3rd Trimester

Some baby item advice from FTM with 10 week old

I'm a clueless FTM taking care of a 10 week old son. Here's some (unsolicited) advice that I know I'd really like to have had before hand....

Breastfeeding is really really really hard and keeping up feeding a newborn every 2 hours, 24 hrs a day is next to impossible if you require more sleep than 30 min cat naps several times per day. Just something to take into consideration (and no, you're not a failure if you can't keep up).

Don't purchase newborn clothes. People will buy them for you anyway. Start with 3 month old and avoid garments that go over their head. At 3 am that cute onesie isn't when your baby screams as somethings going over their head. And they wiggle, a lot. Garments that wrap are awesome - and sleepers that zip. 

Also, don't stock up on breastfeeding or bottles/formula supplies. The hospital pushes breastfeeding, but the fact is most moms end up switching to formula by 6 months - and likely you'll go through several kinds of formula if you choose to switch before you find one that your baby likes.

sign up for as many samples as you can get. The formula companies were great and sent me more samples when I needed the hypoallergenic formula. Same with breast pads, newborn diapers, wipes. The trial sizes are perfect for when you start venturing out with baby.

Get the minimum you think you'll need and have gift cards ready for when you get home and realize that you need something very different than what everyone told you. You'll want to get out of the house anyway. 

The ge milk tea tastes nasty and if you find yourself consuming all kinds of weird food trying to increase your milk supply, it probably isn't going to happen. Prepare yourself for that outcome- it's rough if you have your heart set on EBF and for whatever reason that just doesn't happen. It's ok and formula fed babies sleep through the night better (one huge benefit about formula they don't tell you). In the end, be happy and buy products that make your life easier. Newborns are rough.
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Re: Some baby item advice from FTM with 10 week old

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  • see, this is why I was mislead. Partly it's this board. I'm not at all negative against breastfeeding, quite the opposite actually. But the reality is that you WILL have to feed every 2 hrs around the clock and that really isn't doable for quite a lot of people. You just don't find them posting the reality of the situation on these boards. Yes, everyone's experience is different, but saying that most women don't breastfeed past 6 months is actually a fact, not something I made up. Are there breastfeeding superstars? Yes, I know some. As for the onesies, yes, I know they go down over their shoulders, but they don't go on that way. And at 3 am struggling with a sleeping infant, it's just easier to avoid the head thing and get onesies that wrap. im posting just in case there are other moms out there who are all alone taking care of an infant by themselves may need some products that make life easier for them.
  • I'm a FTM and even I know about the existence of sleep-sacks and swaddles. Every registry building tool suggests them. Why bother doing a onesie AND a swaddle/sleep-sack. Babies can't regulate their heat well, and all those layers sounds like a quick way to overheat a newborn. 
  • Keep it up ladies, it only shows how horrible this board really is in terms of advice and that you should carefully choose your pediatrician carefully and reach out to an in-person mom group. Since doing this, I've gotten so much better information, including a very common theme of, "I never made it past xx (6 weeks to 3 month ranges) breastfeeding and no one tells you how much it hurts or when to give up when you just don't get/have way too much milk." I feel very sorry for other moms who fall victim to these posters who don't represent most moms/the real world. Take advice with a grain of salt and always do what's best for you.
  • Keep the flames coming. The private messages speak otherwise. Notice how I never said any of the things you ladies are saying I said, or implied. I merely said, don't buy a lot of newborn clothes and despite that you plan to breastfeed, be prepared for the alternative. And yes, there are many moms who aren't as fortunate as the few of you to have it all - be sensitive to others who may have a different experience or opinion. The PMs to me speak volumes, some of these women feel you are bullying people (myself included). I merely said, don't go and spend a bunch of money on supplies and stuff until you really need them, including formula, (some women think they need it on hand just in case). Sign up for samples, try stuff out and yes, breastfeeding may not work out for you. I hope that all the attention on this board gets the information out, despite "how I said it". And notice how I never said any of those things some of you came out and said I was implying. Go ahead and think what you'd like but unless I said those words, coming to a conclusion about what you think I said is just silly and very immature. As always, do what is best for your family and breastfeeding is absolutely no picnic in the park and expect to be completely clueless and have to figure things out for yourself, because "everyone's different". Oh, and expect the homeless woman in the park to single you out and chastise you for bottle feeding because..... That's why she's homeless. You know, if we were men, this post wouldve
     gone so much different (and better).
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