I decided I should probably do pregnancy posts more frequently now that I’m getting down to the home stretch.
We’re gonna be parents!!!!!!!
It’s hard to believe I’ve been pregnant for all this time and it’s only just starting to hit me that we are going to be mom + dad for the next however many years. That’s way different than just Kyle + Elise.
Hard to believe we were once just dumb college kids! Now we have to pretend to act like adults so our kid doesn’t figure out that we’re really winging it. The above photo is circa 2004, in case you couldn’t deduce that from Kyle’s spikey hair and the sorority crap hanging in the background. And now we text each other stuff like this…
In looking at my (ever growing) belly, Kyle has said to me several times over the past week, “you have a human inside you.” Yes. Yes I do.
I’m feeling pretty ready actually. I don’t know how it’s possible that I feel that way, but I do. I guess the fact that I could never be 100% prepared makes me think now’s as good a time as any. Each day I wake up and wonder if it’ll be today (in contrast to the dread I have when I get up a million times in the middle of the night hoping to God my water doesn’t break – because I’m not keen on heading to the hospital in pitch black).
As I mentioned before, I was 1 cm dilated at my 36 week appointment. Somehow my cervix closed back up over the past week though. Weird right? So it seems like my little man is still content hanging out up in there…for at least a little longer. I was sorta bummed because I was thinking my body was getting ready to do the damn thang. Oh well. His head is still down and I am GBS negative – so that’s good. We have our hospital go-bag nearly packed (I figure I’ll have time to get clothes and toiletries – and grab some snacks for Kyle – before we head in, so those aren’t yet included). There are probably more ways I could be preparing, but whatever.
Physically I’m still feeling the same. Bigger, but the same. People tell me all. the. time. that I am so small for how far along I am. It’s nice to hear (better than the dreaded “you look ready to pop”), but it’s also frustrating because I definitely do not feel small. I feel completely massive. Sitting down is really uncomfortable unless I use extra pillows to keep my hips at an angle greater than 90 degrees (more room for my belly). It’s more amusing than annoying, since I know it’s a temporary thing. I feel like a Biggest Loser contestant. All day long I think of things I’m excited to be able to do again when I’m back to my normal size. They’re completely ridiculous things, like lean over the sink to wash my face, but they bring me such joy.
I do have a bit more back pain, but what pregnant woman doesn’t? And a few days ago I woke up with leg cramps in the middle of the night (those kinda sucked to be honest). I’ve stopped going to yoga class because many of the positions are now uncomfortable and because I can’t get comfortable I can’t get into the right mindset to make the class worth while (plus wearing yoga pants is a rather miserable experience). I’m still walking sporadically – some days I feel awesome and some days I get cramps after a few block and just turn around (<—that’s a lie, I usually push myself for at least a few more blocks before I give in and return home). Inactivity is so frustrating. I know I should be resting and taking it easy, but I’m not that kind of person!
Last weekend my family threw us a baby shower. We got so much cute stuff – I can’t get over these little bitty outfits! It was in Laguna, too, which was gorgeous. Nice to get away, even though putting extra distance between me and the hospital does make me slightly nervous. Of course being the type A people we are, we immediately ordered most of the stuff remaining on the registry as soon as we got home. I was really crafty and managed to divide things up (between Babies ‘R Us, Amazon, and Target) using gift cards, coupons, and such, so we didn’t have to break the bank. So now we have the extra car seat base (for our second car), the Graco pack ‘n play, and the Baby Bjorn carrier, and the rest of the stuff is en route. I’m feeling much more prepared now (I kept picturing us ordering things online from the hospital room!). Anyway, I didn’t get every single thing on the registry, because there’s a lot of stuff that we don’t need right away. Just going with the basics for now.
I was unsure about if we really wanted/needed the pack ‘n play and went back and forth for a while. As much as I wanted to keep things simple and just use the crib in the nursery exclusively, I ended up getting the Graco portable crib/play yard for our bedroom (just in case he does sleep in our room for those early days/weeks). It was (only) $60 (as compared to my #1 choice by Baby Bjorn, which was $200).
It was super simple to set up (I’ve been really impressed by all of the Graco products we’ve bought actually). And even though it’s not as light weight as the Baby Bjorn, it does fold up pretty easily and will likely be a key item that we travel with. [Ignore the lump on the bed – that’s my snoogle body pillow]
I’m guessing it will be at the foot of our bed when he’s in it, but for now it’s closer to the closets (out of the way so Kyle doesn’t run into it or trip on it in the middle of the night). And once he graduates to his real crib (in the nursery), we can take it downstairs to use as a playpen.
