Weekly Chat ~ Mar 11 - Mar 17 - Page 3 « Back to Group Discussions

[berrymama]

Originally Posted by TwilightJoy 

Thank you soooooo much N and Katie. Here's my list of what I think I need to buy... would you recommend any more or less of any of the quantities, or any items I'm forgetting? I want to make sure we're all set for when I come home from the hospital.

I'm feeling much more zen now. Thank you again for your advice!
 

Everyone develops such different preferences...but I will comment on what has worked for us with the previous 2 (they were winter babes though).

Baby:
- 10 NB size side snap shirts / onesies - this should be more than enough, even if you have a spitter. Have a variety of long and short sleeves
- 4-6 NB size footed pants - I only ever had about 3 pairs of pants at the most. In the first weeks, babe wore a long sleeved t-shirt, a diaper, and was wrapped in a blanket. No pants...even in winter. They were mostly on me (literally) so warm enough, and it made changing diapers every 1-2 hours much easier.
- 4-6 One piece foooted snap down outfits - love these for day or night - especially if there were visitors holding babe.
- 8 NB size nightgowns - personally never liked them because of how they were always bunching up. some people love them though.
- 2 sleep sacks - We either co-slept or swaddled in the beginning and didn't use these until babe was in their own sleep space - after 3-4 months or so. Used them a ton after that.
- Blankets for swaddling - Under the Nile has a 2 pack of stretchy jersey blankets that we loved for swaddling. Also, the waffle weave ones work great. The Miracle Blanket saved our lives!!!

Mama:
- Nursing nightgown - I loved a lightweight robe with only a nursing bra underneath for at home. Easy to open and do skin to skin without a ton of fabric in the way.
- 1 nursing bra now, 2 later once my milk comes in
- 1 box disposable pads - I would start with this and see if you continue to need them. I was another one that never leaked beyond the engorgement stage. I have 2 sets of wool (Lana something or other brand) pads that are naturally antimicrobial and only need a rinse occassionally...they are so nice and comfortable, but maybe not the the best option for summer.
- 4 washable pads
- Boppy or brest friend - I am in the boppy camp. Preference seems to depend a lot on a woman's body shape/breast size. I am slim and small chested, with a long torso, fwiw.

Add ons: at least 6-12 prefolds/burp cloths, some kind of head covering if you are going to be out and about (hat or bonnet type thing)

pumping stuff: lanolin, breastmilk storage bags (I like lansinoh)

[jacquelinej]

Originally Posted by TwilightJoy 

Thank you soooooo much N and Katie. Here's my list of what I think I need to buy... would you recommend any more or less of any of the quantities, or any items I'm forgetting? I want to make sure we're all set for when I come home from the hospital.

I'm feeling much more zen now. Thank you again for your advice!


Baby:
- 10 NB size side snap shirts / onesies
- 4-6 NB size footed pants
- 4-6 One piece foooted snap down outfits
- 8 NB size nightgowns
- 2 sleep sacks
- Blankets for swaddling

Mama:
- Nursing nightgown
- 1 nursing bra now, 2 later once my milk comes in
- 1 box disposable pads
- 4 washable pads
- Boppy or brest friend

I think this is about what I had for DD, although not what I have yet for DS, plus cloth diapering stuff, and diaper cream.

I did leak a lot with DD, so I also have the silicone Lily pads which were just stinking awesome for preventing leaks.  I'm one of those mammas that leaks when I hear any baby cry!  (Can you see me in a store with crying babies and me with my fingers in my ears humming so I don't hear it?  Yup, that's me).  I also used Lansinoh disposables which were nice because the lanolin was infused.  Not sure if they are still like that.  I also have these new Bamboobies to try: http://amzn.com/B004H60BZW.  They are organic and washable and are supposed to be pretty absorbant.  I used Pea in the Pod bras right now, but I'm also looking at the Bravado ones per recommendations from our birth class instructor.  I was just as happy with out a Boppy, so you might want to wait on that.  I felt like mine was a waste of money.  Our birth class instructor (doula and midwife as well) recommends not the Boppy but she says if you must have one, get the Breast Friend because the boppy has to go around your waist and it's tough to fit that pillow around your waist.  I ended up using 2-3 pillows stacked and it worked out so much better because baby wasn't too low to BF.  For nursing nightgown, I have bought one this time specifically for the hospital but also for afterwards.  I also have sleeping nursing bras for nighttime.  If I didn't wear one, the whole bed would be wet before the next feeding.

