It is now the countdown until the end and I am freaking out - I am just so worried I will not know what to do or will not be a good mom. I am sure all first time moms go through this - I just want to do everything right and know what to do for him. I just want him to be happy and healthy.
My brother told me we need to have a birth plan - I did not know I needed one but he did bring up some good points. I want an epi for sure - I also want to do skin to skin and I want to try and breastfeed right away. If I end up having a c-section - I guess I will not be doing skin to skin or breastfeeding right away.
What are some other things to consider when putting together a birth plan??
Also what are some useful and helpful things to pack for the hosptial?? Is it worth bringing p.j's or should I just stay in the hospital gown the entire time?? Should I bring a robe?? What kind of nursing bra/tanks should I get??
We finished the nursery and started putting together the baby items - we have the pack and play up and the swing and rock and play up - we still have to get the car seat installed and put up the bouncer and bassinet - I feel like there is so much to do and I will never be prepared.
Also breastfeeding moms - what do I need to get started - we are holding off on buying a pump until I see if we will even need it - I do have some disposable breast pads - should I get the reuseable ones?? I also have breast cream and that is it - do I need anything else in the beginning??
Moms - are there some things I should stock up on ahead of time - we have plenty of diapers, wipes and bathing products - is there anything I need in the beginning that I should get now.
Any and all advice is appreciated!
14 comments:
I'm not sure if you follow her blog but Josey over at the blog http://mycheapversionoftherapy.blogspot.com/2011/11/hypnobabies-recap.html has a lot of helpful info on birth plans. She's really researched her stuff! She is due in a few weeks. You'd have to look in her blog archive for her birth plan. Don't worry you will be a great mom! Im sure all mommies to be freak out a little about that! Completely normal!
I didn't have a birth plan, Matthew decided to come a month early, I ended up with a c-section!
As for the hospital, bring your pj's and warm socks. I got the chills REALLY bad.
It's a good idea not to buy a pump yet until you know for sure you can breast feed. Use the hospital one (if they have it). I rented a pump from the hospital for the first two months to make sure I could produce enough milk. It will take a day or two before your milk will come in. And it will be very frustrating in the beginning, but stick it out and it will pay off tons!!
And make sure you pack a chapstick!
Email me if you have any questions.
In Korea, people give granny panties to you while pregnant, and I swore I would never use them. I was sure glad for them, though, because I just used those right after the birth and didn't worry about ruining my own. I also just used the pads provided by the hospital.
Highly recommend a birth plan. You should especially state requests like what you mentioned, as well as your view on having an episiotomy if you are concerned about that. Other things might be concerns like continual monitoring, having an iv put in, and how you want the doctor to help coach you. Of course, it is also important to talk these things over with your doctor as well.
For me, I just used the hospital gowns. I had an amazing birth and a rough recovery becaue of how badly I hurt my tailbone without realizing it (I had a natural birth). Messing up your own clothing, you have to take care of it. Hospital gowns are not your job to wash. ^^
We wound up getting a donut cushion for me to try to help with sitting comfortably. That was so hard to deal with, not going to lie.
I did use a pump in the beginning to help with engorgement when my milk came it. Those suckers turned rock hard. You are not supposed to pump a lot because of the whole supply and demand deal, but I needed the relief. It worked out really well.
On that note, our son was not interested in feeding right away. Not all are. ^^
Those are some of the big points for now. You are almost there! Sending lots of love and prayers.
wish I had some advice... but since I've not done any of it I don't... But you're getting so close, I'm so excited!
We all freaked out time to time. Best part is Colin won't know you don't know what you are doing!
Birthplan-is a good idea; but you need to remember that is is just a plan and some things might not go to plan. Our childbirth class did a great game we had a bunch of cards: healthy baby, sick baby, c/s, vag birth, epi, no epi and we laid out our birth plan, then she made us start switching them out for the opposite. Of course, the last thing we were left with was a healthy baby.
As for the hospital: take things that will make you feel at home, your pillow/blankets/robe. You probably wont need pants much (due to bleeding) but have some tops you can breastfeed with. Better to have stuff with you (or in the car you can send John to get it). I like the target nursing tops and buy a size bigger than you think you need, you are not going to want something tight.
BFing: You can rent a pump if you are not sure how long you will be BFing. You really don't need anything! Use the pads you have and then see if you need more. I had the reusable ones and after the first month didn't need them anymore. You can always rent a pump for a while if you don't want to make the big commitment; I started pumping when Owen was 3 days old, when my milk came in. It keeps you from getting engorged. Ask to see a lactation consultant in the hospital she will answer so many of your questions!
Lastly, it is nice to have a reason to get out of the house in those first weeks so if you don't have it you can always go get it!!
New commenter here :)
I used both the disposable nipple pads (for daytime as they are less noticable) and re-usable for night time as they are softer on sore nipples.
