Hi, this is Mae Anne in semi-panic mode. The following are things that I have no idea about and I'm asking you b/c my sister isn't answering her phone... when I feel the need to know something I need the info immediately or I get all stressed out and the end result is a tension headache ~ one of which I can now feel coming on starting in my upper shoulder blades. Not fun. Please inform the uninformed ASAP...
1. How many bottles do we need? I mean we have 6 and if I end up successfully breast feeding it will make a difference in the # needed, right? At the moment, I need worse case scenario figures, please.
2. What do I need to take to the hospital for Hadlee? If we'll be there for 2 days do I need three outfits for her (day 1, day 2 and a coming home outfit)? Should I just take gowns and matching blankets? What about diapers and wipes and various things of that nature?
3. How many pacifiers are needed? We have 3. I figured we should at least have 7 ~ one for every day... but that's just my harebrained idea.
4. When do we need to get the high chair? Obviously she isn't going to need it the first few weeks, but roughly at what age is a baby big enough to sit in the thing?
5. Is a play yard really a necessary item? (And what's w/ not calling them play pens anymore, did someone end up in jail b/c he or she was in one as a baby?) We have a bassinet (sp?) and her crib ~ is the play yard needed too?
6. How many sheets do I need for the crib and bassinet? I have 2 bassinet sheets and one for the crib.
7. Is it better to have a bouncy seat or a swing? One is obviously larger and bulkier than the other, but what I need is what gets the job done... enough time for a shower where all of the shampoo and conditioner are rinsed out and I get to dry off and put on clean clothes.
8. What about burp cloths? I think we have around 10, but that doesn't sound like nearly enough. Don't babies spew after or during every feeding?
9. How do I give her a bath if I can't bathe her until her belly button falls off and when does that happen?
10. Am I an unfit mother if I do something wrong, don't have enough burp cloths, mis-match her outfit and blanket, or run our of clean bottles?????!??!?!!!
AAARRRGGGHH. Stressing over all of this and more at the moment. Answer if you can. Laugh if you must, but please tell me that it will all be ok.
29 days and counting vigorously.
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9 comments:
Hmmm... don't have any children but I work at a hospital... nope - I still don't have any answers! Except that you must take a crocheted cap to keep her body heat from falling! :)
1. Oh, have about 12 bottles on hand so if you don't feel like washing you'll have plenty to get through a day and night or so.
2. They'll keep her dressed at the hospital. All you'll need is a coming home/hospital picture outfit for her.
3. Three pacifiers is plenty. But have those hook thingies to keep the pacifiers attached to her clothes or you'll lose them quickly.
4. High chair -- about 4 months old.
5. Play yard ... sometimes nice. Never used mine much except for a travel bed.
6. Crib -- well, just imagine a stomach virus. Sometimes they soil the next sheet right after you put it on. 4 or 5 crib sheets at least.
7. I prefer the bouncy seat. But I know people who swear by swings.
8. 10 burp cloths sounds good. Some babies spew more than others. You'll just have to see how it goes, you need more, you get more.
9. Sponge bath while lying by the kitchen sink on a big towel. She'll be fine. Check for gunk behind the ears. Trust me on this one.
10. No. Not unfit. But you'll feel like it sometimes. Just move on, dearie!! Babies don't care if we're having false-guilt pity parties. Their needs don't wait. (Now, you know the signs of postpartum depression to watch for, run, don't walk, for help if you ever need it!!)
And the matching ... get over that right now. If the child has on a clean diaper and is dressed weather appropriately, you're doing great.
I promise, Mae, that you will figure it all out in due time! All Hadlee is really going to need is her mama and a soft place to lay her head. I guarantee that you will be a Hadlee Hale expert in no time!
100 deep breaths is really what you need most!! ;)
About the bouncy seat versus swing thing... Hadley gets to decide that one!! Some babies just like one and not the other and some don't care and some are in between. A bouncy seat sounds good, at least, for the bathroom floor while you shower... I'd just watch the temp in there if you take hot showers.
And you can always buy more of something if you need it... Wal-Mart's pretty good about not running out of stuff pretty much everyone needs at some point!! ;)
I'm with Elizabeth... you'll be great... you're asking questions is a sure sign of it!!
Hi Mae:
I never have posted on your blog before but read it often. I have a 2 year old little boy and a 3 month old little boy. Here are my answers to your questions:
1. Bottles -- I have about 12 right now and I am only formula feeding. Breastfeeding didn't work out for me either time, but that is another topic for another blog!