The nursery is pretty much the same, aside from the loads of clothes that now inhabit the dresser drawers (I’ve done at least 4 loads of laundry with baby stuff already). Plus there’s a new basket full of goodies next to the changing pad. How many changing pad covers do you guys think I’ll need, btw? Kyle already informed me (and he was quite matter-of-fact about this) that he will get poop and pee all over the place on his first few changes so we needed a lot. Currently, we have two. On the same note, how many crib sheets should we have? The organic ones are pricey, so we haven’t bought any (aside from the one we have on the crib right now).
Diapers. We got Seventh Generation disposable diapers (plus some Huggies & Pampers that are hand me downs from our friends’ baby who is already onto size 3 diapers). Even though we are planning on cloth diapering, we are starting with disposables. I’ll update you all as I learn more through trial and error about the cloth diapering scene. Depending on how big our little man is and how fast he grows, we may start cloth diapering as soon as a month old…or not…it’s going to be one big experiment. For now, we have a few BumGenius diapers (plus bumkins inserts). I’ve done what feels like a million+ hours of research on cloth diapering (such a headache to sort through all the info, btw) and BumGenius came out ahead. But I’m holding off on buying a ton of them (I got the 4.0 one-size snap kind) until I know the fit works for sure. I have Blueberry and FuzziBuns in the queue. For those who have cloth diapered, how many do you think I’ll need total?
Diaper wipes/disposal. We have both Seventh Generation and BabyGanics. We’ll see where we go from there. Costco wipes have gotten the thumbs up, I just haven’t looked into how hippie friendly they are. For disposal, we got the diaper dekor. Not sure what the plan is once we go to cloth diapers. I guess we can still use this pail for wipes? With maybe a separate laundry bag for the diapers?
I’m planning on doing a separate post on hippie hygiene (baby) products, but I’m still doing research. So far, I’ve gotten BabyGanics’ shampoo/soap/bubble bath wash and diaper rash cream. I’m also planning on getting California Baby calendula cream and several Earth Mama Angel Baby products (for both me and the babe). I’m hesitant to over-buy because how much stuff could we really need? Seems like a baby shouldn’t require much more than lotion and soap, but what do I know? Do people still use baby powder? If you have recs, please let me know. I also have this lanolin cream (thanks mom!) for me.
It is with great sadness that I admit I finally sucked it up and bought two nursing bras last week. I realize I’ll need more. But for now, I can’t. Getting two was hard enough. They are so so ugly. Seriously. They make me feel like my body is meant to be nothing more than a functional machine to dispense milk. So not sexy. I’ll get over it once I have an adorable little baby that I want to feed and fatten up, I’m sure, but for now, I’d like to whine some more.
A few fun baby things we have gotten:
- munchkin dishwasher basket (for bottle parts and stuff, so they don’t go all over the place)
- Vick’s baby thermometer
- fridababy snotsucker (as gross as this is, it’s a really cute & clever design)
- giggle bath seat
- Rockabye baby Beatles cd (lullaby versions of the classics!)
We have lots more “stuff” that I won’t bother listing off, because let’s be real, aside from diapers & breast milk (and a car seat), there’s not much else required to care for an infant.
So that’s the latest. And the waiting game continues…
Looking good! Quite amazing to grow a human, isn’t it! My two boys are 6.5 and 9 now. I would hold off buying anything further until he’s here and you really know what you need/want. You can always put an old towel over the change mat if the two covers are in the wash. Two or three sets of sheets may be handy – although we only actually used the bottom sheets, as we used sleeping bags instead of linen. So the other sheet in the set could be an alternative bottom sheet if you know what I mean.
We didn’t use baby powder, or baby wash either, as mine had sensitive skin so we washed in plain water until they were a bit older. One we used cloth nappies (Australian diapers!) for but they didn’t agree with the skin of the other. Lanolin cream for you is a great idea, use it a lot!!
Hope it’s not too much longer until you get to meet your new family member!
Hey!
The pack-n-plays are also great as a playpen, for when the phone rings etc and you need to put the baby somewhere safe for 5 mins (when it is downstairs of course).
3 sets max for crib sheets – one on, one in wash, one in cupboard.
Baby powder – smells like baby 🙂
Baby wipes – those made for baby are expensive, normal washcloth & warm water @ home is fine. One nappy rash cream is enough, a paste type is better.
Cloth nappies – used them for both babies, just plain white toweling squares, folded & secured with nappy pin. Flush solids down loo, then soak in Napisan and wash. Need 2 doz.
xx
Elle McPherson’s nursing bras aren’t quite so ugly, I love mine!
I love all tour last minute questions! Takes me back. 🙂
Ok so, baby powder – no. Particles in the air can be ingested by you & baby. I’d recommend some good old air drying or I use a soft cloth to pat Lyric’s bum dry in between diapers. Her changing pad cover is a fancy schmancy one so I have two washable waterproof pads that I fold & lay on top. So the pretty pattern is still visible on the sides but protected from fluids. We started out with two crib sheets (w/a waterproof crib sheet underneath) but after one particularly leaky night I bought a third. 3 is plenty IMO. It really just depends on how often you want to do laundry. We had so much stuff that I can usually go a week between loads for Lyric. But in the first 5 months they outgrow clothes so fast that its hard to justify having 12 newborn sleepers etc.
