hey mamas!
just wanted a little thread in here to help our mommy brains.
i've started a checklist on my computer and also in the notebook that i keep in my bag at all times. it's really been helping!
we found our pediatrician today, she was really wonderful and i'm so thrilled. we can share our lists here or just inspire everyone to gather & pace themselves.
i'll post mine after i do some updates!
Good idea! I have a list of stuff to buy/procure on my fridge. There are asterisks next to the must-have items before 37 weeks (homebirth supplies, car seat, nursing pillow, bassinet/moses basket, k'tans). Other stuff off the top of my head:
-call doctor's office about adding care for the little guy (luckily we already having an amazing ped!)
-wash and sort baby laundry
-set aside homebirth supplies in basket
I know there must be more... right? Will keep tabs on this thread :)
here is my list. it's long, but seems less daunting when i see it there in front of me.
*i'm taking things off the list on here as i complete them. it will be nice to see it dwindle.
to do:
have baby!
great idea! here is most of my list, i've been keeping it on the computer/phone.. seems less overwhelming getting it out there!
Birth supplies to buy/gather/organize:
- hose to fill pool
- air pump for pool
- tarp
- borrow/pick up birth tub (from a friend)
- birth kit
- pool liner
- wash towels/wash cloths for birth
- freeze wash cloths in baggies for post-birth
-Clean downstairs bathroom (we don't normally use this bathroom, but it will be the closest to the birth pool)
-organize Birth kit supplies in basket in birthing area/room, find PJs/robe for post-birth
- (make a detailed list of birth supplies that need to be gathered and purchased)
- buy EPO
- fill birth ball (a bit low on air)
- 5 gal bucket
- paper bags
-trash bags
- lined trash can
- hamper
- Blanket for me
- towels for baby
Other baby related stuff to do
- wash baby clothes & cloth diapers
- organize changing table etc.
- order birth kit and pool liner
- wash carseat/swing etc covers
- make sure to have clean sheets
- waterproof pad on mattress
- order baby soap
house/sewing projects
-kitchen backsplash tile (backordered til 1st week of Jan)
-kitchen cabinet painting
-kitchen window bench cushion (make/sew cover/buy fabric)
-make carseat-size blanket
-4+ other baby blankets (fabric cut, just need to sew)
-make new cloth napkins
-organize stuff in new kitchen cabinets
-clean out fridge/freezer, move stuff to new fridge freezer (delivery 12/21)
- organize pantry
- make baby wipes
cooking/Food list - for the freezer (on hold until the freezer is delivered)
black beans
Rice milk concentrate
Bread (2/6+ loafs, GF, Vegan)
Muffins (2/6doz, GF, Vegan)
corn muffins (1doz)
Granola bars (x 4 - 1doz frozen)
coconut milk ice cream (1batch frozen)
chocolate pie frozen
pinto - 16 cups frozen
Garbanzo beans (12 cups frozen)
Granola bars - 20+ in freezer
Muffins 1 doz apple
Muffins 2 doz blueberry
Wow, these are some great lists!!
Maybe we're crazy, but #1 on our list is....pack and move!!
We're moving to a new rental some time (hopefully very early!!) in the new year.
Other than that...
Gather home birth supplies (have most already - just need to get them together)
Pack a just in case hospital bag
Wash newborn clothes
Strip cloth diapers
Luckily there will be a number of adults around to feed and pamper me in the days and weeks following birth....
Baby Stuff:
Strip diapers
Washing crib bedding and put it on
Pack hospital bag and put carseats in the van (bag goes in next week, carseats Jan 1)
call hospital about monitors
get humidifier
make hats
Me stuff:
Get a haircut and a pedicure
Shave or trim :) (i seriously cannot reach, so this is DH's job)
find my regular size yoga pants and clothes so that they are accessible for after birth
buy myself some socks
Other stuff:
Write a letter to Ada
Get van cleaned out (professionally vacuumed)
pay all the bills a month in advance
make sure we have plenty of groceries, cat food, toilet paper, etc.
put the new sheets on my bed (jan 1)
Figure out a place to put the dishwasher so that we have room for our kitchen table to go back in the kitchen
Hand over my entire business to someone we hired to run it- terrifying.
...
Hand over my entire business to someone we hired to run it- terrifying.
I can just imagine.