Also if you end up with C-section you can still try and do skin to skin - just be very clear about it at the hospital. I wish I had, when I had my son 13 months ago. We had a lot of trouble breast feeding (I ended up pumping full time for 7 months!), and I think a lot of it was the lost time after the C-section.
In the hospital - I wore the gown they supplied and used all their pads and huge panties and even took a bunch home with me (gross!). But it is nice to have some nice things like: robe, slippers, lip balm, moisturizer. You don't need any baby stuff except what you're taking him home in.
Good Luck!
Emma
you can check out my hospital bag list on my blog, sometime in july 2010 archive. I would take nightgowns to wear and definitely NOT plan on wearing the hospital gowns. but it's a personal preference thing :)
I agree with AKoto-I broke my tailbone during childbirth, too. Def not fun, but sitting on the boppy sure did help! I brought my own pajamas and nursing tops to the hospital but never wore them because I was bleeding so badly I didn't want to ruin them. Also, they're coming in to 'check your repair' every 5 minutes anyway so you'd have to keep taking the pants on and off. Unless you're get a gown, then it's up to you if you want to worry about washing it. I got two stretchy nursing bras from Motherhood Maternity--amazing. All I really needed, with the hospital gown. :) Good luck!
First time commenter here too! I would bring your own clothes. With my last pregnancy (twins) I stayed in for 5 days and I wore my own t-shirts and yoga pants. I also brought cheap undies that I didn't care got grungy and didn't mind throwing away. Our hospital gave me these mesh panties but I was far more comphy in my granny panties! LOL! (I had a c-section though so my only check was of my incision site!)
With my first, we had a birth plan but I ended up having c-section because they thought he was 9+lbs - he ended up being 7lb14oz...now I wish I would have tried to have him vaginally. My lesson - be your own advocate! With my twins I didn't have a choice since I had a previous c-section and they were both breech.
Regardless, enjoy your little one and know you are his mom and only have his best interest in mind! I think we all freak out a little (or a lot!) - totally normal! Congrats!
All will be fine, I like what pp said your baby wont know you dont know what you are doing lol, dont stress to much about it. Its amazing what will just come natural and the nurses at the hospital are great with answering questions.
As for the breastfeeding, make sure you take the nipple cream with you. I had some, forgot it and NEEDED it.
All I wore for the first day was their gown, but by the second day I was ready to wear my own clothes, nursing tank and yoga pants. If you have guests you might want real clothes. I way over packed like always but thats just me. Oh and my room was way hot, did not expect that.
Good luck!
OK, so my best advice is don't worry about being a good mommy. You will be! But, that said, I will tell you that for me at least, there was a lot of frustration in the beginning. There's a huge problem with lack of sleep coupled with trying to care for this new little one while trying to recover from whatever type of birth you have. My baby blues lasted longer than most and I'm on medication. If you feel yourself spiraling, go talk to your doctor.
As for a birth plan, I didn't have one. Wish I had. I ended up with an emergency c-section. Not ideal, but my baby is here and he's healthy and so am I. After they stitched me up and took me to recovery, they brought Andrew to me for skin on skin and breastfeeding. He latched right on. But, my milk did not come in until day 5. My breasfeeding woes are well documented on my old blog but I have this piece of advice. Be prepared to nurse twice as much as you think you will. I was not mentally or emotionally prepared for how often we would be nursing. That's something I think might have made a difference in my case.
Good luck!
I didn't give birth to my son so no advice there, but as a new parent with no clue (living in a hotel) there are some things I am glad I bought and some things I wish I had. Comfortable clothes, warm socks, head band, book or magazines (though I was so tired, I had problems sleeping the first couple of days!) and snacks. For the baby, we started day 1 with the same bed time routine and always end with the same good night book- TIme for Bed (love!!) and our guy has never had much problem falling asleep. Enjoy all your time together and try not to worry about all the little details (like I did). Just love your first days as a family!!
I have never had them ask to see in my pants, during either of my recoveries after birth. I second the mesh panties rock those in the hospital. And if you are still bleeding heavily after discharge rock depends for a couple days. If not I live the Always Infinity pads, used them both times and they are amazing. I also rec. ice packs, when I became engorged they felt amazing. Gas Drops, Gripe Water. Also you will do great.
I found you on random. I did have a birth plan with my son, (who is now 4.5). One thing I was not prepared for was after the circumcism (sp?) you need lots of vasaline and gauze pads to protect the healing, and not stick to diapers. Of course if you are having a girl, you won't need this. I breastfed, and do recommend you at least rent a pump from the hospital for the first couple of weeks. You would be amazed that you might make more than your baby will drink and you might engourge. Also if the baby has trouble latching you can pump and give it in a bottle until you get it all figured out. I know it isn't ideal, but you don't want to be out looking for a pump at 2 am with a screaming infant in tow. I do not recommend bringing anything new or a favorite of your clothes. You will be leaking from every possible area and it isn't worth ruining your clothes. I used the hospitals clothes excpet for socks/slippers. They didn't offer those. I also recommend bringing ipod, camera, phone, laptop, and chapstick.
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