And STMs have their favorite stroller and car seat recommendations? I want to splurge on the Uppababy stroller and get a Nuna-car seat but are they worth it? Are there other great options? I’m very tall, nearly 6 feet, so the stroller will have to have a telescoping handlebar so I can adjust the height.
If you are going to get the uppababy stroller then I would very strongly recommend getting the uppababy car seat too! I have both and it’s sooo convenient to just be able to easier click the car seat in and out. I will say though, I am 5’8” and I wish the uppababy handle bar extended farther than it does. If you have a store where you can try them in person, I would recommend doing that.
I’m wondering about lactation consultants. I feel like it would be worth it to hire one, even just for peace of mind, but where do you find one? How much can you expect to pay? Is it ever covered by insurance? I’d love someone who would follow up in-home in the first few weeks following birth, instead of just consulting in the hospital. Is this a thing?! TIA!
My hospital system has a “baby and me” center where they have lactation consultants on site you can make appointments with and it’s totally free and they will help with breastfeeding. I went multiple times after giving birth to my last baby and I would do feedings there in the office so they could help with any issues I was having. They also taught me how to use my breast pump and fit me for my flanges. It’s worth asking if your doctor or hospital has something like this! There are also sometimes LC’s at your pediatricians office.
Later when I had a problem, I hired a private LC that came to my house. I think it was like $200 or $250 for a session and it was helpful as well! So you have lots of options.
You may not even need help though! So i would recommend checking out your options but not booking anything until after baby arrives.
Also, you may benefit from a postpartum doula in the weeks following your birth if you’re looking for a recurring check in kind of thing.
@theblondebump Thank you! This is all super helpful. And you’re right, I’ve been strongly considering a postpartum doula as well. I’m not completely sold on having a doula there for the birth, but I think after would be great!
@lucyg00cy I loveeeeeee my Uppababy Vista! We have the extenders for the seat and it is at such a nice height - you don't have to bend down to put the kid in the seat. In Australia you can get adapters for joie and britax capsules as well
@knottieb032d282c0c81b61 - have a read of the **read first** thread, it'll tell you how to change your username so it's easier for us to tag you. I have no advice regarding lactation consultants in the US, but whatever you do make sure they are an IBCLC - this is an international board certified lactation consultant and the accreditation can only be used by those who have sat the board certified exam. To sit the exam you have to complete 1000hrs of mum to mum consultation and do a certain number of PD hours every year, then re-sit the exam at regular intervals as well to maintain your accreditation, this ensures that you are receiving up to date, evidence based advice. Someone that calls themselves an LC or LN without the IBCLC accreditation usually will not have any formal, certified education on breastfeeding and could be offering outdated advice. In Australia we have the Australian Breastfeeding Association that run breastfeeding education classes. You might like to see if there is a similar organisation in the US that offers similar services. I am also going to suggest it to our committee to open up our breastfeeding education classes worldwide as they are now run online. If this gets off the ground then I will be sure to let everybody know.
@ knottie person I met with the hospital LC and knew pretty much all she had to tell me from reading Ina May's guide to breastfeeding. In the hospital she didn't come see me until day 2 when my daughter lost too much weight and she wanted me to supplement formula. I refused and showed her I could pump enough so I could supplement with my own milk. The one thing she didn't teach me that I make sure every one of my friends know, a sleeping newborn still needs to be fed. My daughter slept too much and wasn't crying so I figured I had the perfect baby. Turns out she was sleeping too conserve energy because she wasn't eating enough.
For my second at a different hospital, I asked for the LC just to get the pump so I could pump after feedings to keep my supply up, and to occupy myself because it was covid, my husband went home to be with our first, and I was alone in a room for 2 days with my newborn and bored out of my mind. The LC came in and visited and kept me company it was pleasant.
If anybody is interested in doing the online breastfeeding education class run by the Australian Breastfeeding Association I’ve just discovered that it is possible!
https://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/breastfeeding-education-classes it’s $125 AUD and during March they are run at 3pm Sydney time on Saturday afternoons which I worked out to be between 8pm & 11pm on Friday night depending on where you are in the US. They also do a Wednesday 7pm Sydney time but the time difference makes it a bit awkward.
For an extra $10 you can get a 1 year membership that includes frequent breastfeeding information emailed to you, a copy of “breastfeeding naturally” posted to you as well as the ability to do email counselling if you’re not able to see an IBCLC locally.
Definitely not pushing but wanted to share the info for those that are interested ☺️
I'm trying to decide when to pull the trigger on buying baby stuff, setting up a nursery, etc. Do I wait for the second trimester to start? How long does it realistically take to make it all happen? I don't want to jump the gun, but I don't want to feel like I waited too long if baby comes early or things take longer than expected. I would love to hear how others have handled this - especially with your first, as I'm guessing it may be easier to prep for a second if you already have some baby things stashed away!