These lists are reminding me how all the little stuff adds up! We've been busting our butts getting some big stuff done, and just about have it squared away, and now you're telling me I can't just sit back and incubate babies?
In the past month we've
And I've been pushing myself a little too hard working on these projects, of course. And the whole house has been turned upside down with almost all of our bedroom and pantry/mudroom contents in the living room, which has been hard on DD. And my in-laws are coming for an early Christmas visit tomorrow, so we've had to really push to get everything back in order and put away and cleaned up. I'm about to drop.
Still to do:
whew!
This list just keeps growing...
-Clean fridge
- Reorganize and clean closets
- Hound DH to caulk bathtub
- Clean cabinets
-Sterilize pump, pacifiers and bottles (just in case)
-Pick up Baby Tylenol
-Make some freezer meals:
-Finish playlists and burn labour cds
-Buy big bottle of witch hazel
-Contact the benefits adviser at work
Done!!
Here goes:
DECEMBER - Baby prep
Switch the bedroom and office furniture (office is much bigger and can accommodate baby stuff + us)
Send curtains in for cleaning
Have extra furniture we don't have room for picked up & hauled away
Buy a Swiss ball
Book prenatal massages
JANUARY - Baby prep
Pack a hospital bag - Just in case we don't make it to 37 weeks
Fill out the hospital registration form and put in baby bag
Fill out an insurance form and put in baby bag
Send out shower thank-yous
Order must-have stuff online that doesn't come via the shower
Get breast pump
Buy car seat
Call pediatrician my midwife referred me to
Book the post-natal wrapping lady
Take myself for a facial and mani pedi
Put together the basinette and bouncer
Call insurance company and start the paperwork for the baby's insurance policy
Pre-print forms for the Canadian and British Embassies to start citizenship process
FEBRUARY - birth prep (if we get to 37 weeks we can birth at home! yay)
Pick up birth kit
Do a trial run of setting up the birth tub
New sets of sheets (so we can afford to destroy a few sets)
Extra yoga mats to go under birth pool
More towels and face cloths
Waterproof mattress cover
4 more pillows
Strong garbage bags
Sitz bath
Large bowl for placenta
Post birth herbs and salves
Post birth maxi pads
Disposable undies
Nursing pads
Stock up on power-snacks for labouring me and hungry birth companions
A few meals for the freezer
Underpads
Labour project: bake cookies
GREAT thread, thanks KellyBeth.
Now that I know the gender of my 2nd (and final) child, I finally can sort through my semi-hoarding collection of baby things. I can't wait to clean out the basement clutter! That's my biggest To Do item.
Otherwise...
to buy:
To cook/freeze:
Laundry!
House projects:
Self Care:
cooking/Food list - for the freezer (on hold until the freezer is delivered)
black beans
Rice milk concentrate (6-8 batches)
Bread (6+ loafs, GF, Vegan)
Muffins (6doz, GF, Vegan)
Granola bars (x 4?)
Brownies (black bean brownies)
Mushroom soup condensed (dairy/gluten free)
coconut milk ice cream
pinto - 16 cups frozen
Garbanzo beans (12 cups frozen)
Granola bars - 20+ in freezer
Muffins 1 doz apple
Muffins 1 doz blueberry
Staci, your food list looks awesome! I'm vegan too (cheating the last couple of weeks, but that's my optimal diet), and I have also done reduced wheat, so my list could look identical. Whoa--black bean brownies! I've never heard of these--they sounds brilliant! I'm definitely adding those to my list. Muffins sound brilliant, I'll do those too. Any protein gems or tricks like the brownies? I love adding chopped walnuts to spaghetti sauce--they give such a meaty texture and satisfying fullness to the sauce.
Staci, your food list looks awesome! I'm vegan too (cheating the last couple of weeks, but that's my optimal diet), and I have also done reduced wheat, so my list could look identical. Whoa--black bean brownies! I've never heard of these--they sounds brilliant! I'm definitely adding those to my list. Muffins sound brilliant, I'll do those too. Any protein gems or tricks like the brownies? I love adding chopped walnuts to spaghetti sauce--they give such a meaty texture and satisfying fullness to the sauce.
hmm.. protein i'll have to think about it more .. the brownies are AMAZING, i had to change the recipe to get rid of the eggs... we actually aren't vegan just have an entire family who can't tolerate dairy and my oldest has an egg allergy so our baking is all vegan (and GF, for ODD and DH) - i usually add beans or quinoa to sptg sauce .. i know beans sounds weird, but i love black beans in spgt sauce .. i saw this recipe the other day for protein bars i'm planning to add to my list (http://wholenewmom.com/whole-new-budget/homemade-protein-bars/) ..
