came to deal with it.<?xml:namespace prefix = "o" ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
Assuming baby is healthy, how many times do you go to the Dr. in the first month? I have no idea…DS1 was sick, so I have a skewed opinion.
How often should a 0-3 mo be bathed? Every few days.
Best way to trim LO’s nails? Pull back the quick, trim while they are sleeping.
Do you need a baby hamper, or can you just use a regular old adult hamper? A regular hamper will work.
How do you stop unsolicited advice about your newborn/parenting? Nod and smile. Nod and smile.
How to dress LO so he isn't too hot in warmer climates, too cold in colder climates: You will know if the baby is too hot for sure (sweaty, flushed, etc). I had a summer baby, so I am not too sure about whether or not to know whether baby is too cold.
Do you swaddled baby, then put in sleep sack, swaddled over the sleep sacks, or just use one or the other? I had never heard of sleep sacks until this pregnancy. I swaddled.
How soon was baby sleeping in their crib? We had a family bed. He didn’t sleep in his crib (actually PNP), until about 8 or 9 months when we CIO for him to sleep all night.
How much (and how far ahead) of LO's clothes do you wash before LO is born? I have all of it washed now, including some of the 12mo outfits.
How long (days/weeks) can baby sleep in the newborn napper part of the PnP? Until they hit the weight limit, or start to roll over, I believe.
Baby Chugging born 12.28.13
induction due to HELLP
How to clean the umbilical cord, and how often? How long before it falls off? We were told to rub it with an alcohol swab after diaper changes...we weren't incredibly consistent with it every diaper change and I think it took like 2-3 weeks to fall off- seemed to take forever!
How to treat the circumcision? Anything I should keep an eye on? I had a girl so can't really weigh in on this one!
Assuming baby is healthy, how many times do you go to the Dr. in the first month?I think we went twice..2 days after discharge and at 2 weeks.
How often should a 0-3 mo be bathed? 1-2 times a week...especially in the winter their skin dries out easily
Best way to trim LO’s nails? I have this awesome little fingernail clipper thing with a flashlight on it...love it- but when she was a newborn I just kinda peeled the nails, they broke easily.
Do you need a baby hamper, or can you just use a regular old adult hamper? I have a specific hamper in her room but its really your choice.
How do you stop unsolicited advice about your newborn/parenting? Smile and nod..you'll never stop them!
How to dress LO so he isn't too hot in warmer climates, too cold in colder climates:
Should the thermostat in your house be set at a particular temp? Not specifically, we usually keep our house pretty warm like 67-70..DD was like 9 months by summer but she was rarely sweaty or anything.
Do you swaddled baby, then put in sleep sack, swaddled over the sleep sacks, or just use one or the other? I had a baby who loathed being swaddled and I was bad and just used a blanket from the waste down when she was little when she slept..so we just did a fleece sleep n play and a blanket over her bottom half to sleep.
How soon was baby sleeping in their crib? Between 4-6 weeks we put her in her crib..she was a loud grunty sleeper and both of us slept better with her in her own room (across the hall).
Would you choose a pedi closer to home or one that will see LO in the hospital (20 min difference)? I don't really like the pediatricians in my area so I chose one that I liked closer to the hospital where I used to work..so we've got a 30-40 minute drive to the pediatrician but I don't regret it and it hasn't been a problem so far.
Was the transition from Rock N Play to crib difficult? How did you get LO to sleep flat once they've been so used to sleeping at an incline? Mine had like no transition difficulty, she even had reflux (so the incline can be helpful) but sleeping flat never bothered her..she liked to stretch out. I think our transition was easier though because she was still pretty young, other people on her BMB had a lot of difficulty when they tried to transfer kids at like 4 months.
How much (and how far ahead) of LO's clothes do you wash before LO is born? I washed newborn and 0-3 month clothes before she was born.
How long (days/weeks) can baby sleep in the newborn napper part of the PnP? I never had one but I believe until they can sit up or pull up or hit 20 lbs? Not positive though.
How to clean the umbilical cord, and how often? How long before it falls off? DS's fell off around day 7, we were just told to keep it dry and to call if it seemed to be infected.
How to treat the circumcision? Anything I should keep an eye on? We would put some Vaseline on a piece of gauze and then put that over the penis and then the diaper over that. We did that for about two weeks I think?? Push the skin back as well so it doesn't re-attach itself. If it looks red or has pus you'd want to call.