[nstewart]

Ya, I am one of those mammas that leaks a TON too.  I have very heavy let down and my milk would sometimes let down at the drop of a hat.  When he nursed on one side, I'd be leaking like mad on the other.  So I have purchased some bamboobies to try and fingers crossed they absorb enough. I leaked through all the re-usable nursing pads I tried last go-round.  I actually liked the Johnson's disposable nursing pads best, just personal preference.

Again, with the nursing pillows, I  think that it's very personal if you need/like one at all and as to what works best.  A really good friend of mine gave me a breast friend because she LOVED hers.  It did not work for me at all!  I had to lean way forward, and it was just awkward and uncomfortable.  I loved my "boppy style" pillow.  The brand is "Baby Buddy" and they're locally made so I don't know how they compare to others.  My friend is short (5'4") and has big breasts.  I am tall, 5'9" and I have a small chest.  

[jacquelinej]

So if you can believe this....

The rental agent emailed DH again yesterday saying that the plans for moving this tenant out had been altered yet again.

Oh, I am sure you know what happened at this point.

I came home from running to do 2 miserable errands I did not want to do.  The stress of this situation has really drained me and depressed me.  DH tells me "Come in, sit down, there's been a change with the move."  My blood pressure starting climbing immediately.  It's been too low most of this pregnancy until this move problem started.  The rental agent said that the tenant has a dr appointment on Wednesday so the movers couldn't come until Thursday morning and the cleaning people would come Thursday afternoon and we would get the key Friday morning at 8 am.  Right.

With the 'new plan', we were supposed to have keys on Wednesday at 8 am.  But the lease we have is already broken because we didn't get keys yesterday to move in as our lease states.  If we let them have their way again, we wouldn't be moving next weekend and we are flat out of time.  If we agreed to this, and there were any changes, we wouldn't have any time to notify our friends, or cancel the truck for moving.  Which means it would start costing us money.  As of next week, if DS comes early like DD did, I have 4 weeks before birth.  DH explained this situation in detail to the rental agent and his response was a brief: "I'm not happy with it either."  Not happy?  Not happy??  

I said No.  No way.  No how.  Not playing this game another minute.

I got on my laptop and believe it or not, found a great apartment near the area where we want to be in a good school district and close to the commuter train stations.  We had avoided apartments before because of the problem of waiting for a top floor apartment plus the added cost of a top floor apartment.  I called them, the prices were right in our range, with the square footage we needed.  I told DH, we immediately left to see it.  And good thing we did.  Right time, right place, right price.

They had 2 apartments, one on the 2nd floor, not ideal.  They had one apartment that was on the 3rd floor of a building with no elevator.  Not great.  But no neighbors above us.  And a good layout.  It was discounted monthly rent and had 6 weeks of free rent.  We signed the lease today and started moving in.  Finally, a break for us.  We move furniture this Friday.  I hope we still have friends left to help.

The rental agent is gaping at us as we tell him we expect our deposits back in 3 business days.  He says "I think this plan will work." - obviously he is delusional if he expects us to trust him.  To which we say "And?  What should we do?  We have signed a lease, and we are moving to a different place tomorrow.  Good luck and good riddance."

Whew.  I am so looking forward to sleeping in my bed after abandoning it 10 months ago.

[jacquelinej]

Originally Posted by nstewart 

Ya, I am one of those mammas that leaks a TON too.  I have very heavy let down and my milk would sometimes let down at the drop of a hat.  When he nursed on one side, I'd be leaking like mad on the other.  So I have purchased some bamboobies to try and fingers crossed they absorb enough. I leaked through all the re-usable nursing pads I tried last go-round.  I actually liked the Johnson's disposable nursing pads best, just personal preference.

Again, with the nursing pillows, I  think that it's very personal if you need/like one at all and as to what works best.  A really good friend of mine gave me a breast friend because she LOVED hers.  It did not work for me at all!  I had to lean way forward, and it was just awkward and uncomfortable.  I loved my "boppy style" pillow.  The brand is "Baby Buddy" and they're locally made so I don't know how they compare to others.  My friend is short (5'4") and has big breasts.  I am tall, 5'9" and I have a small chest.  