Can’t answer the cloth diaper Q personally but I’ve heard that 12-18 is a good amount. Oh and nursing bras sucked for me cuz I’m small (32A before baby) so I lived in nursing tanks 24/7. I put on a button up shirt or a cardigan when we left the house so nursing on the go was a breeze. Plus w/tanks you’re not exposing your I-just-had-a-baby belly.
How exciting!! You look awesome! I can imagine how uncomfortable you are feeling at this point… I’m 29 weeks this week and am starting to feel some of the discomforts you mentioned. It’s no fun!
We are planning to cloth diaper too, and like you, I’ve done hours of research on it all. I think we’re going to go with the BumGenius 4.0 too with a few of their all-in-ones for when others babysit. I’ve heard anywhere from 12-20 diapers are good, depending on how often you want to do wash. 😉
Yay!!
1) finish packing your go-bag NOW or at least make a list of the things Kyle will need to throw in on your way out the door. If your water breaks at home (like mine did) you will be in no position to go through the fridge or cabinets as walking will be difficult enough!
2) get nursing bras (at least 4) and reusable nursing pads (20-30). There’s a great company called “Motherwear” that has not only the necessities, but really cute clothes! I was once in the catalogue with my son, that’s how much I LOVE their stuff!!!
3) buy a pump even of you don’t think you need one. Even if its just a simple hand operated one. I didn’t realize I should have one, and when my milk came in (day 7) it came in with a vengeance. My son couldn’t latch & I was in excruciating pain. It was late at night, and living in the backwoods in MA at the time, there were no 24 stores to run to. It was a more excruciating experience than labor itself, so I always tell people to have one.
4) the pack-n-play is going to be your favorite piece of equipment! You’ll never hear anyone say “I wish I didn’t have this stupid thing” because its probably the greatest baby invention ever!!! Mine was so used up, I couldn’t even pass it on to a friend!
Home stretch baby!! You look great! And you’ll be great parents. It comes so natural you will be amazed that this little person hasn’t always been in your life. I hardly remember what it as like not to be a mom….
Enjoy your last few nights or quiet sleep! You’ve got at least 18 years before you get it again! 🙂
http://www.motherwear.com/
Obviously the old catalogue is LONG gone, but here is the photo through facebook: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1269920141762&l=e8cf14958a
thank you!
1) good call, ill make a list for kyle
2) i have medela nursing pads, but i dont think they’re reusable. ill check out the motherwear link.
3) i have a hand me down pump (medela) from so i just need to buy new parts. im only waiting because im unsure when ill need to start pumping, but we have it already just in case. should i order the new tubing (or whatever it is i need, i havent actually looked at the thing) now?
4) awesome! why dont people tell you these things!!! glad we got it.
I see anchors and DG stuff in that photo! 🙂
I think you are going to be REALLY glad you got the pack ‘n play. It might workout that he can sleep in his own room from day 1, but you might also find that having him closeby makes the wake-ups a lot easier on everyone. Even if he doesn’t sleep in it, it’s a great spare diaper-changing station for another room in the house!
We only just got the Nosefrieda when G got sick last month. Our text conversation was something similar 😉
I think you’re smart to stay with the basics. I remember sending Matt out so many times in those early days to get things because the version we had just didn’t work out. I.e. I bought an expensive organic nursing pillow and it wasn’t cutting it, so he went out and got a My BrestFriend. Or the diaper rash cream we bought wasn’t helping him so we tried a different type. There’s just some stuff you HAVE to wait on!
ok, good thats the amount i suspected too – ill keep you updated although im only barely ahead of you!
welcome to the third trimester – hope youre feeling well!
Oh I second the pump thing! Buy the spare tubing now. Engorgement sucks.
🙂 im definitely a “poll the audience” kind of person. not too keen on sorting it out on my own if i know there are a million other moms who’ve been through it all already!
thank you so much for all these helpful answers!
i just bought a nursing tank too. i was small before pregnancy also…but now my boobs are out of control! its the oddest thing. im wondering what will happen to them post-pregnancy and then post-breast feeding.
what kind/where did you get the changing pad waterproof cover thing?
thanks penny!
thank you so much lori!
excellent call on the washcloths for wiping. sounds way more budget and eco friendly 🙂
thank you sallyann!
of course a towel will work in a pinch! duh! thanks for that. i told kyle he could get the changing cover as messy as he wanted as long as he didnt get poop on the wall, and then he looked at the wall and gave me a sheepishly un-optimistic look that meant that wasnt out of the realm of possibilities…and then he said we should paint the nursery walls brown to avoid the problem. soooo…great!
ok cool. thanks lara.
i have the brestfriend, but it smells awful!! i washed the cover already but i think its the foam. does that smell go away!?!?
got it. thanks 🙂
I got a second cover for mine because it was bothering me :/ A nursing pillow is one of those things that I REALLY wanted to do natural/organic because of the flame retardants, but the My BrestFriend really is the best when you have no idea what you’re doing. I would say get a second cover and wash the heck out of both of them and then just try to use the pillow as little as possible. Once you and the baby learn how to latch, in my experience you really don’t need it.