First time mom-to-be, due 9/25/22
Some complicated chromosomal stuff going on - our fingers are crossed, but this may not go according to plan!
@lilienne I think there’s plenty of time, but also with Covid, Shipping times can be super long for things like nursery furniture, depending on where you’re ordering from. I imagine the same would be for some other bigger items. I think it’s nice to space things out a bit, just so you’re not spending a ton of money all at once, so I did sporadic shopping throughout my first pregnancy. If you are planning on having a shower or have friends/family that may want to give you gifts, def wait until that happens, if you can!
@lilienne I'd say you have plenty of time! It's fun to buy stuff but I would probably wait until close to the 3rd trimester to set up big stuff. If baby comes early they'll be in the NICU for a while. Also, other than clothes and diapers, you don't *need* a whole lot to bring home a baby. We borrowed a bedside bassinet from a friend and picked that up when I was maybe 35 or 36 weeks. It was a bit sooner I set up the crib and dresser turned changing table but thats because we took a road trip to ikea and we don't have much storage space so just set everything up when we got home. That was around 30 weeks. What might be fun now is to create a registry and do all your research about the items you're buying. Like for a baby carrier, Happy Baby Carriers are the absolute best!!! They're simple, stylish, supportive and so so comfortable. Im telling you this because I bought an ergobaby first and wished I would have found happy baby sooner.
So with my first I think I bought the first thing around 20 weeks because the infant seat and stroller I wanted were on clearance for being the end of the year. I had my first baby shower at 28 weeks but just put everything in piles in what would be their room. My mom bought us a crib sometime after that and I think I cried and yelled at my husband that it needed to be built around 32 weeks (when we moved the next year when she was 1 and she never slept in it, he told me I could unbuild it, reminding me how crazy I went that it needed to be built, we're also terrible at building furniture together as I'm a direction follower and he's a we don't need directions guy)
We had another shower at 36 weeks. Sometime after that I got everything ready and put in places. Washed all the newborn clothes and blankets and diapers. Had a scheduled c-section at 39 weeks.
With my second we were preparing to move so everything except for newborn clothes was packed. We moved when she was 6 days old. We didn't set anything up because the following week, after her 2 week appointment we went to our home in ny for the summer. There I brought the bigger clothes and baby carrying things. But we have a crib set up in that house that we haven't taken down since our first was a baby, and really my kids don't sleep in cribs, my second was big enough for one size diapers that her sister was already wearing so we didn't use the newborn diapers for more than a week. My poor second baby didn't get anything special.
@lilienne I grabbed the big things as they went on sale. I knew how silly it was to buy the crib at 12 weeks, BUT I wanted to grab the one I wanted, on sale, and make sure all of the pieces were intact. We didn't put it together until about 25 weeks, but we had it and that made me comfortable. For us, it was important that baby napped in her crib from day 1.
For everything else (minus the rocker and car seat), the big things were gifted to us, so we dealt with those as they came. I'm someone who would rather have things in place and ready to go so I'm not scrambling down the line. But everyone is different!
Ultimately, do what makes you feel the most comfortable and at ease, but protect your heart by saving receipts. If you want your nursery ready before 20 weeks, have at it! If it's not important that everything be in place until the 4th trimester, that's okay too. You do you.
@lilienneI bought all my big stuff (pram, car seat, cot & change table) around 28 weeks, mostly because the big baby store had a massive sale on, but didn't set it up until like 37 weeks because we still had clear & paint the room. We then waited for small stuff until after my baby shower because I knew I would get heaps of stuff.
Prior to giving birth I was adamant that my DD would be sleeping in her own room from birth but once she was here I realised I didn't want to spend a second away from her so I bought a bassinet off marketplace while I was in hospital & picked it up on the way home 🤣
We also just picked things up along the way after she was born, like swaddles & other random things you need that you don't think of.
Thank you all, this is super helpful! I'm really grateful to be a part of this community. I think I'm going to move early on some of the critical stuff (bassinet, car seat, changing table, etc.) just because it will make me feel more prepared. You're absolutely right that we'll have folks who want to give gifts and/or hand off stored baby stuff, so I can probably save myself some money and stress by waiting on the smaller stuff. The room that will be the nursery is currently an office/guest room, so I'll focus on moving things out of that room first, and that way I'll have somewhere to put things as they start to come in!
First time mom-to-be, due 9/25/22
Some complicated chromosomal stuff going on - our fingers are crossed, but this may not go according to plan!
@lilienne Thanks for bringing that up! I've been sort of stressing about when to get stuff, too. We're starting over from scratch - been 8 years since we've had a baby in the house. Most of our stuff was handed down or given away to friends and family. They're more than willing to pass some things back that have survived multiple babies but I think the safety things we'll purchase new (car seat, pack n play, bathtub, rocker, etc.). I don't know that we'll do a "real" crib since the older boys occupy our other two bedrooms and we don't have a spare. Our master bedroom is large enough to have either a pack n play full time or a mini-crib and rocker in a sort of nursery "nook." Plus, if this one is anything like my last infant, they'll want to feed on demand throughout the night so it will be easier to just pull them into bed or rocker for the late night feedings.