Assuming baby is healthy, how many times do you go to the Dr. in the first month? We went at 4 days (Pedi didn't have privilegs at our hospital) and then I think 3 weeks and 6 weeks for shots? My memory is a little sketchy of that time.
How often should a 0-3 mo be bathed? You can wipe down with warm water and a facecloth daily but they don't need a full on bath often cause it will dry out their skin at that age.
Best way to trim LO’s nails? Biting them is sometimes easiest at the newborn stage if you aren't comfortable with the clippers. My MIL did them for me for the longest time casue I was so scared to hurt him. Now he just sits in my lap and watches tv while I do it.
Do you need a baby hamper, or can you just use a regular old adult hamper? You can use either but you probably just want to keep it separate if you are going to use different detergents for you and LO's clothes.
How do you stop unsolicited advice about your newborn/parenting? I didn't get a ton of this but when I did I either nodded and ignored or told them to STFU depending on who/what kind of advice it was.
How to dress LO so he isn't too hot in warmer climates, too cold in colder climates: Rule of thumb is one more layer than what you are wearing.
Should the thermostat in your house be set at a particular temp? DS was born in Sept so we still had the AC on for a bit but now we'll have it around 68-70 since DS sweats so much. DD will have her sleep sack or swaddle so she'll be ok
Do you swaddle baby, then put in sleep sack, swaddled over the sleep sacks, or just use one or the other? We only used one or the other.
How soon was baby sleeping in their crib? DS started to sleep overnight in his crib at 8 weeks. I wanted him in his own room before I went back to work. We started doing naps in his crib around 6 weeks to help with the transition.
Would you choose a pedi closer to home or one that will see LO in the hospital (20 min difference)? Closer to home. You don't want to be driving 20 minutes out of the way every time LO is sick.
Was the transition from Rock N Play to crib difficult? How did you get LO to sleep flat once they've been so used to sleeping at an incline? It took us about two nights to get him into the crib overnight without major issues. We also made it a point to make sure that he didn't' always sleep in the RNP so it made the transition easier. He would also nap in the swing, bouncer, crib, my chest etc.
How much (and how far ahead) of LO's clothes do you wash before LO is born? Usually just the 3 month size. DS was a big baby and never fit in newborn so I returned all of them to the store and bought bigger sizes.
How long (days/weeks) can baby sleep in the newborn napper part of the PnP? Mine didn't have a napper (bought a basic one)
NEWBORN CARE
How to clean the umbilical cord, and how often? How long before it falls off? Nurses will tell you exactly what you need to do, but if I recall… first rule is to avoid it getting wet. LO should have just sponge baths until it falls off. Some recommend using alcohol, but I’ve heard others say not to. We did not use anything & it fell off after about a week. You really just need to keep an eye on it for any infection.
How to treat the circumcision? Anything I should keep an eye on? Again – nurses will tell you for sure the best recommendation, but for us, we simply applied a dollop of Vaseline with each diaper change to keep the diaper from sticking & to keep the moisture from his dirty diapers away from it. You do NOT want wipe the penis with a wipe of any kind until healed. Any mess you need to wipe should be limited to a wet soft tissue.
Assuming baby is healthy, how many times do you go to the Dr. in the first month? 24hr after hospital discharge, 1w old, 2w old, & 1 mo old are the appts we had I think.
How often should a 0-3 mo be bathed? Some people opt for daily, some opt for every other day (like us), others go for once a week. When they are this little I personally don’t feel they need anything daily. I believe we started with once a week for a couple weeks after the cord fell off & his circ healed, but then after a while we moved to every other day. When they are this little they really don’t do much to get dirty or sweaty J
Best way to trim LO’s nails? When they are sleeping! LOL. OR, some parents I know just used a nail file instead of a clipper & that made them feel a little better about the process. LO’s nails are so paper thin that you need to be sure you really clipped it before pulling the clipper away. Otherwise you risk tearing the nail & that can hurt LO.
Do you need a baby hamper, or can you just use a regular old adult hamper? I washed DS’s stuff separate from ours so his stuff just automatically went in a hamper we had in his room. Just a laundry basket really, not any special hamper by any means.
How do you stop unsolicited advice about your newborn/parenting? Unless someone is getting really pushy about it, just smile & nod. If they are pushy, I’d just politely let them know you appreciate their concern, but things seem to be working fine the way you are doing them so you will stick with that for now.
