Lessons I've Learned

[stampingqueen]

I learned a few important things today.

1. It sounds like a good idea to keep a packed diaper bag in the car. And it is. Just not in the winter. When the wet wipes can freeze. Yup. That happened. And of course it happened when she had a complete diaper blowout and I had to change her diaper AND her outfit. There were no paper towels or anything to be found so.... I had to make due with the frozen wipes I had.
2. If you think you might need 1 change of clothes, it's better to bring 3 or 4 (I have a baby who spits up a LOT). Especially when they're little and clothes don't take up a lot of room. I wish I had more outfits with me today (we had 2 diaper blowouts while we were out).
3. Always help a mom in need if you can. When I went to change Loralai in the mother's room at Nordstrom, there was a lady there changing her son. I asked if I could have some wipes because mine were a frozen solid black. Luckily, she helped me out so I didn't have to use icicle wipes to clean the 2nd dirty diaper... Thanks random lady!


What lessons have you learned the hard way? Any funny/terrifying stories to share?

[mcm]

My biggest lesson -- If you don't want to be peed on during a diaper change, you should probably put a wipe... or SOMETHING... over your little boy's peen.

I'll never learn though.

[FCtwinmom]

I have learned to always give myself double the time I think I will need to get out of the house. Getting twins out the door is no joke. I have however also learned (as I went back to work this week) that I need extra time to get just myself out the door as well.

[raechay]

if there is something wrong with baby it is probably my fault.

[malmomma]

My LO HATES being cold. So before a bath, I prepare his rnp with two towels covering it, a normal one and an infant one (he he sensitive skin, the infant towels are usually much softer). I bring the rnp in the bathroom with me so as soon as I finish his bath, I can immediately put him in a towel cocoon and he won't scream. Bonus points from LO for remembering to put a hair dryer on medium on the towels to warm them up even more.

[mlee116]

Always double check that the bottle cap is screwed on tightly before you put the bottle in the diaper bag. Losing several ounces of pumped breast milk plus having all the contents of your diaper bag drenched in said breast milk while out & about sucks ass.

Keep a spare set of pump parts at work. Milking yourself in your office because you forgot something also sucks ass.

[colliebabe]

In addition to extra outfits for baby, it's not a bad idea to throw an extra shirt in the diaper bag for yourself.

[amyface813]

I can trick my little one into calming down by setting him down, leaving the room, then coming back. He usually is relieved to see me and will calm down enough that he will latch on or maybe fall asleep.

[kboyet]

A space heater in the bathroom turned on 10 minutes before bath time has made for no crying baths.

And ditto to the time it takes to get out of the house- over compensate. I'm terrified of the going back to work routine!

[irish14]

Feb 3, 2015 22:48:27 GMT -5 kboyet said:

A space heater in the bathroom turned on 10 minutes before bath time has made for no crying baths.

And ditto to the time it takes to get out of the house- over compensate. I'm terrified of the going back to work routine!

We don't have a space heater, so I just run the shower on really hot for a couple of minutes. Does the trick. Sorry, environment. (We pay a flat fee water bill.)

[birch113]

Dip a wash cloth in the bath and drape over LOs tummy to keep him warm in the bath. Keep rewetting so it and he don't get cold.

Keep plastic bags in the diaper bag for messy wardrobe changes.

The dishwasher caddy for bottle parts also works well on the dish dryer rack (can't think of the real name?!) to keep your cat from stealing and destroying all the nipples.

[rn536]

When you put a wipe on lil boys penis when you change him make sure that lil head is not peeking out from under there or you will still get wet.

[pdxlaurens]

Feb 4, 2015 2:18:59 GMT -5 birch113 said:

Dip a wash cloth in the bath and drape over LOs tummy to keep him warm in the bath. Keep rewetting so it and he don't get cold.

Keep plastic bags in the diaper bag for messy wardrobe changes.

The dishwasher caddy for bottle parts also works well on the dish dryer rack (can't think of the real name?!) to keep your cat from stealing and destroying all the nipples.

If my cat does this I will flip The f* out! She did eat the entire extended end of one of those bulb snot suckers. I worry for the day she takes interest in the pump tubing.

[birch113]

Feb 4, 2015 6:00:36 GMT -5 pdxlaurens said:

Feb 4, 2015 2:18:59 GMT -5 birch113 said:

Dip a wash cloth in the bath and drape over LOs tummy to keep him warm in the bath. Keep rewetting so it and he don't get cold.

Keep plastic bags in the diaper bag for messy wardrobe changes.

The dishwasher caddy for bottle parts also works well on the dish dryer rack (can't think of the real name?!) to keep your cat from stealing and destroying all the nipples.

If my cat does this I will flip The f* out! She did eat the entire extended end of one of those bulb snot suckers. I worry for the day she takes interest in the pump tubing.

Yup, he's destroyed two so far! I have the same worry about the pump tubing. I always put my pump away, but with 8 pumps a day, there's a good chance I'll forget during a MOTN pump. Ugh.

