Maple 2.0, if you do use an ergo, I think the infant insert was worth it. UO? I didn't get the insert until L was 3 weeks old after failing the ring sling and receiving blanket in ergo. The extra padding also kept her warm when we were on vacation in a much colder climate than where we live.
I have 2 Moby wraps that were handme down gifts and another carrier that I'm escaping the name on- its rectangular and either cross crosses the straps on the front or back (depending on front or back carry) and around the waist.
I envision baby wearing quite a bit with our life style, but really should practice with a doll or my niece! Think I should trade one of the Moby wraps for something different?
I think the best advice I'm hearing here is that anything can be gotten in 2 days with Amazon prime.
I've made some freezer meals, but am holding off a bit because my aunt will be visiting for 3 weeks and has said that she wants to make freezer meals for us.
Snack prepping is a great idea especially since we live 30 min from town.... And baby will likely be born right in the middle or beginning of syrup season.
Yay for your aunt! My SIL did this for us and it was so great...until I had to stop eating dairy. Blurgh.
Anyway, I was too intimidated by the Moby to even try it but I have one IRL friend who only used the Moby. I could see having two being helpful though if one gets pee or poop all over it. Babywearing is so much more fun than I expected plus it will help keep germy people from touching baby too much during flu season (that's the nurse in me). I hope your fourth trimester will be wonderful and amazing!
ETA but just enjoy these last few weeks of pregnancy too
In addition to freezer meals, I would say snacks are just as important! Sometimes you're so tired/busy you don't even feel like preheating the oven and waiting for a meal to be done. Foods that you can eat with one hand and that are filling will be your lifesaver. Think crackers, chips, granola bars, pop tarts, muffins, cookies, etc.
You can't really do this ahead of time, but it's nice to have some fresh fruit and veggies prepped and ready to grab in your fridge, too. The well meaning people who do bring you food will often bring you a bunch of comfort and junk food. I remember the first time I made fruit salad after DS was born and we enjoyed it SO MUCH. I just brought a bunch of veggie sticks with dip and a fruit salad to my BFF who recently had a baby and they were so thankful for it after all the crap they'd been eating.
And I'll put in yet another plug for freezer meals! I want to with my first, but she surprised us 3.5 weeks early and I had only cooked/prepped for one day
Two weeks ago I filled the deep freezer! I LOVE knowing that I have about a months worth of dinner ready to go!
TTC# 1 since 5/10 Me:34 Type 1 Diabetes, Ankylosing Spondylitis, Hypothyroid DH:35 Perfect DX: Unexplained IF Many IUI's with various meds all BFFN IVF #1 11/11 canceled due to OHSS IVF #2 Feb/March 2012 ET of 2 on day 3 4/7 BFP! 5/1 u/s blighted ovum IVF #3 July 2012 ET of 3 on day 3 7/24 BFP! Healthy baby girl born at 36w4d on 3/9/13
TTC #2
IVF #4 May/June 2014 ER 6/4 18R 8M 8F ET 6/9 1 blast, 2 frosties
Beta 6/18 BFFN
FET of 2 blasts 7/24...BFP!
Healthy baby girl born at 36w3d on 3/17/15
TTC#3 IVF #5 June 2018- PGS planned, no surviving embryos IVF #6 August 2018- ET of 2 on day 3 - Chemical pregnancy IVF #7 August 2019-....?
I think most everyone has covered my "must haves" but to summarize:
- MyBrestFriend pillow - I loved it way more than the hoppy. I still use it at home even though we don't "need" it
- Back support/belly wrap - I had an emergency csection and my hospital gave me this. I couldn't have moved without it
- Several large water bottles with either a straw or one-hand opening - not just a regular nalgene. I was SO THIRSTY all the time
- easy snacks & freezer meals
- baby swing
- K'tan
- swaddle blankets - velcro ones or A&A muslin blankets
- comfy lounge clothes/nursing bras
- nursing pads - I leaked so much up until about 4 months that I had to use the disposable night-time ones all the time. I liked the Avent brand.
Take all the disposable pads and your peri bottle from the hospital. The peri bottle is essential. I forgot mine and made DH go back and get another one the next day.
Most importantly, enjoy these last few weeks. Go get a massage and a pedicure, Go out to dinner with your husband, etc.
