Useful Pregnancy Tips

jlc8efa · February 2015

It seems that everyone wants to give advice on everything pregnancy/baby related. As a first time mom, I have no idea what will actually be useful but some things seem more logical then others. Here are some tips that I plan on taking advantage of:

1) Get small denomination gift cards for the L&D staff (that way if you want to say thank-you you have something ready to go in your hospital bag. I can't imagine having my water break and deciding I need to bake some cookies for the hospital staff).

2) Get some cash (in small bills) and set up a delivery envelope for after you deliver. That way you have all of the menus and money in one easy to access place (cash is best because that way you can have a visitor place the order/answer the door)

3) Make a list of things people can do when they come to visit and ask "what can I do to help." I don't really need you to hold baby but it would be helpful if you throw in a load of laundry, take something out of the freezer to defrost for dinner or run the dishwasher. My sister said this was an especially helpful tool when all of the parents came to visit.

What gems have you ladies heard?

Alyllyra · February 2015

smeame14 said:

jlc8efa said:
It seems that everyone wants to give advice on everything pregnancy/baby related. As a first time mom, I have no idea what will actually be useful but some things seem more logical then others. Here are some tips that I plan on taking advantage of:

1) Get small denomination gift cards for the L&D staff (that way if you want to say thank-you you have something ready to go in your hospital bag. I can't imagine having my water break and deciding I need to bake some cookies for the hospital staff).e>

-----

this is not allowed in most hospitals. You can bring something to the desk area in L and D (ie batch of cookies, fruit basket, etc), but nurses/staff are not allowed to take individual gifts. This is policy at all three of the hospitals in my town.
---stuck in box---
Yeah, I was just going to ask, is this normal/expected? I don't live in the US so I'm curious.
I've never heard of anyone here bringing something for the delivery staff. Honestly, I expect them to do their job just as they would expect me to do mine if they came to my office. Of course I'll be grateful for what they're doing but I don't feel the need to bring money and/or cookies.

KonaCoffeeBean · February 2015

smeame14 said:

It seems that everyone wants to give advice on everything pregnancy/baby related. As a first time mom, I have no idea what will actually be useful but some things seem more logical then others. Here are some tips that I plan on taking advantage of:

1) Get small denomination gift cards for the L&D staff (that way if you want to say thank-you you have something ready to go in your hospital bag. I can't imagine having my water break and deciding I need to bake some cookies for the hospital staff).e> ----- this is not allowed in most hospitals. You can bring something to the desk area in L and D (ie batch of cookies, fruit basket, etc), but nurses/staff are not allowed to take individual gifts. This is policy at all three of the hospitals in my town.

I'm glad to hear that hospitals have a policy against this. I have enormous gratitude for the medical staff there to help me, but gift giving seems very inappropriate.

Unknown · February 2015

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Amstreagle · February 2015

Ew. I would be so irritated if I went to a friends house to meet the baby and they asked me to do their housework.
How about you let your friend/family hold your baby like they actually planned while you take a shower or eat.
Save the money from your take out delivery idea and pay a housekeeper to come a couple days for the first week or two.

Ace226 · February 2015

Gift cards for delivery staff? Eff that, I'm broke enough already prepping for baby. They can just get paid to do their jobs.

Ace226 · February 2015

BubblesMartin said:

Ace226 said:

Gift cards for delivery staff? Eff that, I'm broke enough already prepping for baby. They can just get paid to do their jobs.

Um, while I don't agree with giftcards for hospital staff, if prepping for your baby is making you broke, you have bigger issues.

You're right, thank you, I'm going to be a terrible mom and I guess I should just sell the baby.
Broke is figurative, but thank you for the concern.
Eta: I was also kind of making a joke, just, FYI. And to clarify the "selling the baby" thing was also a joke.

Unknown · February 2015

This content has been removed.

allrightmeow · February 2015

BubblesMartin said:

DeerHunterBride said:

Ace226 said:

Gift cards for delivery staff? Eff that, I'm broke enough already prepping for baby. They can just get paid to do their jobs.

Um, while I don't agree with giftcards for hospital staff, if prepping for your baby is making you broke, you have bigger issues.
Really? Just no. Dropping almost 1.5k at once after our first was born made us pretty broke for a few weeks too. How dare we not foresee having a preemie and not having the time we thought we had to save up and space out purchases. FFS, your high horse is going to trample you when you finally fall off it.

$1500 drained your savings account? Sorrynotsorry, that's freaking frightening. What happens if your car needs a major repair, or you need a new oil burner or you/YH lose a job?

If having a high horse means that I think a couple should have some fiscal solvency, meaning some savings and retirement, before having an LO, I guess I'll stay up here on my horse.

Yeah, the nerve of poor people! How dear they have kids! Im gonna go give my mother a stern talking to for she and my dad not having any of those things when they brought me into the world. I like you Bubbles but that comment gave me the ewws. In a perfect world we'd all have nice padded nest eggs, 401ks, Roth IRAs and white picket fences. That is just not the reality for some people. It doesn't stop them from being kick ass parents though. My siblings and I didn't have tons of stuff but we were happy kids, happier than some of my friends who had all the things.

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