Now that I am living with my family, my checklists have changed pretty dramatically. I will no longer be making any freezer meals because my Mom and sisters will be doing the cooking.
I have all my CDs, most of my birth supplies, all baby clothes washed and ready... I really don't have much to do anymore. I'll need to buy some brown towels for the birth and will get my birth kit from my m/w closer to the end and that's about it.
I need to strip and wash all the cloth diapers.... and tear apart the swings and wash and clean them, also need to wash up more bitty newborn clothes
Josie- glad you will have lots of help with baby, that's great!
These lists are great and reminding me of so many things I still need to do. Here is my list:
Baby big items we need:
Bouncy chair
Stroller
Diapers
Glider
To do:
Wash stains out of nb clothes
Wash smell out of diapers
Rearrange bedroom for baby
Set up co-sleeper
Get gift for A from baby
Order birth kit from confident beginnings at 34 weeks
Mattress protection
New sheets
Hose
Order tub
floating thermometer
Get breast pump checked
Install car seat
Contact someone about encapsulation/ placenta prints
Wash carriers
Make wipe solution
Set up meals list for 2 weeks PP
Find someone to convert dipes to snaps
Figure out school schedule
Thank you notes after shower
Hire house cleaner to do deep clean (still on bed rest so no cleaning for me)
For birth:
Recharge
Honey sticks
Trail mix
Heat pack
Paper towels
Placenta bowel
Draw cord blood for Coombs test
Call K to make groaning cake
Labor project: birthday cake and postpartum soup
For me:
Freeze pads w/ witch hazel
Nursing bras
OB Pads
Make birth necklace
Vag wax 37 weeks
Pedi 37 weeks
progress!
hmm.. protein i'll have to think about it more .. the brownies are AMAZING, i had to change the recipe to get rid of the eggs... we actually aren't vegan just have an entire family who can't tolerate dairy and my oldest has an egg allergy so our baking is all vegan (and GF, for ODD and DH) - i usually add beans or quinoa to sptg sauce .. i know beans sounds weird, but i love black beans in spgt sauce .. i saw this recipe the other day for protein bars i'm planning to add to my list (http://wholenewmom.com/whole-new-budget/homemade-protein-bars/) ..
Same here, Staci. We were vegetarians originally, but I have both egg and dairy allergies (and a moderate wheat allergy), hence the vegan-like diet! I've been big on putting quinoa into random things lately, I can totally picture it in tomato sauce. I hadn't even thought to do protein bars, I'll take a peek at those...
hubby is painting the baby room right now. 
hubby is painting the baby room right now.
how exciting!! :)
I have been checking things off my list.. we got our new fridge & freezer today -- now i can start food prep ! i love getting things checked off the list! 
I'm so proud of how teeny tiny my list is that I've been wanting to show it off for some time now:
-Clean fridge
-Sterilize pump, pacifiers and bottles (just in case)
-Pick up Baby Tylenol
-Make some freezer meals:
-Finish playlists and burn labour cds
-Buy big bottle of witch hazel
My hospital bag is packed, my birth plan is done, printed, reviewed with my doctor and packed, I've been washing all of her linens and clothes as I buy them, and her room is completely done with all the furniture and decor.
*does a little victory dance*
I have made 18 meals in the past 24 hours. There are no words for how tired I am right now and baby appears to be upset that I've been neglecting her because she's been beating me up for a good hour
This what I have left to do, and it needs to be done in the next week:
-Unpack carseats and put them in the van
-Pack a hospital bag and put it in the van
-Pack a bag for DD to have in the car to give grandparents
-Sterilize breast pump
-Wash crib sheets and mattress covers
-Set up pack n play and make sure its clean
-Make sure we have plenty of firewood in the
-Make sure van is clean and decluttered
-Get lightbulbs for lamp in the nursery
-Get a haircut and pedicure
-Wash and fill a drawer with postpartum clothes
-Print birth plan (IDK why this is taking me so long!!)
-Call the hospital to make sure that we are all set up to leave with apnea monitors
-Install lighting in laundry room
-Fix Ada's light fixture and light light fixture in the nursery
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