Something I wish I would've had ahead of time are nursing tank tops. I had a couple general size (S/M/L) nursing bras and stretchy camis for the hospital, but the nursing tanks are so much easier.
Car seat, nursing pads, PP pads, some clothes and blankets, a large water bottle you can easily drink out of one handed, quick snacks, a comfy chair, a good breast pump. Off the top of my head, these were most important to me.
So I only skimmed the responses, so forgive me if this has been said but I doubt it has...
Something I wish I had done to prepare before my first was read up more on what a c-section entails. Not just what might lead to a cs, but what it's actually like from the time you agree to one until you're home again. Medications, procedures, etc. You actually still have options, but don't realize it until after everything is over because you're trying to wrap your mind around a sudden surgery-generally because you and/or your baby isn't doing well. you also have to specifically ask for many of those options, but a lot of people don't even know that the options are there, so they don't know to ask.
As a mom of three failed vaginal births and four C-sections, it's what I would do if I were preparing for kid #1 again. and if you don't need the info, no harm no foul.
And baby gear? I like my Boppy.
@theultimatesak - sorry to hijack this, but can you summarize some of the options you are talking about so i can research? I did some basic research on c-sections and ended up with an emergency c-section and a ton of complications from it. i'm hoping to avoid that and do a vbac next time, but i'd like to know what c-section options may exist so i have a plan in case that does not work out. feel free to send it in a PM if easier. TIA.
I couldn't have survived without my boppy! Everyone pretty much has it covered, so ill just add - don't be afraid to he specific with people about what you need help wise. I was really bad about letting people help. I let them cook and clean a little but the one thing I never asked for was for people to take the baby so I could sleep. In hindsight I would have been feeding the baby and handed her off so I could nap instead of feeling like I had to be a host. I was way too timid in asking for what I needed, especially from my husband. I could have healed much faster if id let people help more. I would also worry way less about people seeing my boobs as I learned to breastfeed. Almost 13 months of nursing has made me care very little who sees my boobs
Oh, and my midwives told me to get my bottom in water as much ad possible. Either a sitz bath or in the tub, but just plain water, no soap or anything. I did not do this nearly enough (again because I wouldn't ask for help) and I healed slowly because of it.
I couldn't have survived without my boppy! Everyone pretty much has it covered, so ill just add - don't be afraid to he specific with people about what you need help wise. I was really bad about letting people help. I let them cook and clean a little but the one thing I never asked for was for people to take the baby so I could sleep. In hindsight I would have been feeding the baby and handed her off so I could nap instead of feeling like I had to be a host. I was way too timid in asking for what I needed, especially from my husband. I could have healed much faster if id let people help more. I would also worry way less about people seeing my boobs as I learned to breastfeed. Almost 13 months of nursing has made me care very little who sees my boobs
Oh, and my midwives told me to get my bottom in water as much ad possible. Either a sitz bath or in the tub, but just plain water, no soap or anything. I did not do this nearly enough (again because I wouldn't ask for help) and I healed slowly because of it.
I wonder if a bath with just Epsom salts would be ok? I take a bath almost every night now with salts and just wash my body at the end just before getting out...
The hospital pads didn't do it for me. I used Depends instead. I also think they'd be great for after your water breaks.
A eye mask/sleeping mask for the hospital. There are all sorts of lights on that I couldn't have slept without one. Ear plugs too.
Freezer meals. Lots of them. And make a good chunk of them dairy free. I made so many with cheese and stuff that I couldn't eat after 4 weeks due to MSPI. They're still in the freezer.
It's not something to have, but hot baths. Every night for the first week or so if you can. DH made sure I got 30 min every night to myself and it was amazing.
I didn't think baths were really recommended until the bleeding stops some, except for sitz baths. Maybe I dreamed that?
I was going to say the same thing. I was told NOT to take a bath until the bleeding stops. As long as you are bleeding, you essentially have an open wound in your uterus, where the placenta came away. The possibility of bath water getting up there can put you at risk for an infection.
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I took a bath with both of my kids the day after giving birth, I ask my doctor and she said is fine. The hospital also give me a mild soap towels to clean, I just have to made sure I pat dry and use the witch hazel pads to avoid any infections.