I hope this is all helpful and not obnoxious…
Oh when I say a second cover I mean I doubled up on them so Baby wasn’t as close to the pillow. I have no idea if that helps but it made me feel better.
I received the pads as a baby shower gift, I LOVE them. They’re good for a changing spot when traveling too. Here’s the link: http://m.toysrus.com/skava/static/product.html?type=TRU_product_us&url=%2Fproduct%2Findex.jsp%3FproductId%3D3368919&domain=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.toysrus.com
not at ALL obnoxious. i will take ALL ADVICE.
i felt bad about my registry because its got all this pricey hippie organic stuff. i got the organic boppy pillow in addition to the brestfriend.
i think the doubling up of the covers is really smart though.
You need a happy changer!! A good friend of our’s invented these and I sure wish I’d had one when my kids were babies. You can order one here: http://hulabye.com/how-to-hulabye/#.UPws47-9Kc0
Nursing bras are the worst but they do make life so much easier. Have you been to the Pump Station? They have an amazing selection and are a wealth of knowledge on everything breast related. Their bras were pricey but well constructed.
I agree with the Valley Vegan…finish packing today!! Also, don’t stress about going to the hospital in the dark. We ended up going to the hospital during the night when my 3rd was born and it was great because there was absolutely no traffic.
perfect! thank you!
thats the cutest thing ever!!
i went to the pump station once but it was for a class – didnt really look around bc i was early in pregnancy and not yet interested in all the “stuff”. i should def go back. i do remember thinking stuff looked pricey there though.
i guess avoiding LA traffic wouldnt be the worst 😉
thanks ammie!
The reusable pads are nice – and I have sensitive skin, so they were much more friendly for me than the disposables.
Get your parts now for the pump. You’ll be “stuck” at home with the newborn for the first few days. I don’t mean that in a negative way, just that you’ll be tired, healing, all consumed with the baby, and going out to get parts or running to the store won’t be on your to-do list. Have everything ready, because when your milk will come in is as unique as you are!
I had, foolishly, assumed that I wouldn’t be pumping – I was going to be a full-time stay-at-home-mom during the first months, so I figured I’d just nurse when he needed me. Nope! That pump wasn’t just to fill bottles so I could go out to the bank alone for 5 minutes, but helped me through those first months when my body wasn’t quite regulating the milk correctly and I would pump while he was napping just to take the edge off.
Better to be prepared than caught w/your pumper not pumping! That’s the only *real* nursing advice I can give you before the baby comes along!
Agreed on the lanolin cream. If you have a lactation nurse, she’ll point you in the right direction once she sees what’s going on with you. Also, keep on hand a little tube of antifungal cream (like Lotrimin for athlete’s feet) because there’s always a chance you can get a little rash under your breasts from dribbles you don’t catch. Sounds gross, but worth it to have it around.
Ok, so I don’t have any babies of my own yet. But, I was living with my sister (who has three) while I was in college and she cloth diapered. She always kept around 15 on hand and bought one of those cute little storage bags specifically for dirty cloth diapers. She also had this attachment hose for the toilet to help clean them off in the bathroom (this was a lifesaver for me when I babysat). Also, since the cloth diapers can be a little pricey she frequented the cloth diaper SWAP sites. I highly recommend checking them out! She got so many awesome diapers through the swaps. Best of luck 🙂
It’s down to the crunch now! I hope that the labour and delivery is smooth and uncomplicated 🙂
Just wanted to second what an above poster mentioned re: Elle Macpherson nursing bras. They are much prettier than the typical ones and VERY comfy and most are adjustable for a variety of sizes through engorgement and all. I love them.
Also, from Earth Mama Angel Baby, I find the Mama Bottom Balm to be a life-saver. I had a natural birth and at the end I started pushing like crazy without taking a break or taking it easy (not sure why LOL) so I did have a 2nd degree tear and then a couple days later my son ended up in the hospital seriously ill (not related to the birth, it was a birth defect no one caught) and I ended up staying in the hospital for the first 3 weeks post-partum and spent a ton of time in the HARD rocking chairs there and sitting around with the baby. That cream was a LIFESAVER for me.