2. They keep them in t-shirt, hat, and diaper at the hospital and all wrapped up in those flannel blankets. The only thing she would need is her coming home outfit. One thing I had the nurse do is show me how they wrap them up so tight. My littlest one loved to be tightly wrapped and they do it so much better than I can!
3. 3 pacis sounds like enough. I have tried and failed with both of my kids to use a pacifier. They are both thumb guys.
4. Highchair -- 4-6 months. I really didn't use ours until Sam was sitting up really good (around 6 months). Before that, I just used his bouncy seat to feed him cereal and such.
5. Pack & Play -- mainly just used ours for traveling to places...never much at home.
6. Crib Sheets -- I recommended the "Ultimate Crib Sheet" instead of getting a bunch of regular crib sheets. I keep one of those on the bed, one in the washer. They are this top, water proof blanket thing that feels like a sheet where the baby lays, but they just snap on to the crib rails. Not sure if I am explaining this very good...but everyone I know (including myself) swear by them as a must-have. HEre is a link to what I am talking about:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/detail/-/baby/B00003XAKP/qid=1122395512/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_ur_2_1/103-0200059-9011853
7. My oldest liked bouncy seat, my baby now likes swing. They have those travel swings that seem neat and very portable to move from room to room, but I have never used one.
8. 10 is good to start off with. Again, each baby is different in terms of spit up too. Some a lot, some not much. My two kids are different on that too -- oldest, never spit up, youngest is on medicine because of it!
9. Second to the sponge bath on the kitchen sink. Their belly buttons usually fall off 2-3 weeks after birth, so it won't be long. Until then though, they really don't get that dirty.
10. And you will be a great mom!!! Don't worry -- babies have a way of letting you know what they need from you -- and Elizabeth was right...Hadlee will mainly need her mama and your arms holding her. Good luck!! You will do fine.
I was just talking to a friend the other day who has 2 kids like mine: 1 in grade school & 1 in pre-school. We're both not sure that we're "done" having children, but we are enjoying the freedoms that come with independent, older kids. Anyway.....we were just thinking about how different we'd be as parents now, as opposed to when we were in the panic, "I don't know what I'm doing" stage. We both know what things we wouldn't worry about anymore. I think Hadlee will teach you everything you need to know. Just be confident that you are providing her with the best thing in the world - yourself!!!! Just love up on that little girl cuz she won't remember that you lost her binky (pacifier) or dressed her funny, but she'll know that she is loved. You'll be great at that!!!
You're getting lots of good advice, so I'm just going to leave you with one piece: find a La Leche League group near you and attend meetings before and after Hadlee arrives. You will get so much good information on breastfeeding. I was so fortunate that my first was a natural at it, but found out later I was missing a lot of support and encouragement (I started attending when pregnant with my 2nd, and wound up becoming a Leader.).
The two best pieces of practical advice I can give: let Hadlee get attched to a cloth diaper as a lovey - they're easy to switch out when they get nasty; and I never warmed a bottle. We had to supplement with formula within the first week with both kiddos and I never warmed a formula bottle. They preferred room temperature - go figure!
You will be fine! Hadlee will be loved - that's what really matters!
So much good advice here! You will be fine dear!
1. Bottles ~ Don't stock up to fast as some babies like one bottle nipple over another ie playtex vs gerber etc. You won't know what your baby likes until you try them out.
2. I took socks for my babies, a soft blanket, and a going home outfit. I have a friend who painted her little girls toenails an hour after she was boorn... made us all laugh!
3. Again it depends on what paci the baby likes..we experimented nd found the ONLY one Rhett liked was the one the hopital gave us!
4. My highchair with rhett reclined to be an infant seat so I used it earlier...around 3 mmonths.
5. Pac-plays are great for traveling and keeping the dog and other children off the baby... this is your first though so you can probably get by with just a swing. I LOVE THE SWING! and those little bouncy seats are pretty inexpensive so it's not crazt to do both.Exersaucers are a toss up ...kolby loved hers, Rhett was only in his a few months.
6 What Kristen said.
7. Oops I put that in 5
8. use them as a blanky and ypull never go wrong.
9. Spounge bath... I know how you are about germs and all but truly babies don't get too dirty just laying around alday...well except in the diaper area.
10. You know I think it is great to wait a bit ans see what you need. Start out with one or two of everything and some back up newborn diapers, then send hubbie and grandma to the store as needed! :)
You will do great!
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