I'm also team minimal. I think NOT having so much stuff around is helpful after having a baby, it kept me from feeling overwhelmed and out of my element. Besides the obvious place to sleep/something to eat/diapers and a carseat basics, things we used a ton were:
Prefolds as burp cloths, etc - we used these to wipe up spit up, under my leaking boobs, under her bum when we changed her, basically we had one or two with us at all times and they were very useful. Plus great for diapers as well. You really can't have too many prefolds.
Manual pump - I had a double electric but it was overkill for the early moments when I just needed a little relief from engorgement or to siphon off a bit of milk so my letdown wasn't gagging the baby. A manual pump was great for this. Also nice for working out a little clogged duct or if I just needed to pump one side or a little bit for one bottle, etc. It's way easier to clean and just less work. An electric pump is great if you're pumping daily or while you're at work, etc, but the manual is nice to have around as well.
Reuseable breast pads - loved these since I leaked nonstop.
NoseFrida snot sucker- good to have on hand, since you never know when you'll need it.
What I liked for me postpartum was the peri bottle, witch hazel, and pads (both reusable and disposable - just used what I had on hand). I used ice packs a bit the first day or two, but I didn't need them all that much. I didn't use any special underwear or sprays or creams or contraptions. Definitely nursing bras/tanks and comfy yoga pants/sweats/shirts. Don't be surprised by how much more laundry you have to do for yourself - I went through so many clothes from leaking breastmilk, spit up, blood, and all sorts of other messes, I often changed 3-4x a day.
A baby carrier of some sort is nice when you go out. We used a sling and the Ergo. Aidan & Anais blankets, especially the bamboo ones, are really nice for a variety of uses - throwing over in the car, nursing covers, laying down on the ground, etc. Any blanket will do but these were our favorites and worth the money IMO.
We did not use any swaddle blankets, white noise, breastfeeding pillows, swings, pacifiers, bouncers, etc. Never needed any of that or any of the 5 S's. I'd definitely wait and see what your baby is like and then make some decisions after that. I don't think there's much you'll miss having to start off with though.
The boppy us on my list to pick up next time I'm at the store. I haven't put the swing together yet because it is battery operated and I'm a little nervous about that. ($$$ down the drain in batteries, buy it was a handme down gift)
Re: Silly FTM advice needed
Anyway, I was too intimidated by the Moby to even try it but I have one IRL friend who only used the Moby. I could see having two being helpful though if one gets pee or poop all over it. Babywearing is so much more fun than I expected plus it will help keep germy people from touching baby too much during flu season (that's the nurse in me). I hope your fourth trimester will be wonderful and amazing!
ETA but just enjoy these last few weeks of pregnancy too
And I'll put in yet another plug for freezer meals! I want to with my first, but she surprised us 3.5 weeks early and I had only cooked/prepped for one day
Two weeks ago I filled the deep freezer! I LOVE knowing that I have about a months worth of dinner ready to go!
Me:34 Type 1 Diabetes, Ankylosing Spondylitis, Hypothyroid DH:35 Perfect
DX: Unexplained IF
Many IUI's with various meds all BFFN
IVF #1 11/11 canceled due to OHSS
IVF #2 Feb/March 2012 ET of 2 on day 3 4/7 BFP! 5/1 u/s blighted ovum
IVF #3 July 2012 ET of 3 on day 3 7/24 BFP!
Healthy baby girl born at 36w4d on 3/9/13
TTC#3
IVF #5 June 2018- PGS planned, no surviving embryos
IVF #6 August 2018- ET of 2 on day 3 - Chemical pregnancy
IVF #7 August 2019-....?
And I bought a bunch of nursing tanks used (6), 3 bras and a zillion sports bras.
Everyone pretty much has it covered, so ill just add - don't be afraid to he specific with people about what you need help wise. I was really bad about letting people help. I let them cook and clean a little but the one thing I never asked for was for people to take the baby so I could sleep. In hindsight I would have been feeding the baby and handed her off so I could nap instead of feeling like I had to be a host. I was way too timid in asking for what I needed, especially from my husband. I could have healed much faster if id let people help more. I would also worry way less about people seeing my boobs as I learned to breastfeed. Almost 13 months of nursing has made me care very little who sees my boobs
Oh, and my midwives told me to get my bottom in water as much ad possible. Either a sitz bath or in the tub, but just plain water, no soap or anything. I did not do this nearly enough (again because I wouldn't ask for help) and I healed slowly because of it.
#2 3/2015
#3 3/2017
#4 10/2019