I would also add that you should pick up a bottle of Dermoplast in case you have an episiotomy. It was a life saver!! Also, be aware of those nurses who want to massage your uterus post delivery. As a nurse you may already know this but it was a bit of a shock to me. It’s painful and it wasn’t until my 3rd delivery that I grew the balls to tell them that they could check me out but if they (doc plus residents) got anywhere near my uterus I’d knock them out. 🙂
Hey Elise-
Yay! You are almost there! Seems like everything is pretty much set. We have cloth diapered from basically week one with this little guy (he’ll be two in May!). At first we went with all-in-ones to keep it simple but once we got comfortable we have found our faves and the most cost effective and easiest to care for are prefolds and covers. The wash routine can be as hard or simple as you choose to make it. We weren’t going to but we ended up making homemade cloth wipes — then wipes and diapers all get tossed and washed together.
As for nursing bras they will grow on you :-). Plus the make the tanks with the bra built it — very convenient.
Rest while you can!
Teghan
We went with 3 crib sheets and 2 changing pad covers. We’ve had more spit up accidents in the crib then anywhere else. I vote yes on baby powder too. It really helps absorbs the wetness. We didn’t use it at first and just used cream (our peditrician recommends aquaphor and I love it) and when using both there is no redness. We used the same body wash as you too. My little guy got cradle cap and I used the mustela for that and it’s been great. We started out using a co sleeper and switched to the crib after 3 weeks. Although I breastfeed I found it distracting when we sleep.
I’m so excited for baby hippie to be welcomed into the world!!! Sending happy thoughts to you and Kyle!
So exciting!!!
We couldn’t fit Misty into cloth for the first 3 months as he was so skinny – but now we do 90% cloth and a disposable overnight which works great…. we have about 15 diapers I think.
Oh YES a good nipple cream is crucial (Mum’s know!) cos the first few weeks it HURTS wowza… but once they toughen up a bit it’s fine 🙂
And yes, I second the comment above about a breast pump – I had a really low supply so was either pumping or feeding for the first few months – milking machine ahoy – but it IS good to get your babe used to a bottle early, and nice for the Dad to be able to do a few night feeds for you 🙂
I really enjoyed reading this post, I can relate to EVERYTHING you have written about! And thankyou to all the others who have commented, I have learned a lot!! Everyone also tells me I look small for how far along I am (33wks now), even my midwife was so concerned at one point that she ordered an ultrasound to check baby’s size. Bub was fine, so I relaxed and now I don’t listen to those comments anymore =). I have heard that dairy products make babies grow fast once they are born (and I am assuming also in utero) and given that a lot of mothers have dairy during pregnancy then anyone who avoids it would then be below the average size. They still have perfectly healthy babies, they just grow a little slower.
We will also be using cloth nappies (diapers) after the first month or so and I will use a mix of the modern fitted cloth nappies and the white square terry towelling ones. I have three dozen square ones but I think I went a bit overboard! I will use them for other stuff as well if I have too many. Mom and I are sewing the MCNs ourselves because they are so expensive, but I want to try a few different designs first to see which works best for the baby. There are so many to choose from, it’s completely overwhelming! There is a fantastic site that I found on YouTube which is really helpful on the practicalities of cloth diapering if you are interested: http://www.youtube.com/user/MamaNaturalBlog?feature=watch
These guys use the bumgenius diapers too.
I have also heard that you can’t use nappy rash creams and barrier creams with cloth nappies because it reduces their absorbency and eventually renders the nappy useless, which is something to keep in mind. A friend of mine temporarily uses disposables whenever she needs to use nappy rash creams.
Keep up the great posts, I can’t wait to hear more news!!!
how interesting about dairy – totally makes sense though. im glad to know theres someone else who feels the same.
thanks for the link – i will need all the help i can get.
im so impressed that youre sewing them yourselves! well done you!
thanks so much for the info on nappy rash creams reducing absorbency – i had heard a similar thing about using fabric softeners in the wash (also i think certain detergents can have a wicking effect). good to know about the creams too.
i guess you can always “strip” the diapers – which from what i understand is just washing them over and over and over again in hot water (and nothing else).
anyway. keep me in the loop if theres anything else more you learn (and ill do the same). 🙂
so i never really thought id talk about this on the internet, but oh well…my nipples already hurt. when they get cold its really really painful. my mom told me she had the same thing. i didnt think i had to deal with this til later – at least after i started nursing!?
ok anyway. thanks for the info on the pump and cloth diapers. i think 15 sounds right. ill just have to wait til i know the kind i got fits correctly.
thanks for the info lou 🙂
thank you so much jin!
cool. thanks angie 🙂
which mustela product did you use for the cradle cap?
thanks teghan!
im thinking we will probably eventually get to the cloth wipes, but like you said, only time will tell what we end up doing…
i think ill look into the tanks. they sound much more my style 🙂
its really important to massage the uterus though bc theres a risk of hemorrhaging if it doesnt contract. the massaging helps ensure it contracts.
