S'17 Tips, Tricks & Thoughts

[watermelonseed]

Can't believe September 2017 is posted!

S '16 share for S '17!

[LadyNymeria]

Congratulations S'17ers!!!


Because I'm dealing with this now:

If you're going back to work after leave, be sure to verify with HR who you need to contact with your official return to work date. There may be more than one person you need to contact (for example, both a HR contact as well as someone at the company that manages LOAs on your employer's behalf).

[caz1221]

Congrats to all the S17'ers!!!! Are there any specific questions we can answer or topics we can address? I have an Aug 13 DD in addition to my S16 DS (who decided to arrive 10 days late & so is technically an O16 baby by a margin of 6 hours).

[watermelonseed]

Congrats S'17!!

Don't be afraid to go into "survival mode" during first tri and the newborn stage. Everything is temporary and it will end! So enjoy those cuddles and know the first tri sickness does get better.

Don't wait! My S'16 baby came 6 weeks early (and was very healthy luckily). But I am so glad I finished the nursery way ahead and had baby showers in advance.

[singingsea]

Congratulations S17!

My advice. Buy a swing and get a decent one. Both my of children would only sleep in the swing in the beginning and both had bouts of colic that could only be soothed with said swing.

Also pregnancy pillow. Get one. Those things are awesome.

Once the baby is born don't be afraid to tell people no. Whether that's to visitors or other commitments. Don't stretch yourself too thin and ask for help if you need it.

[caz1221]

Jan 4, 2017 9:56:29 GMT -5 singingsea said:

Congratulations S17!

My advice. Buy a swing and get a decent one. Both my of children would only sleep in the swing in the beginning and both had bouts of colic that could only be soothed with said swing.

Also pregnancy pillow. Get one. Those things are awesome.

Once the baby is born don't be afraid to tell people no. Whether that's to visitors or other commitments. Don't stretch yourself too thin and ask for help if you need it.

Perhaps the biggest thing I've learned is that every baby is different, so just try stuff & see what works! Neither of my babies have liked the swing, so I regret buying a $200 swing before DD was born. I plan to sell it soon since it's barely used. If I had it that do over, I would have borrowed one from a friend to test out before investing. If you can do that, go for it!

[pismoduo]

Do not be afraid to ask for help. If you need to, put the baby down and walk away for a few minutes. It won't hurt him/her to cry for a bit if you need a breather. No one's going to expect your house to be spotless, either. A little mess won't hurt anyone, don't feel bad if things don't get done.

Don't beat yourself up if breastfeeding isn't easy. All that matters is that your baby is fed, it doesn't matter how that happens.

Burlington Coat Factory is a fantastic place to get clothes. Sometimes you can get 3 or 4 packs of onesies for as low as $10. Amazon is an amazing source for diapers (sometimes as low as $0.18/diaper...)

Don't let judgy people bother you if you choose to take the baby out and about early on.

Look and see if there's a local consignment group for your area on Facebook. I bought a bouncer barely used for $10 on one of these groups.

[pismoduo]

Jan 4, 2017 10:42:24 GMT -5 caz1221 said:

Jan 4, 2017 9:56:29 GMT -5 singingsea said:

Congratulations S17!

My advice. Buy a swing and get a decent one. Both my of children would only sleep in the swing in the beginning and both had bouts of colic that could only be soothed with said swing.

Also pregnancy pillow. Get one. Those things are awesome.

Once the baby is born don't be afraid to tell people no. Whether that's to visitors or other commitments. Don't stretch yourself too thin and ask for help if you need it.

Perhaps the biggest thing I've learned is that every baby is different, so just try stuff & see what works! Neither of my babies have liked the swing, so I regret buying a $200 swing before DD was born. I plan to sell it soon since it's barely used. If I had it that do over, I would have borrowed one from a friend to test out before investing. If you can do that, go for it!

Along the same lines, periodically re-try something that didn't work before. K hated the swing for the first 2 months, then randomly at the 2 month mark it became her favorite thing. She used to love the vibration in her bouncer, now she couldn't care less.
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[hurricanerek]

Congratulations S17!
Whether you are a ftm or a stm+, this is so exciting and September babies are so fun!

Pregnancy related advice: morning sickness was worse for me the second time around. If you aren't sick yet, yay! Make some freezer meals now so when you can't look at food, your SO can just throw something in the oven for him/herself and the rest of your family.

A lot of doctors aren't prescribing zofran anymore and are instead prescribing diclegis. My insurance company wouldn't cover diclegis because it's a newer drug. Diclegis is the same thing as buying vitamin B6 and unisom (doxylamine). Check with your doc about dosage but that was way cheaper than shelling out $$$ for the same drug with a fancy name. Boy, did it work like a charm for me!

If you're a STM+, yes you're probably showing already. The bloat was ridiculous for me the second time around. There was definite bump by 8 weeks and I was huge and swollen for most of this pregnancy. Get your witty remarks ready because you will be told you are fat so many times this pregnancy, it's not even funny. You are BEAUTIFUL! You are creating life! You are amazing! No one else should tell you any differently.