How to dress LO so he isn't too hot in warmer climates, too cold in colder climates:
Should the thermostat in your house be set at a particular temp? LO will get used to however you have things, but too hot increases the risk of SIDS. When LO is laying on their own, they could get chilled easily too. For sleeping, WTE recommended 68 to 72 degrees F and to check the back of LO’s neck for how they are feeling. Hot & sweaty = too hot. Cold= then they are too cold. DS’s room was very chilly in winter months so we had a space heater in there for him with a thermostat of its own so we could keep it in this range.
Do you swaddled baby, then put in sleep sack, swaddled over the sleep sacks, or just use one or the other? We only ever swaddled. Never used sleep sacks.
How soon was baby sleeping in their crib? From day 1 for us. His room was only 5 feet from ours. We will do the same with this new LO.
Would you choose a pedi closer to home or one that will see LO in the hospital (20 min difference)? Given our current location, I’d choose closer to home. Makes for routine checkups way easier for us when I have to leave early from work then pick up DS from day care & then go to Dr appts. I’ve always recommended to friends & family that you choose a day care close to home too. Less time in the car give you less risk of an accident happening with LO in it. This proved true for me when I was rear ended on my way home from work one day last year.
How much (and how far ahead) of LO's clothes do you wash before LO is born? Just the few weeks before. I still have yet to wash things for this LO. Mostly because I have no where to put them still yet. Nursery to still be finished in next few weeks J
My 2 December boys
I only washed 0-3 month size clothing. Everything else remained with tags on until I knew how big, or small she would be"
@wilburbudSO smart. I was definitely trippin over having lots of usless NB clothes that I couldn't return.
PCOS diagnosed secondary infertility
BFP #1 (letrozole 2.5mg + ovidrel) February 2016, MMC April 2016 @ 7 weeks
BFP #2 (letrozole 5mg + ovidrel) July 2016, Beta #1 359, Beta #2 745, Beta #3 11484
EDD April 9th, 2017
How to clean the umbilical cord, and how often? How long before it falls off? 7-10 days typically. Just with water. It's not recommended anymore to clean it with rubbing alcohol.
Assuming baby is healthy, how many times do you go to the Dr. in the first month? Twice? Once within the first week and then once at one month old. More if a boy and you are circumsizing I'd assume.
How often should a 0-3 mo be bathed? We did it daily as part of a nighttime/bedtime routine. Just make sure to lotion LO afterwards so their skin doesn't dry out.
Best way to trim LO’s nails? When they're sleeping, or just ate, or are in any sort of "settled" and not agitated state.
Do you need a baby hamper, or can you just use a regular old adult hamper? Regular hamper worked for us. I did keep it separate from our hamper (one for DD, one for DH, one for me, one for towels/sheets).
How do you stop unsolicited advice about your newborn/parenting? It will never end. I got some yesterday from my sister, for Pete's sake. Smile and nod and thank them. Advice isn't a mandate and something you HAVE to do. You are the expert on your child. Not them.
How to dress LO so he isn't too hot in warmer climates, too cold in colder climates: Also dress LO in one more layer than you are wearing as they can't regulate their temperatures like an adult. And thin layers make it easy to strip LO down gradually if they are too hot.
Should the thermostat in your house be set at a particular temp? It varies, but DD's room was/is at 70 during the winter.
Do you swaddled baby, then put in sleep sack, swaddled over the sleep sacks, or just use one or the other? We just swaddled. Used the SwaddleMes and I loooooooooove them. I never personally used a sleep sack, but if I used both, I would swaddle, then put in a sleep sack.
How soon was baby sleeping in their crib? Within the first week LO was spending at least one sleeping time in her crib. We chose not to bed share or co-sleep. Sometimes she'd sleep in her swing or in the RNP though.
Would you choose a pedi closer to home or one that will see LO in the hospital (20 min difference)? Closer to hospital, which for us is also closer to daycare and our jobs.
Was the transition from Rock N Play to crib difficult? How did you get LO to sleep flat once they've been so used to sleeping at an incline? Nope, though some have difficulty. We did not have sleep issues with DD.
How much (and how far ahead) of LO's clothes do you wash before LO is born? I would wash all of the newborn and 0-3 clothes before birth.
