I by no means am an expert at being a mom, I mean tomorrow we will be embarking on our third week of parenthood so I still have a ton to learn and will continue to learn through out our lives, but here's what I have learned.
Here's your fair warning that this may contain too much information so if you are ready read on, if not just wait for me to post again on a different topic :)
-Don't assume your baby will come on their due date, have everything ready to go by 35 weeks or so that way you don't have to install your car seat while you are in labor (yes, this really happened!)
-Have someone who loves you very much come and take care of you (like your Mom, sister, or best friend) Thank goodness my Mom was able to come, otherwise we would have died of starvation, walked around in dirty clothes, and the trash would have piled to the ceiling!You need to take care of the baby and someone needs to take care of you. You will be a little sore (hopefully just a little) from labor and you'll be exhausted and elated all at the same time. You also will want to share your joy with someone you love.
-If you are planning on breastfeeding check with your insurance company to see if they will cover pump, if so you can usually order it a month before your due date (this is important, see above point :) This will save you a ton of money and it's nice to have a pump that way you feel like you can leave the house without your baby knowing they won't starve when they are home with Daddy
-When you're up at 1, 3, 5 am etc have a snack while you're nursing the little one, you'll most likely be hungry and it's a nice little treat. I've found grapes are easy to eat and I can set them out at night before I go to bed, then when I get up to nurse Micah they are sitting by my chair. Also, keep a blanket for you by where you nurse, the nights are chilly. Thanks to my sweet friend Ashley for keeping me warm at night with a beautiful blanket!
-Its a good idea to have some formula on hand just in case your baby is starving (like my little man was) even after nursing. Now you don't have to buy formula just sign up on the Enfamil and Similac website as a new mom and they will send you free samples and coupons.
-Invest in some nursing tanks, they will make your life a ton easier. I got mine from Target and they are fabulous.
-Get a couple pairs of cute pajamas/work out clothes that you take to the hospital, you'll want to look cute when people come to visit and for pictures. Plus you'll be living in these clothes when you first go home.
-Take a pair of flip flops to the hospital, you don't want to walk around on those floors barefoot! (Trust me I work at a hospital, I know what's been on those floors!)
-Next order of business, make sure you have nursing pads to place in your tanks - trust me you'll want these!
-Sleep when the baby sleeps, everyone tells you this but it's really hard to do when you have a sink full of dishes, laundry to do, vacuuming, thank you notes to write etc. But you'll be a much happier person if you get some rest!
-Just when you think you have enough burp clothes, think again, they will be a hot commodity.
-Sleeper jammies with zippers are a must, you don't want to mess with snaps at 3 am (thanks to my cousin Erica for that tip :)
-Stock up on thank you notes and stamps, people are very generous!
-Try to get out of the house a little (yes, leave the little one with daddy for an hour or two) it will help you feel like a human again!
-Put on some mascara, even if you haven't showered in a couple of days at least you'll feel pretty :)
-Don't be afraid to ask friends/family for ideas on what they did for their little one for whatever you encounter (for instance, if they are really gassy, fussy, etc) People are happy to offer suggestions and I figure if what I'm doing isn't working it's worth it to try something different
That's all my advice for now, I'm sure I'll think of more as time goes on. What's your advice for new mom's?
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