My friend (and former co-worker) Sara had her first baby last May. We've been corresponding recently—go figure—regarding motherhood. Here are her very much appreciated responses to a list of questions I sent her...Midwife or doctor? I had a doctor, whom you only see toward the end. The people who are your saviors are the nurses, who are with you from the moment you check in. Of course, shifts change and so do your nurses. So if you’re picky about that, then maybe a midwife to be with you all the way? It’s all very personal. I didn’t much care.
Oh, and ask for it early because you have to get a whole bag of fluids in you first (via IV) and then it’s a long process and then it takes about 20 minutes to kick in. Gawd, the flashbacks.
Get foods that are easy to eat at room temp. I had my mom make me a huge bowl of fruit salad and I could dip into it at any time. Assembling meals or trying to eat them hot is almost impossible in the beginning.
If you plan on nursing, take a course. Stick with nursing for 3-4 weeks and then you’ll be a pro at it. Find a pediatrician that has a lactation consultant on staff!
Find a friend with a baby around the same age as yours whom you can talk with and hang out with. I’m so grateful for my friend Gloria and we are inseparable now.
What baby gear could you not live without? Bumbo or Bebe Pod? Peg Perego or Macleren? Avent or Dr. Brown's? (Gloria = my friend who’s baby girl, Clara, is just a few weeks older than Ian. Corey = my older sister and Avery’s mom.)
Gloria and I chose Bumbo chairs because they’re made of a softer material, not hard plastic. Corey got the Bumbo too because Avery’s physical therapist recommended it; the PT said the back is higher and supports the babies’ backs better.
Everyone I’ve spoken with says Dr. Brown’s are a pain to clean because of all the small parts. Some babies who are colicky have to use them, however. We use Avent and we love them. As babies get older, there are handles and soft sippy cup nipples that you can add on and everything is interchangeable. You could do what we did: get the Dr. Brown’s and keep you receipt; return them if you have luck with the Avent; but if you don’t and you need the Dr. B’s then you have them on hand.
Oh, get the microwave steam sterilizer. So great. We used it for bottles, pacifiers, pump parts… everything plastic.
Peg Perego or Macleren? Depends on how susceptible you are to “stroller envy.” I got the Graco Metrolite (because it felt really sturdy to me and also manageable in terms of weight). We love it. DO get the system so you can just snap the car seat into the base. Gloria’s sister had to replace her Macleren already because it didn’t stand up to the wear and tear of two kids. I had to contend with serious stroller envy because Corey and Gloria BOTH got that $800 Bugaboo jobby. Oy. It’s nice, but not $800 nice.
Don’t overspend. Get what’s reliable and positively reviewed.
Other things: The Fisher Price papazan swing. Absolutely could not have lived without it.
An activity mat. Once they get interested in things, they’ll lie there and enjoy it forever, giving you time to do other things. Make sure it has a mirror. Gloria and I have the TinyLove jungle themed one.
An exersaucer. Can’t live with out. Corey and I have the Baby Einstein one and love it.
1 comment:
I just want to add my two cents about the epidural: you can have babies without them - wait and see how you feel. I like pain killers as much as the next person, but in retrospect I'm glad I didn't have one - I feel like I pushed for less time without. Some moms push for less time when they do have an epidural. Keep options open!
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