How long (days/weeks) can baby sleep in the newborn napper part of the PnP? Depends on size and weight of the baby. DD only used that a handful of times, but we had alternative sleep options we preferred also.
How to clean the umbilical cord, and how often? How long before it falls off? We didn't do much with DS, just kept it clean and made sure nothing [diapers and clothes] was irritating it. Fell off after 10 days.
How to treat the circumcision? Anything I should keep an eye on? As others said, using vaseline-dipped gauze, along with making sure the skin was pushed back, was what we did. Be sure to do the pushing of the skin, because DS had a couple of issues because I wasn't as diligent about pushing the skin back as I should have been.
Assuming baby is healthy, how many times do you go to the Dr. in the first month? We went twice. After that, we went every 2 months until he was a year old, I think.
How often should a 0-3 mo be bathed? We just wiped him down with a warm washcloth and soap every 2-3 days, and with wipes every day. He did get his first bath when he was about a month old because he had a lot of hair that really needed to be washed.
Best way to trim LO’s nails? I always did it while he was sleeping. Used baby clippers that came in a grooming kit I got at my baby shower.
Do you need a baby hamper, or can you just use a regular old adult hamper? I used a small basket I kept by his crib. This time around, I'll just toss her clothes in with her big brother's, because I'll use the same soap to wash their clothes.
How do you stop unsolicited advice about your newborn/parenting? You don't.
You just smile and ignore. Eventually, people will get the hint. I will admit that hormone changes made me a little crazy with DS, and I snapped at a lot of people because I was sick of them telling me how to raise my child. I'm more aware of how crazy hormones can get after birth, though, and will be better about that this time around.
How to dress LO so he isn't too hot in warmer climates, too cold in colder climates: I have a very big living room that takes forever to heat, but it makes the other rooms super hot. My plan is to get some sort of heater just for the living room so that the rest of the house can stay comfortable. I always checked JJ's feet, hands and back to make sure he wasn't too cold or sweating, and I swapped clothes out as needed.
Should the thermostat in your house be set at a particular temp? Meh. I changed it as I needed, mainly because of my giant living room.
Do you swaddled baby, then put in sleep sack, swaddled over the sleep sacks, or just use one or the other? I seriously sucked at swaddling. Like, seriously. So I bought Halo swaddler sleep sacks that worked for JJ.
How soon was baby sleeping in their crib? He wasn't in his crib until he was about 4-5 months old. He was in a bassinet, then a co-sleeper, until then.
Would you choose a pedi closer to home or one that will see LO in the hospital (20 min difference)? Definitely closer to home.
How much (and how far ahead) of LO's clothes do you wash before LO is born? I washed everything up through 6 months' sizing after his baby shower, which was about a month before he was born. I put the rest in a Rubbermaid container in my closet. I'll do the same this time, but the extra clothes will be stored in containers I'll slide under the crib.
How to clean the umbilical cord, and how often? How long before it falls off?
Our Dr said not to do anything to it, just keep it dry. Her diaper leaked a little pee onto it, though, so after that he said we could wipe it down with a little alcohol. It fell off a few days after we started doing that. I think within 2 weeks is the normal time frame?
I will say it should be dry and odorless, if you notice anything otherwise, it's apparently very important to call/go in. We called when it got wet from the pee and our ped wanted us to come in. He thought it was nothing serious, but (rarely) it can get infected and that is life-threatening, so he wanted to be sure.
How to treat the circumcision? Anything I should keep an eye on?
N/A
Assuming baby is healthy, how many times do you go to the Dr. in the first month?
I can't really remember. Once or twice? We went in that extra time for her umbilical cord.
How often should a 0-3 mo be bathed?
I think that depends on the baby. DD was really fussy and a bath (a real bath, not the sponge bath) calmed her. I think we used soap every few days. She had a whole lot of hair that was a little oily, so I felt like that needed to be washed.
Best way to trim LO’s nails?
I kept the clippers next to my nursing spot and would trim them when she fell asleep at the breast.
Do you need a baby hamper, or can you just use a regular old adult hamper?
We had a separate hamper. Her skin is really sensitive so she had a different detergent and I used less of it for her clothes for the first few months.
How do you stop unsolicited advice about your newborn/parenting?
Ha. DD is almost two and I still haven't figure this one out. I haven't found any use in arguing with people about it. I just smile and nod and do what I'm going to do. If someone presses the issue, I just tell them 'we do this, because this is what works for us'.
