Little guy is scheduled to arrive tomorrow. Any last minute tips or advice?
- Thread starter weixiao
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- newborns tips and tricks
missrancher
New member
@weixiao You’ve probably already done this but make sure your place is clean af to come home to. We planned to have a maid come in the day before my wife was scheduled for a c section but baby decided to come a couple days before that and without us having time to clean up. Place was a mess. We were in the hospital for a few days so I did come back one day for a a few hours and clean what I could but I really wish we had the maid in to make things sparkling clean.
Also you guys will be on cloud nine but also will be dealing with sleep deprivation. Just know that both of you are dealing with it and be considerate of that. The sleep deprivation sucks.
Also you guys will be on cloud nine but also will be dealing with sleep deprivation. Just know that both of you are dealing with it and be considerate of that. The sleep deprivation sucks.
corderadegracia
New member
@missrancher Also it’s fine if you aren’t on cloud 9. Haha.
1stbrownhorse
New member
@weixiao Your fourth trimester may not look like what you think or what others have experienced and that's ok. It's a very personal and individual thing. I didn't have a massive hormone dump after delivery and generally haven't been intensely emotional.
The day two advice given here is amazing - get as much sleep as you can after birth on day one. Ask for help and accept it willingly. The nurses at the hospital are a wealth of knowledge and do this all day - use them as a resource for help with feeding or questions you may have. They've heard it all.
Your and your husband's instincts will kick in. You've got this and will be amazing parents to your little one. Anything you've forgotten can be acquired on Amazon or via Instacart. Congratulations!
The day two advice given here is amazing - get as much sleep as you can after birth on day one. Ask for help and accept it willingly. The nurses at the hospital are a wealth of knowledge and do this all day - use them as a resource for help with feeding or questions you may have. They've heard it all.
Your and your husband's instincts will kick in. You've got this and will be amazing parents to your little one. Anything you've forgotten can be acquired on Amazon or via Instacart. Congratulations!
@weixiao You might not sleep for one night, or two. After not sleeping the first night, the second night was really bad - baby cried hungry, but no milk yet. It gets better though. Just have baby on breast whenever they cry, if you plan on breastfeeding.
You might start sweating (stinky sweat). Started with the first contraction for me.
You will meet your baby finally, just remember you might not fall in love right away.. The love came for me when I really got to know my babies (3 monthish). Previously I was just feeling responsible for them.
You've got this. Enjoy the newborn cuddles. They truly are the best (when there's no crying).
You might start sweating (stinky sweat). Started with the first contraction for me.
You will meet your baby finally, just remember you might not fall in love right away.. The love came for me when I really got to know my babies (3 monthish). Previously I was just feeling responsible for them.
You've got this. Enjoy the newborn cuddles. They truly are the best (when there's no crying).
@weixiao Use the DND sign at the hospital to get rest.
Milk may take some time to come in. This is normal. Use a pump, use formula. Get a lactation consultant you vibe with.
You will be emotional. Permission to cry at the littlest things.
The next 3 months will be wild but will go super fast. Try to embrace this period. You will hate and love it at the same time.
Congratulations to you both. You will be fine, really.
Sincerely, FTM to a 4.5 month old boy.
Milk may take some time to come in. This is normal. Use a pump, use formula. Get a lactation consultant you vibe with.
You will be emotional. Permission to cry at the littlest things.
The next 3 months will be wild but will go super fast. Try to embrace this period. You will hate and love it at the same time.
Congratulations to you both. You will be fine, really.
Sincerely, FTM to a 4.5 month old boy.
@weixiao As a labor and delivery nurse, and someone who just had their second baby a few months ago, go into your labor and delivery with an open mind. It’s ok to have a “plan” but understand that the plan can change very quickly. Listen to your team and advocate for yourself. Don’t get caught up in your expectations (as I see a lot of moms do). Do whats right and safe for you and your baby. And don’t be afraid to ask for help/for them to take baby to nursery for a few hours (if available). You need to care for yourself and rest as much as possible!