I have an Aug14 daughter as well as an S16 daughter. I am currently tandem nursing them. When I first got pregnant, I was dead set against tandem nursing but it's a long 9 months and things changed. If you have questions about nursing through pregnancy or want my take on weaning or tandem, I'm happy to offer that too. Just tag me, because I don't get on TCF as often as I'd like anymore.

[Deleted]

Congratulations S17!!

For STMs, learn to babywear! It seriously makes life a little easier while you're trying to toddler wrangle and care for a newborn.

Don't be afraid to ask for help. You can't do it all and sleep deprivation is nobody's friend.

Don't beat yourself up or make yourself suffer if breastfeeding isn't going well, isn't successful or has to end earlier than you want. It is incredibly difficult and at the end of the day, your baby just wants to be fed. Breastfeeding is not the end all or be all. And it isn't an all or nothing situation. Do what works for you and your family. Your feeding method does not define you as a woman.

You literally need diapers, a place for baby to sleep, a couple of sleepers and a car seat at the very beginning. Everything else is gravy.

[LadyNymeria]

Jan 6, 2017 8:37:29 GMT -5 @snuff9861 said:

You literally need diapers, a place for baby to sleep, a couple of sleepers and a car seat at the very beginning. Everything else is gravy.

To add to this, unless you are positive you are going to need something, it doesn't hurt to wait and see.

I bought 4oz bottles as well as 9oz bottles because I knew nothing about how many oz at a time a baby would eat and the boxes were labeled 0-3m for the 4oz bottles and 3+m for the 9oz bottles.

Well, my LO is almost 4 months and I'm leaving a bunch of 3-4oz bottles for him to eat while I'm at work. I am most likely not going to need the 9oz bottles that I already opened, sterilized, and stored in my kitchen (aka can't return or exchange). I should have started with the 4oz bottles only and only bought the bigger ones if I realized I needed them later. Instead I'm now having to buy more small bottles while the big ones just sit there.

[RajahMD]

*lurking from S'17*

This is so sweet ladies! Do you mind if I share the link to this thread over on S'17? That way even the people who aren't creepy lurkers like me can find it. I wouldn't want anyone to miss out on this great advice!

[LadyNymeria]

Jan 7, 2017 13:39:28 GMT -5 RajahMD said:

*lurking from S'17*

This is so sweet ladies! Do you mind if I share the link to this thread over on S'17? That way even the people who aren't creepy lurkers like me can find it. I wouldn't want anyone to miss out on this great advice!

That was the plan! I think we were trying to get some more in here then we were going to post it in a congratulations thread on S'17!

[mc13]

If you have even the tiniest feeling that there is more than 1 baby in there, ask for an earlier ultrasound...don't wait until 20 weeks. Lol

All babies are so so different. Just because you had a tough baby or an easy baby the first time around, doesn't mean you'll get the same the second time around.

Same with breastfeeding...if it didn't work with your first baby, it still might just come easier the second time around. I didn't make it out the first month nursing my oldest and I'm now 4.5 Month into exclusively breastfeeding my twins!

[hurricanerek]

Jan 8, 2017 5:25:56 GMT -5 mc13 said:

If you have even the tiniest feeling that there is more than 1 baby in there, ask for an earlier ultrasound...don't wait until 20 weeks. Lol [\quote]

Lol. I'll never forget that announcement!

[LadyNymeria]

Post-partum hair loss is a real thing. At almost 4 month PP I still seem to be in the peak of it. Looking at the shower drain or hair brush may be scary, but after some significant hair loss the last month or so, I still have a head full of hair. You will not go bald!

[rufus426]

Freezer meals - make them. It is a pain when you are 7-8 months pregnant to cook all day but it is worth it.

The idea of a first baby can be super overwhelming but it will be OK. You will get through sleepless nights, growth spurts, and general crabbiness.

Breastfeeding is not easy at first, but it can get easier if you stick with it. My nipples hurt so bad until 6 weeks but now at almost 4 months I can't even feel her nursing.

Everyone will try to give you advice now. It is annoying. Just smile and nod and do whatever you want. It's your child, raise them how you want.

[pismoduo]

Jan 10, 2017 17:57:40 GMT -5 LadyNymeria said:

Post-partum hair loss is a real thing. At almost 4 month PP I still seem to be in the peak of it. Looking at the shower drain or hair brush may be scary, but after some significant hair loss the last month or so, I still have a head full of hair. You will not go bald!

OMG yes. I thought I'd escaped the worst of it, but then between 3 and 4 months PP it was like crazy shedding. I can't even run my fingers through my hair without getting a handful of it. And it conveniently came right around the time that K started grabbing and pulling hair.
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[singingsea]

+1 on the postpartum hair loss. Seems to get worse once you stop nursing too.

Buy a couple different bottles before you commit to one brand. My baby ended up hating Nuk bottles and now I'm stuck with a bunch.