How to dress LO so he isn't too hot in warmer climates, too cold in colder climates:
LO was mostly inside, so the climate was irrelevant most of the time. She was a Dec baby, so going out, I'd cover her in the carrier with a blanket and put a warm hat on her. That way once the heater warmed the car I could take stuff off so she didn't get too hot. I also wore her in a moby and then ergo rather than used the stroller until she was older. I'd wear her with just a shirt between us and my coat or a blanket wrapped around the front, so my body heat kept her warm.
Should the thermostat in your house be set at a particular temp?
I think they recommend between 68-72. DD is a hot sleeper, 72 would be way too warm for her. We never went higher than 68 in the winter. In the summer time, sometimes she sleeps in just a diaper. Even as a newborn 68 was good for her (with a footie sleeper and swaddle me)
Do you swaddled baby, then put in sleep sack, swaddled over the sleep sacks, or just use one or the other?
I'd put her in a gown or footie sleeper and then a cotton swaddle me. That's it.
How soon was baby sleeping in their crib?
Maybe by 8 weeks. This is going to depend on the baby and there were a few phases where she would co-sleep for a few nights or weeks. DD has just always slept better in her own space. She still does. She was also sttn by this time and that probably affects where it's easiest to keep baby.
Would you choose a pedi closer to home or one that will see LO in the hospital (20 min difference)?
Everything was about half hour away, but I wouldn't want to travel more than 45 min to see a doctor if I could help that. Otherwise, I think the important thing is to pic a doctor you like and is on the same page with you as far as breast/formula feeding, vaccine schedule, etc.
Was the transition from Rock N Play to crib difficult? How did you get LO to sleep flat once they've been so used to sleeping at an incline?
I had DD nap at least once a day in the crib from the beginning (once family wasn't there to hold her all day long) so that wasn't difficult.
How much (and how far ahead) of LO's clothes do you wash before LO is born?
I washed the through 6 mo, I think.
How long (days/weeks) can baby sleep in the newborn napper part of the PnP?
That depends on how big baby is, I think. By 3 mo, DD was getting too long for ours.
NEWBORN CARE
How to clean the umbilical cord, and how often? How long before it falls off?
I was instructed not to do anything with it as far as cleaning. Sponge baths only, no submersion in water until it falls off. Take extra care about diaper and clothing rubbing the stub too much.
How to treat the circumcision? Anything I should keep an eye on?
No experience but look forward to other responses!
Assuming baby is healthy, how many times do you go to the Dr. in the first month?
I think it's twice. Once within the first few days of being home and another at 4 weeks.
How often should a 0-3 mo be bathed?
We bathed DD pretty much every day. In the first few weeks, just wiping all skin with a wet cloth and then using the infant tub after umbilical stub falls off.
Best way to trim LO’s nails?
VERY VERY slowly while baby is sleeping! I remember I clipped the skin once and made DD bleed. I nearly cried.
Do you need a baby hamper, or can you just use a regular old adult hamper?
I prefer a hamper with a lid. As baby gets older it becomes a game to take all the dirty clothes out of the hamper!
How do you stop unsolicited advice about your newborn/parenting?
You don't really stop it. You just learn to deal with it. This was a BIG struggle for me in the beginning. I am much more confident this go around. My only advice is stick with your instincts and listen to a trained professional like your pediatrician, not your MIL
How to dress LO so he isn't too hot in warmer climates, too cold in colder climates:
General rule of thumb in winter is baby wear one layer more than you are. Hats are a must since heat is lost through the head. If they are uncomfortable, they will let you know.
Should the thermostat in your house be set at a particular temp?
Ummm, whatever you are comfortable with? I think in the beginning we used the heater a little more than we normally would have.
Do you swaddled baby, then put in sleep sack, swaddled over the sleep sacks, or just use one or the other?
We just swaddled. By the time DD was out of the swaddle the weather was warm so we never once used a sleep sack with her. I don't recommend using the sack and swaddle at the same time.
How soon was baby sleeping in their crib?
I think for us it was around 4/5 months. Pretty much whenever you are comfortable.
Would you choose a pedi closer to home or one that will see LO in the hospital (20 min difference)?