thanks for the recs! i figured the mama bottom balm would be the right choice, but im glad you confirmed it. appreciate all the helpful tips.
scary about your son. those must have been some BAD chairs for you to recall them (as opposed to the trauma of a seriously ill newborn).
thank you!
ive been kinda wondering about those attachable nozzle things. good to know they get a thumbs up.
ill for sure look into diaper swap sites, too.
thanks hannah 🙂
Do you have a “boppy pillow”? I give them at every baby shower- a quick visual on amazon-http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000KW5I6E/ref=mp_s_a_1?qid=1358743126&sr=8-1&pi=SL75
When nursing the pillow goes around you and baby is supported on the pillow and when he is bigger he sits in the middle and is supported so he doesnt fall over or roll away etc… Everyone raves about them
yup! i heard the same and got one 🙂
Oh my goodness we are TOTALLY soul-sisters…. I had the same issue with my nipples (ha, the things we talk about on the net!) Check this out…. https://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/bfinfo/vasospasm
You may want to look into “nipple warmers” (!) Ha, sounds hilarious, but it helps.
Hi! First of all, congrats! Its very exciting! I’m new to reading your blog and I think its awesome! I just had a little baby girl 4 months ago, and we don’t use powder. I was told that its no longer recommended because little babies can inhale it into their lungs, and its really not necessary anyway.
As far as your nursing bras and feeling like a milk factory, I’m sure everyone has given you tons of advice, I know there was no shortage of it when I was about to have my baby…all I will say is hang in there, the first 6 weeks can be really hard and you will feel like a milk factory, but it does get better! It really does.
Good luck! Its so fun and amazing! 🙂
I’m so excited for you 🙂 My little man is 4 months old. Time is going to fly for you!
Just in case you haven’t had the chance to hear some of this info, this is a great link on spinal development, and it has a section on the effects of “crotch dangler” baby carriers like the Baby Bjorn. Of course it’s always a lot of he-said, she-said… but I decided on an Ergobaby and my little man adores it. So comfy for me too.
http://www.sleepywrap.com/Research/uprightposition.pdf
1. As for changing pad covers… I only have two and that is plenty! In the early weeks (when we had lots of accidents) I just laid down a folded receiving blanket under him so if he peed, I could quickly move it and not change the cover. Worked like a charm 🙂
2. Cloth diapers… we did disposables for a month. Our little peanut was just too small! But once we did start, I found the fuzzibunz to fit him much better than BumGenius. But I have a friend that swears by them! It totally depends on the baby’s body shape. My little man is long and lean, and the Fuzzibunz One Size work perfect. The Perfect Size actually seem bulkier on him.
Also… I bought a cloth diaper bag that I just put in a normal kitchen trash bin. I wash every other day, and 24 diapers are the perfect number. If I end up having to skip an extra day, usually I’m still fine; but it gets stinky so you don’t want to go too long anyway!
3. Wipes… a lot of people in the cloth diapering community like cloth wipes, but I found that they irritated his bum; I can’t find a fabric that is softer than a damp disposable wipe. I just use organic, unscented ones.
4. Diaper creams…. you can only use certain ones with cloth diapers, so make sure you look into that! I’m not even sure which are good and which aren’t; with breastfeeding, he hasn’t had any rashes. I’m sure once he starts solids I’ll have to find it though.
Those are just my opinions on things. But really, everyone’s experiences are different and I am a firm believer that what’s right for you and your baby is a totally personal choice. There are always arguments for and against everything. Everything you decide will be decided out of love for your little one. 🙂 But turning to those who have experienced it certainly helps!!! I took a ton of advice when I was pregnant, and now as a new mom. But some times I smile politely and do the complete opposite… and that’s okay!!!! 😉
You will LOVE the BumGenius 4.0s! We did the same as you are planning to do – disposables in the beginning, then transitioned to cloth at about 1 month old.
I don’t have kids – BUT, as far as the changing table covers – at the hospital, they had a bunch of disposal covers, like for the scale and such – which look very similar to the “pee pads” people get for puppy potty training, so when my nephew was born, my brother & sister-in-law asked to take a bunch home (the nurses were cool with it). While not a long term thing, obviously, the disposable pads worked great over the changing pad, especially in the beginning as they (ahem, my brother) got used to changing the little guy. And when there were poop explosions, they just threw the cover away.
You are the cutest pregnant person in history. I’ve been reading your blog for over a year now because you taught me how to make oatmeal in a crockpot. So thank you for that.