Buy a gallon tub of vasoline lol. I use it for a million different things baby related.

Don't register for too many receiving blankets. People will buy you a ton of blankets.

[caz1221]

+whatever to making freezer meals. I have a huge list of crockpot recipes & casserole recipes if anyone is interested.

The first few months are just about survival. Even the second time around, I found myself stressing about routine/sleep habits early on when I just needed to embrace the "do whatever we works" mindset. Now at 3.5 months in, we've naturally fallen into a routine.

[cassey910]

Congrats S17!! I wish you all the best of luck and a happy and healthy 9 months!
Even though at times pregnancy seems like it will last forever but it doesn't and soon you will be holding your beautiful baby and all those tough moments during pregnancy you will remember no more.
Live in the moment even when they are hard. Cuddle those babies as much as possible. Our babies are already 4-5 months old and it has flown by. I already miss my newborn but I'm loving all the smiles and laughs.
Your hormones will eventually go back to normal.

[NJgirl84]

I would love to say enjoy your pregnancy, but I hated being pregnant both times (and I had fairly easy pregnancies). So don't feel bad if you aren't loving being pregnant. It can suck, but the end result is worth it. That's why I did it twice!

Hormones are crazy, you may feel crazy you may not. With my first I think I teetered on PPD, but wasn't as bad with my second.

Which brings me to the next point, if this is your second it may be completely different. My boys are polar opposites when it comes to so much.

And lastly, ask for help. Let people help you if offered. And get some new family alone time to bond!

[annapunkalunka]

Congratulations, S17!!

Try not to worry about a schedule. Your baby will naturally fall into his/her own routines. It takes a while, so don't worry!

Don't worry about milestones. I drove myself crazy with my first obsessing over what she should be doing at what age. Every baby is SO SO different. They all do things in their own time.

Try not to compare you/your baby to others. Like I said, every baby is SO different. You'll save yourself a lot of stress/envy if you accept that your kid won't be the first/last to do everything.

Try and enjoy the little nb snuggles. That short moment in time is just that. Short. The days will drag but those weeks and months fly by and before you know it you'll have a 2 year old you want to sell to the neighbors. Enjoy that little cuddly babe.

Don't worry about the dishes and cleanliness of your house. Take time for yourself... even if it's just a shower. It's so important to make sure you're taking a few moments every day for yourself.

You'll all be great moms! Don't let anyone/thing make you think differently. Try and enjoy these next 6 months of your pregnancy (nearly impossible, I know)... but your little ones will be here before you know it!

[theotherjacobsons]

Breastfeeding is painful in the beginning, but if you can power through, it shouldn't hurt after a couple of weeks. My experience with lactation consultants at the hospital wasn't great, but I hired a lactation doula (yes! They exist) to come to my house for 2 hours and it was so helpful. I can honestly say that I would not have been able to breastfeed my first without her help.

Get a couple Milkies. They are silicone inserts that you put on your breasts to catch milk while you are nursing. You will have let down on both sides and you can catch up to 2 ounces that would otherwise leak all over you.

If you plan to pump and want to build a stash start adding a session early on. In the beginning you will "make all the milk", so it'll be easier for you to pump an extra session than if you wait till your supply levels out. You can store that milk for up to 6 months in the freezer.

Massage or apply pressure to your breasts when you pump. You'll get more milk. Check out this video/article. med.stanford.edu/newborns/professional-education/breastfeeding/maximizing-milk-production.html

You will have abdominal pain when you nurse. Oxytocin helps to contract your uterus. You may not notice this if it is your first baby, but if this is your second, it is WAY worse. Get some after pain tincture. Take it every time you nurse or as you have pain. It will help. Trust me.
herblore.com/products/after-pain-relief-tincture

I had a home birth with a midwife. If you have any questions for me regarding that, let me know.

My toddler had a sleep regression. If this happens to you don't worry, it's not necessary going to last. This too will pass.

You cannot spoil a newborn. Hold that baby whenever and for however long you want.

You can go out with a newborn. It's way easier than going out with a toddler, trust me. They sleep sooooo much.

Watch Happiest Baby on the Block. This helped when I had absolutely no idea how to calm my newborn. It gave me hope.

Vitamin D supplementation. If you EBF or EP, you can take 6000 iu / day of vitamin D and supplement your baby through your breast milk. Let me know if you want the studies I sent to my kid's pediatrician so you can discuss with yours if you want. My pedi thought it was compelling and now recommends this as an alternative to oral supplementing the baby.

I could go on all day... So I am cutting myself off.

Good luck with everything!

[lovetruly2015]

Jan 4, 2017 9:06:53 GMT -5 watermelonseed said:

Congrats S'17!!

Don't be afraid to go into "survival mode" during first tri and the newborn stage. Everything is temporary and it will end! So enjoy those cuddles and know the first tri sickness does get better.

Don't wait! My S'16 baby came 6 weeks early (and was very healthy luckily). But I am so glad I finished the nursery way ahead and had baby showers in advance.

This. So much this.