The pedi in the hospital pretty much means nothing. Chose the one you are comfortable with. For DD's first year we saw the same pedi but always felt a little off after leaving the appts. We never had to wait to see her but she was very short with us and I felt like she was judging me a lot. One day I just decided to switch and it has truly made a huge difference. I feel so much more supported and confident with DD's new pedi. In fact we were just there yesterday, waited an hour passed out appt time to see her and it was still worth it! I attribute the wait time to her being so popular and really taking the time with each patient instead of just rushing through her appts. So take it from me, if you question your pedi at any point, find another!
Was the transition from Rock N Play to crib difficult? How did you get LO to sleep flat once they've been so used to sleeping at an incline?
I never used a RNP because of the incline issue alone. I won't use one this time either, unless DS is colicky.
How much (and how far ahead) of LO's clothes do you wash before LO is born?
If you have a clean spot to store them and keep them dust free, like a dresser drawer, then go for it at anytime! I personally wouldn't wash too far in advance if I was hanging them in a closet.
Daughter #1 - February 12, 2010
natural m/c March 11, 2011 at 8 1/2 weeks
Daughter #2 - January 11, 2012
Ectopic pregnancy discovered November 6, 2012 at 6 weeks
Daughter #3 - January 19, 2014
Started our exploration into the world of international adoption June 2012. We have no idea what this is going to look like but we are excited to find out!
Every time you change a diaper we would use a q-tip and rubbing alcohol. They all fall off differently. There is no certain timeframe.
How to treat the circumcision? Pull back the skin with every diaper change and rub Vaseline on it. The you cover it with those cotton mesh bandage squares.
Anything I should keep an eye on? If the skin starts to stick to the head.
Assuming baby is healthy, how many times do you go to the Dr. in the first month? Different with every baby/pedi. DS went every Monday and Friday until his jaundice was gone.
How often should a 0-3 mo be bathed? Eh. Two or three times a week (with soap) unless they have crazy spit ups and the wet wipes aren't cutting it. You can also wash them more often with just water in between soaps.
Best way to trim LO’s nails? Combo of slippers and nail file. It's easiest to sneak in when baby is asleep.
Do you need a baby hamper, or can you just use a regular old adult hamper? Adult.
How do you stop unsolicited advice about your newborn/parenting? You can't. People don't know when to shut their mouths. I mean, you really gonna run over and smack them in the mouth? Sometimes, what a FTM calls 'unwanted advice' turns out to be very helpful. Just because you don't want to hear it, doesn't mean it won't help. Some is utterly ridiculous (like 'prepping' your nipples with a dry/course wash cloth) and you can just smile and day thanks for the input and change the subject.
How to dress LO so he isn't too hot in warmer climates, too cold in colder climates: 'they' say babies need one more layer than you. My son is and will always be a hot natured baby. He sweats so bad at night. Alway has since birth. Pay attention to your little one and you'll get it.
Should the thermostat in your house be set at a particular temp? Just comfortable...
Do you swaddled baby, then put in sleep sack, swaddled over the sleep sacks, or just use one or the other? Just use one or the other.
How soon was baby sleeping in their crib? I don't remember. When he outgrew his PNP attachment.
Would you choose a pedi closer to home or one that will see LO in the hospital (20 min difference)? Closer to home. Our closest pedi was an hour and 45 mins away. Do you know how stressful it is with a hurting, crying, screaming many in the back seat that long? Poor baby.
Was the transition from Rock N Play to crib difficult? How did you get LO to sleep flat once they've been so used to sleeping at an incline? N/A we didn't have one.
How much (and how far ahead) of LO's clothes do you wash before LO is born? When I received them.
How long (days/weeks) can baby sleep in the newborn napper part of the PnP? It... I dont remember. Read the instruction manual?
How to clean the umbilical cord, and how often? How long before it falls off?
I cleaned it only when bathing, I take a wet cloth (not too wet) and wash around it, made sure it wasn't pussy or looking infected. I believe it fell off just under a week after!
How to treat the circumcision? Anything I should keep an eye on?
We didn't circumcise DS.
Assuming baby is healthy, how many times do you go to the Dr. in the first month?
I think we went maybe 3 or 4 times. Mostly for quick little check ups and weight checks!
How often should a 0-3 mo be bathed?
I bathed DS Every other day, unless there was a massive diaper explosion, then it was straight to the tub!
Best way to trim LO’s nails?
I used the Safety First Nail Clippers. However I found in the first few weeks, the nails were so soft, you could scratch off the lengthy parts!