You & Kyle are doing great. My info is 10 years old by now, but Bravado nursing bras were my favorite. Leopard print, cuz why not? And keep that pack in play close-2 hour feedings can last more than a few weeks, and it’s worth it. Our 10 year old isn’t in our bedroom anymore, I promise.
awww, thanks so much jen!!
im all about the leopard print! anything to make that area not so udder-like, right?
im glad your 10 year old has graduated from the pack n play in your bedroom 🙂
omg erin you are brilliant. how did i not think of that. i mean i give patients extra supply stuff to take home all the time!!! so so smart. definitely going to kiss up to the nurses so they hook me up 🙂
awesome! thanks so much claire 🙂
yay! thanks for all this info amy!!
thanks for the heads up re #4 – i had only heard of detergents and fabric softener having that effect on cloth diapers. ill have to look into the creams that do it now for sure.
thanks so much cherie. im glad you mentioned that about the powder.
lots of advice from moms is a-okay…the more i have to sort through the better. 🙂
we ARE kindred spirits!
ive been contemplating nipple warmers already!!! now i just have to find something like mothers direct in the US.
haha-yea, they said it was super convenient. Congrats to you and Kyle, you are simply adorable and I’m so excited for your little family!
Also, 2 thumbs up on the pack and play, they were on the fence about it,too, but LOVE it!
You look beautiful! I wouldn’t put any weight into how far you’re dilated right now. Lots of places don’t even do routine checks anymore. You can walk around at 3 cm for weeks, or be like me and I wasn’t dilated at all the day before mine was born. I wanted to second the advice about looking into a baby carrier other than the Bjorn. Not only are there more comfy ones for baby, but your back will thank you! I couldn’t believe the difference when I tried out some other kinds. I’m sure you have great hippie baby stores in your area where you can try out different carriers and wraps. For wipes, we used cloth wipes with the cloth diapers, do they all went into the same wash. Easy peasy 🙂
Something I learned about today is that many cities in Aus have something called a ‘nappy library’ (I guess they are called a diaper library over there!) where you can hire a whole heap of different kinds of nappies on a weekly basis and see which ones work best for you before committing to a certain brand. Might be worth seeing if there is something similar where you live?
Well, my “baby” is going to turn 6 next week (it really DOES fly by insanely quickly…keep this in mind when you’re living through the first 6 weeks!), but the ONE thing I remember literally doing a happy dance over was Lily Padz.
I hated how so many breastpads leaked and were visible through clothes, but these things were lifesavers. I wouldn’t wear them when you’re terribly engorged, but when you get into a routine and get to know your nursing schedule a little better, you will LOVE them.
are they reusable or disposable? either way, thanks for the rec!
Reusable (environmentally/hippie friendly!). 🙂
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004BD64ES?ie=UTF8&force-full-site=1&ref_=aw_bottom_links
They stick to you, so follow washing and drying instructions to the letter, but they lasted a long time for me with no problem!
awesome! thanks so so much for the link 🙂
Oooh I had a baby recently so I’m all over these baby posts!
We cloth diaper and love Fuzzibunz. I have a mix of bumgenius and fuzzibunz for the most part, with a couple of organic cotton velour fitteds with a rearz cover, and a few prefolds and covers, too. I actually bought 25 medium fuzzibunz used (gasp, I know some people think that’s gross; I just doubt our baby’s poop is that much more wonderful than anyone else’s, and that’s the point of laundering things, right?)… I’ve been so glad I did; we just love them and it only cost me $100. There’s nothing cuter than a little cloth diapered baby butt.
We also have some Fuzzibunz One Size, which actually don’t work as well now that Nell is bigger (she’s a 21+ lb 8 month old chubster :)) but were our favorites when she was smaller.
I wash my diapers about every third day. I’m glad we have somewhere around 35 pocket diapers… I work part time and things are busy so I’m glad to know that if I have to stretch an extra day without laundering, I’ll still have some of our ‘favorites’ to use for night diapers, taking with her to babysitters, etc, and not run out and have to use the diapers that we’ve found to leak more or be less reliable.
We use cloth wipes too, and I love that it’s easy to toss diaper + wipe into the wet bag together. My husband loves that it feels more ‘durable’ or ‘solid’ or something, like there’s a little something more there than with a disposable wipe.
I love the California Baby calendula cream. Weleda calendula diaper rash cream is great. Nell has hardly had any diaper rash difficulties, fortunately, but someone gave us some of that and it seems good. You do have to watch what rash creams you use with cloth diapers because of repellency issues.
Regarding baby wearing, I’ve heard that the Baby Bjorn isn’t as good for babies’ hips and spine. I am by no means judging people that use it, I know some love it, and it’s more affordable than the Ergo or the Beco, but I just thought I’d throw that out there in case you hadn’t come across that info. I have used a Bjorn before and found it really pulled down on my shoulders and wasn’t very comfy. We own an Ergo and LOVE it. Nell loves riding around in it and is so happy to survey the world from safe in her ‘pouch.’ They are pricier but you can always look around for used baby things… almost everything we own we got used (for money reasons and environmental, I guess), and usually baby stuff is still in good condition because people use it for such a brief time period. Just wanted to share my experience in that regard!
again thanks so much sarah marie!!
this diaper info is so helpful to have. it seems like the fit varies baby by baby, so ill wait to buy any more of anything until i know what works w my guy.
someone else mentioned the same thing about the bjorn. i read the article. we will see.