[mrscw]

Don't wake LO just because someone wants to hold her. Let sleeping babies sleeeeeeeeep

[gdaniels77]

If someone is wearing a hat make sure to have them take it off before leaning in to hold or kiss LO. If the bill even touches her face she WILL freak out.

(Very specific but has actually happened several times now)

[kathytav]

Feb 4, 2015 2:41:38 GMT -5 mayflower15 said:

Putting her in the car seat when she's fussy will work to calm her 80% of the time. No straps, just sitting and watching the world go by.

My H does this but walks her in a circle around our house and she falls asleep!

[fergie17]

Around 8 weeks babies seem to love light. I've been facing the chair/swing to the window and my little guy tolerates it enough for me to eat breakfast and get dressed (sometimes).

[pooky08]

When your baby transitions from newborn to 0-3, make sure to update the change of clothes and diapers in your diaper bag. I almost just left the house with a bag full of stuff that wouldn't fit if I needed to use it.

[mlee116]

Feb 5, 2015 19:25:58 GMT -5 calvinfoster said:

I have plenty of lessons I've learned the hard way from my older kids. I'll keep them to myself for now so as not to give you FTM's more to stress about than you need right now except this one: if you find a pooped up onsie or cloth diaper in a plastic bag that daycare gave you a week or two later in the car, diaper bag, etc. that you forgot about - especially after your kid starts solids - DO NOT open that bag. Throw it out. No matter how cute that outfit was or expensive that cloth diaper was. throw it out.

I will piggy back this with this advice: Dress your child practically for DC. Save the really cute, special, expensive stuff for outings, church,etc.  or just for picture day. That way you aren't too upset if it gets stained, something gets lost, etc. 

[birch113]

Feb 5, 2015 15:37:10 GMT -5 @txaggie08 said:

Feb 5, 2015 15:25:24 GMT -5 mgk207 said:

Do NOT wash fuzzy blankets for the first time with your regular laundry. LINT EVERYWHERE.

Same goes with glittery clothes. DH doesn't seem to like having glitter all over his clothes for some reason...

Also, the velcro swaddles should not be washed with anything knit or fuzzy (ex: sweaters, socks). The velcro will stick to and destroy all the things!

[pooky08]

Feb 6, 2015 21:21:46 GMT -5 birch113 said:

Feb 5, 2015 15:37:10 GMT -5 @txaggie08 said:

Same goes with glittery clothes. DH doesn't seem to like having glitter all over his clothes for some reason...

Also, the velcro swaddles should not be washed with anything knit or fuzzy (ex: sweaters, socks). The velcro will stick to and destroy all the things!

We secure the two swaddle arms together when we can. Too many other items, and especially socks, would stick to the Velcro.

[apsalartoll]

You can put them in a delicates bag too (either the velcro stuff, or the small things like socks and mittens).

[amyface813]

Feb 4, 2015 2:41:38 GMT -5 mayflower15 said:

Putting her in the car seat when she's fussy will work to calm her 80% of the time. No straps, just sitting and watching the world go by.

I did this last night! It sure did calm him down. I was hoping it would put him to sleep but I wasn't willing to actually go drive him around because it's so darn cold out. I just walked him around and rocked him.

[amyface813]

I have another lesson! My LO needs his "alone time" we make him a table baby or couch baby and just set him out on a blanket and don't touch him. He gets fussy when he gets held too much and doesn't have time to just wiggle. He spent several dinners with my family as the world's cutest centerpiece!

-just to be clear- we don't actually leave him alone on the table or couch. We just don't touch him.

[malmomma]

Feb 8, 2015 13:01:09 GMT -5 @mariahv said:

If the baby is being fussy and insisting he's hungry even though he's been nonstop eating, he just has to be put down or handed to DH. He'll go right to sleep once he gets away from those tempting boobs.

Ever since LO and I have started successfully bfing, he's like addicted to the boob. If anyone lays him on there chest, he starts rooting, sucking, and licking lmao

[2jelplus1]

Feb 7, 2015 9:50:18 GMT -5 amyface813 said:

Feb 4, 2015 2:41:38 GMT -5 mayflower15 said:

Putting her in the car seat when she's fussy will work to calm her 80% of the time. No straps, just sitting and watching the world go by.

I did this last night! It sure did calm him down. I was hoping it would put him to sleep but I wasn't willing to actually go drive him around because it's so darn cold out. I just walked him around and rocked him.

DH will put LO in the car seat and then gently bounce car seat on Swiss, aka birth, ball. Way less exhausting than lugging baby around the house if you can get away with it!

[erien22846]

Any Boogie Wipe users? Just use a good quality tissue and saline nasal spray. It's the same thing and less waste and money. It's great for loosening up the dried boogies first thing in the morning and after naps.

[kathytav]

Feb 19, 2015 13:48:32 GMT -5 @txaggie08 said:

When you wash stuff that smells like spitup, use ammonia. It takes the smell out so much better than anything else I have tried.

Vinegar works too!