@weixiao Try not to get frustrated when you can’t do xyz.. a baby makes their own schedule. It can be difficult when their nap gets interrupted while you were in the middle of doing dishes or whatever and you have to stop what you were doing to attend to a crying baby. Just remember that they are biologically built to be near us and touching us for comfort. As hard as it is to be constantly needed.. it is a phase and it will eventually pass. It will be very very hard and very emotional those first few weeks. I still get frustrated months later and I have to constantly remind myself “I’m his world and he needs me, I can get back to this task later.”
Try to work together as a team and if you are frustrated, it’s most likely just lack of sleep and nothing your partner is doing. What I would say to my husband when i lashed out is “I’m sorry I’m not actually mad at you. I’m just overwhelmed with everything”. You will need a lot of care postpartum from your husband but I also tried to do little things for my husband when I could like make him a cup of coffee unexpected while he was rocking baby to sleep. And he of course did the same for me. You will get through it! And when you get that first smile it will all be worth it
Try to work together as a team and if you are frustrated, it’s most likely just lack of sleep and nothing your partner is doing. What I would say to my husband when i lashed out is “I’m sorry I’m not actually mad at you. I’m just overwhelmed with everything”. You will need a lot of care postpartum from your husband but I also tried to do little things for my husband when I could like make him a cup of coffee unexpected while he was rocking baby to sleep. And he of course did the same for me. You will get through it! And when you get that first smile it will all be worth it
coffeegrinder
New member
@weixiao If you are having a vaginal birth, I recommend ordering a water enema to make pooping easier while healing (and beyond)! In the market they are called anal bulbs and I do not know what I would have done without mine. The hospital will provide a lot to help heal hopefully like tucks pads, peri bottle, stool softener, etc. Anal bulb is a necessity for me! Going bathroom afterwards may be very painful. Good luck!
@weixiao 1) EASE into pumping. You don’t know how your milk supply will react and oversupply is not fun and it can cause feeding issues just like under supply.
If you have latching problems in the beginning, I highly recommend supplementing with formula - not trying to pump all the extra supply. I was told to supplement, and I thought “I will do it it all with breast milk”. So I pumped four times over like eight hours on day 3 and my milk went into oversupply, breasts became very engorged and the engorgement didn’t go down for a week, leaving scar tissue deep in my breasts.
Using formula that early is not a sentence to fail at breastfeeding - it took us a couple weeks but now he’s EBF. The thing that did stick around? The scars.
If you have latching problems in the beginning, I highly recommend supplementing with formula - not trying to pump all the extra supply. I was told to supplement, and I thought “I will do it it all with breast milk”. So I pumped four times over like eight hours on day 3 and my milk went into oversupply, breasts became very engorged and the engorgement didn’t go down for a week, leaving scar tissue deep in my breasts.
Using formula that early is not a sentence to fail at breastfeeding - it took us a couple weeks but now he’s EBF. The thing that did stick around? The scars.
- Make sure you have a lot of quick calorie dense snacks on hand. I was hungry like an Olympic athlete when my milk came in. Pickup like a big box of kind bars (something you can eat in the middle of the night from bed). And maybe like a bunch of freezer burritos or some quick hot foods you can toast/microwave. We had a bunch of Costco apps leftover from shower and those plates of mini-quiche saved me when I was ravenous and waiting for dinner.
bassgasmask
New member
@weixiao Girl, take some gravol the first time. I was EXHAUSTED from giving birth but I couldn’t sleep for days because I was just shocked about what the heck I had been thru!!! The baby slept so much, and the nurses we’re there and even had him in the nursery overnight so I could sleep. I wish I would of taken something to help me sleep the first or second night 
And bring extra clothes. I brought 2 lougewear sets and a pair of pjs but let me tell you, I sweated thru EVERYTHING. I wish I had a dozen more outfits - and fuck the whole “only pack black pants”. Girl, with those diapers, no blood is getting anywhere. Pack the grey sweatpants and pinks pjs
And bring a good nice cup/waterbottles. Hospital iced water just hits different and it encouraged me to walk around to get more!
And bring extra clothes. I brought 2 lougewear sets and a pair of pjs but let me tell you, I sweated thru EVERYTHING. I wish I had a dozen more outfits - and fuck the whole “only pack black pants”. Girl, with those diapers, no blood is getting anywhere. Pack the grey sweatpants and pinks pjs
And bring a good nice cup/waterbottles. Hospital iced water just hits different and it encouraged me to walk around to get more!