We waited with our first on most of the big stuff, but I think we went early with the car seat. I think we’ll be doing the same again just bc Target usually does their car seat trade in in the spring and we need a new one and I want to take advantage of the discount.
@trapperkeeper87 Good to know bc I actually have 2 seats I can get rid of. Might save the second in case I forget anything closer to September. Which lets be honest, I’ll definitely forget something. 😂
Re: Ask a STM+ thread
TIA!
@knottieb032d282c0c81b61 - have a read of the **read first** thread, it'll tell you how to change your username so it's easier for us to tag you. I have no advice regarding lactation consultants in the US, but whatever you do make sure they are an IBCLC - this is an international board certified lactation consultant and the accreditation can only be used by those who have sat the board certified exam. To sit the exam you have to complete 1000hrs of mum to mum consultation and do a certain number of PD hours every year, then re-sit the exam at regular intervals as well to maintain your accreditation, this ensures that you are receiving up to date, evidence based advice. Someone that calls themselves an LC or LN without the IBCLC accreditation usually will not have any formal, certified education on breastfeeding and could be offering outdated advice. In Australia we have the Australian Breastfeeding Association that run breastfeeding education classes. You might like to see if there is a similar organisation in the US that offers similar services. I am also going to suggest it to our committee to open up our breastfeeding education classes worldwide as they are now run online. If this gets off the ground then I will be sure to let everybody know.
For my second at a different hospital, I asked for the LC just to get the pump so I could pump after feedings to keep my supply up, and to occupy myself because it was covid, my husband went home to be with our first, and I was alone in a room for 2 days with my newborn and bored out of my mind. The LC came in and visited and kept me company it was pleasant.
https://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/breastfeeding-education-classes it’s $125 AUD and during March they are run at 3pm Sydney time on Saturday afternoons which I worked out to be between 8pm & 11pm on Friday night depending on where you are in the US. They also do a Wednesday 7pm Sydney time but the time difference makes it a bit awkward.
For an extra $10 you can get a 1 year membership that includes frequent breastfeeding information emailed to you, a copy of “breastfeeding naturally” posted to you as well as the ability to do email counselling if you’re not able to see an IBCLC locally.
Definitely not pushing but wanted to share the info for those that are interested ☺️
Some complicated chromosomal stuff going on - our fingers are crossed, but this may not go according to plan!
We had another shower at 36 weeks. Sometime after that I got everything ready and put in places. Washed all the newborn clothes and blankets and diapers. Had a scheduled c-section at 39 weeks.
With my second we were preparing to move so everything except for newborn clothes was packed. We moved when she was 6 days old. We didn't set anything up because the following week, after her 2 week appointment we went to our home in ny for the summer. There I brought the bigger clothes and baby carrying things. But we have a crib set up in that house that we haven't taken down since our first was a baby, and really my kids don't sleep in cribs, my second was big enough for one size diapers that her sister was already wearing so we didn't use the newborn diapers for more than a week. My poor second baby didn't get anything special.
For everything else (minus the rocker and car seat), the big things were gifted to us, so we dealt with those as they came. I'm someone who would rather have things in place and ready to go so I'm not scrambling down the line. But everyone is different!
Ultimately, do what makes you feel the most comfortable and at ease, but protect your heart by saving receipts. If you want your nursery ready before 20 weeks, have at it! If it's not important that everything be in place until the 4th trimester, that's okay too. You do you.
Prior to giving birth I was adamant that my DD would be sleeping in her own room from birth but once she was here I realised I didn't want to spend a second away from her so I bought a bassinet off marketplace while I was in hospital & picked it up on the way home 🤣
We also just picked things up along the way after she was born, like swaddles & other random things you need that you don't think of.
Some complicated chromosomal stuff going on - our fingers are crossed, but this may not go according to plan!
Thanks for bringing that up! I've been sort of stressing about when to get stuff, too. We're starting over from scratch - been 8 years since we've had a baby in the house. Most of our stuff was handed down or given away to friends and family. They're more than willing to pass some things back that have survived multiple babies but I think the safety things we'll purchase new (car seat, pack n play, bathtub, rocker, etc.). I don't know that we'll do a "real" crib since the older boys occupy our other two bedrooms and we don't have a spare. Our master bedroom is large enough to have either a pack n play full time or a mini-crib and rocker in a sort of nursery "nook." Plus, if this one is anything like my last infant, they'll want to feed on demand throughout the night so it will be easier to just pull them into bed or rocker for the late night feedings.