I second the bravado nursing bras. I shied away initially because of the cost, and bought some cheaper ones, but my mom bought me a few bravado bras and one of the nursing tanks and I’ve gotten more mileage out of those than any of the cheaper ones – especially once I went back to work.
I also have a bunch of nursing tanks from Gillian & Gillian (Target) – I liked the ones that do not have the “boob holsters” but instead are just like a normal built-in-shelf bra with snaps.
Diaper Cream: I found that my baby doesn’t really need it all that frequently – so I’m still on the one tiny container of Burts Bees Diaper Cream that we got at our shower, but it’s definitely my favorite (we were given a few different kinds but the others aren’t as thick and are smellier). The first mini-tube we got is almost gone (this is at 13 months) and I’ve been pricing it out at different stores and noticed that it’s several dollars cheaper at the local grocery store (Nugget) than at Target or Safeway.
Nursing Pads: I leaked like crazy for months and months. I started with the disposable pads and then after 4 months when my milk leveled off some, I switched to Bamboobies. They worked better than any of the other washable ones I received. I actually had to keep using them until ~ 9 mths (which I know is longer than many) and they’re still in good shape and will be ready to go for our next kid (worth the price).
I was worried about switching to cloth “too early” and since my girl was small we waited until she was 10 weeks. In hindsight I probably would’ve switched over much earlier. I was amazed at how easy I found cloth diapers.
I found so much of the stuff we thought we needed went unused – we eventually returned a bunch for store credit. Also you can always find baby clothes at thrift stores/garage sales that are in great shape. If there are nursery schools nearby they will probably have semi-annual rummage sales/swaps.
Carrier: I stressed about this way too much. We started out with a moby wrap, and while that’s good for around the house, it wasn’t my favorite for running errands. I know tons of people who have an Ergo carrier and love it, and I have a Beco Gemini which is similar and that’s become our go-to carrier. If you have friends with carriers you might just ask to borrow a few to try out and then decide which works best for you.
thanks for all the advice anna…i agree about over-buying.
im just taking in all these recommendations (glad to have them here on the blog as a resource to look back on), but for now ive stopped buying stuff because i have the basics.
and w all this mama wisdom, i can just order the items people recommended as we need them from amazon or whatever 🙂
the bravado ones do look like the most simple but well made and functional. ive bookmarked a few for potential purchasing…
i got one target tank (gillian o’malley or whatever that brand is called) and its okay. its hard to know how itll fit since right now ive got a huge belly and my boobs are probably not the size theyll be once my milk comes in. we will see!
I thought of commenting a while ago on this post, but hesitated, then was inspired again by a friend to share my cloth diaper knowledge. You really need AT LEAST 25 cloth diapers. More is always better. My absolute faves are BumGenius Free-time all-in-one, BumGenius pocket diapers, Tot Bots all-in-ones, & Fuzzi Buns pocket diapers. Remember to wash every other day, never let them sit more than 36-48 hours. I recomend using a fleece or flannel doubler for overnight & car rides. I LOVE the GroVia diaper stick as a cloth diaper friendly diaper rash cream. I use it every night since our little man sleeps for about 8 hours at night. Also, cloth wipes are great. We use a combo of disposable and cloth wipes, but the cloth are tons better for removing poop gently. Planet Wise has the best dirty diaper storage bags. We have a large one that goes in our sealed diaper pail & 2 zippered travel ones for on the go. They are awesome! My favorite detergents for diapers are Rockin Green & Ecos Free & Clear. Also, be sure to get a good sprayer that attaches to your toilet. For proper storage & cleaning, soiled diapers need to be free from as much organic material as possible, & a sprayer is the easiest way to go.
On a side note, I was a bit surprised to read that you seemed hesitant about having baby in the room with you at night. As a crunchy mama, I can say with absolute certainty that co-sleeping was one of the best decisions my husband and I have made as parents. Our guy sleeps in our bed as he falls asleep, then we put him in our Arms Reach co-sleeper then he’s back in bed for feedings and in the morning. Don’t second guess yourself, you’re right that you’ll probably want your baby in your room at night, so having that pack & play in your room is a great idea. In fact, the current recommendation is that babies room share with their parents until they’re 6 months old. You seem very prepared, but most importantly, very excited to be an awesome mom! Congrats!
You are going to be an awesome mom!!
thank you so so much kori!
seriously this is all such wonderful advice and i really appreciate you taking the time to share your knowledge. 🙂