Do you need a baby hamper, or can you just use a regular old adult hamper?
I used a separate hamper for the baby clothes, but it was nothing special. Just a regular hamper!
How do you stop unsolicited advice about your newborn/parenting?
Just nod and let it go in one ear and out the other! It's unavoidable!
How to dress LO so he isn't too hot in warmer climates, too cold in colder climates:
Layers are key! Onesie with a sweater set came in handy for both climates! Always keep a change of clothes in your diaper bag in case it's too hot/cold!
Should the thermostat in your house be set at a particular temp?
I kept ours between 19 and 21c.
Do you swaddled baby, then put in sleep sack, swaddled over the sleep sacks, or just use one or the other?
I never used the sleep sack. I would just swaddle the baby.
How soon was baby sleeping in their crib?
With DS, he slept in his crib like 10 times. This LO will hopefully be using the crib! I didn't try putting DS into the crib until after he was 6 months!
Would you choose a pedi closer to home or one that will see LO in the hospital (20 min difference)?
I chose my own doctor since he's great with kids and close to home!
Was the transition from Rock N Play to crib difficult? How did you get LO to sleep flat once they've been so used to sleeping at an incline?
The bassinet part of mine was completely flat. DS was super long so he grew out of it by the time he was 4 mo. Then I co-slept, and breastfeeding was so much easier that way!
How much (and how far ahead) of LO's clothes do you wash before LO is born?
I only washed clothes that were 0-3 and then all of the sheets, blankets, wash clothes, bibs etc. I did this a few weeks before LO was due. This time, I've already washed the clothes and gotten them all ready!
How long (days/weeks) can baby sleep in the newborn napper part of the PnP?
I didn't use that, so I'm not sure.
NEWBORN CARE
How to clean the umbilical cord, and how often? How long before it falls off? we cleaned it with an alcohol wipe 2-3 times a day i think? and most of it fell out in about a week. there was a tiny little bit that stuck around for a little bit longer then that.
Assuming baby is healthy, how many times do you go to the Dr. in the first month? We went to the doctor like 2-3 days after we left the hospital, and then again for a 1 month check up.
How often should a 0-3 mo be bathed? we did it every 2-3 days, unless she was really dirty!
Do you need a baby hamper, or can you just use a regular old adult hamper? Just use what you have
How do you stop unsolicited advice about your newborn/parenting? It's going to come at you, so take what you want and just nod and smile at the rest.
Do you swaddled baby, then put in sleep sack, swaddled over the sleep sacks, or just use one or the other? We didn't use a sleep sack until DD was done being swaddled.
How soon was baby sleeping in their crib? probably by 3-4 months, but she was in her own room since the start.
Was the transition from Rock N Play to crib difficult? How did you get LO to sleep flat once they've been so used to sleeping at an incline? It was a little difficult. we ended up propping her mattress up from underneath with a rolled up towel. There wasn't a huge incline but enough to help transition.
How much (and how far ahead) of LO's clothes do you wash before LO is born? Just wash what you need. You'll have time to do the rest once baby is here.
Assuming baby is healthy, how many times do you go to the Dr. in the first month? A few days after release from the hospital, 1 month, 2 month and 4 month,
How often should a 0-3 mo be bathed? We did every few nights. I still only bathe them every other night except in the summer or if they are exceptionally dirty.
Best way to trim LO’s nails? I remember biting their nails when they were super little
Do you need a baby hamper, or can you just use a regular old adult hamper? Use whatever hamper, but I like to keep one in the baby room to make it easy to throw dirty clothes in.
Should the thermostat in your house be set at a particular temp? Reading other responses, I think our house is too cool! I've never had a winter baby and we may need to adjust the temp!
Do you swaddled baby, then put in sleep sack, swaddled over the sleep sacks, or just use one or the other? I swaddled with a onesie for a few months and then when we transitioned out of the swaddle I used a long sleeve onesie with a sleep sack.
How soon was baby sleeping in their crib? DS slept in the crib the first night. DD was not in it until 4 months because she shared a room with DS and he was waking up all night screaming (more than the newborn). We moved at 4 months and she was in her crib that night!
How much (and how far ahead) of LO's clothes do you wash before LO is born? I only washed some of the 0-3 month clothes. We were team green so I had enough neutral stuff. I'm glad I didn't wash newborn sizes because both babies were too big for newborn.