I am not tall, just 5'5", but I found I had to lean WAY over to BF and it really aggravated my back.  I have a long torso, so this is apparently the cause.  I don't know if I tried the Johnson and Johnson ones but I tried everything on the block, and I always had to have 2 pads on each side.  I went through them so fast and I want to avoid the cost and waste of it if I can.  

nstewart did your baby have problems with latch on due to too much milk?  This is how I ended up pumping and BFing in the first week and stock piling milk. I had so much milk, DD couldn't latch on correctly.  We had this problem almost the whole time after I stopped pumping with the hospital grade pump (big mistake, won't make that one again).  I had to pump a bit first, then BF her, then give her the beginning of the milk a little later.

[nstewart]

Great news about the apartment Jackie!  I'm really glad you found a place, and you must feel SOOOOO relieved! I hope that your stress level goes way down and babe stays baking until he's full term!

Quote:

Originally Posted by jacquelinej 

nstewart did your baby have problems with latch on due to too much milk?  This is how I ended up pumping and BFing in the first week and stock piling milk. I had so much milk, DD couldn't latch on correctly.  We had this problem almost the whole time after I stopped pumping with the hospital grade pump (big mistake, won't make that one again).  I had to pump a bit first, then BF her, then give her the beginning of the milk a little later.

DS didn't have a hard time latching, but as soon as my milk let down I'd have to unlatch him, and let it just "pour" (for lack of a better word!) into a face cloth.  When the flow slowed down I would re-latch him and he would nurse no problem.  Of course, he was mad at being unlatched but chocked otherwise.  I also only nursed one side per feeding, otherwise he would get too much fore milk, not enough hind milk due to over production, and one side was always worse for having a heavy let down than the other, so he did prefer nursing off one side more than the other.

Edited by nstewart - 3/16/13 at 8:21pm

[Paceman]

Originally Posted by nstewart 

DS didn't have a hard time latching, but as soon as my milk let down I'd have to unlatch him, and let it just "pour" (for lack of a better word!) into a face cloth.  When the flow slowed down I would re-latch him and he would nurse no problem.  Of course, he was mad at being unlatched but chocked otherwise.  I also only nursed one side per feeding, otherwise he would get too much fore milk, not enough hind milk due to over production, and one side was always worse for having a heavy let down than the other, so he did prefer nursing off one side more than the other.

This EXACTLY!  I had a big stack of dollar store face clothes and never went anywhere without them.  I think I had to wear nursing pads for a year (my milk took that long to regulate) to help with the leaking especially on the side I wasn't nursing on.  Although if I had to have a breastfeeding "issue" I am glad it was one of over supply.  This time I am really interested in trying more laid back nursing.  If you haven't read about it check out this link. http://www.biologicalnurturing.com/video/bn3clip.html 

[CoBabyMaker]

Jac,   So glad you found a place!  I'm sorry you had so much hassle with the last one but I am so glad you found a new place that sounds like it will suit your needs well.

Re: Bamboobies,   I have a few pairs to try also.  A friend of mine said they were NOT absorbent enough for her so I am curious to see how they work for you ladies.  I don't leak much so I am thinking I will be ok but I am not sure how it would go if I leaked more. 

Bailey, Are you doing ok? 

Well, I feel like it was a productive weekend.  We have tile on the bathroom floor!  My brother is doing the tile and he is one who is pretty driven so I am hoping progress will happen a little faster now.  He is hoping to grout tomorrow and then start on the shower once that is set!  We could even have the toilet and vanity in this week!  I am so excited about having the toilet in there again!  Walking the extra 12 feet to the other bathroom in the middle of the night (times two) is inconvenient.    <----- first world problem.

I got some sewing done too.  I finished making some zippered pouches to help organize the diaper bag and embroidered a tag with baby's name for the diaper bag.  I don't usually leave my babies much  though so i joked with DH that in 18 months when I try to leave baby in the church nursery the bag will be labeled and ready.    I am trying to use up scrap fabric so I started another quilt top but it's all pink fabrics and everyone I know is having boys so I guess I'll save it for a while.  At least it will be out of my scrap baskets.  Anyone need a pink quilt?

I am a bit relieved that DH has decided not to go on a mission trip to Mexico that was scheduled for the week after Easter.  They go down and build houses for people and it's a really neat thing but just hard timing this year.  I was excited for him to have the opportunity to do it but he was just uneasy about leaving us all right now.  With how tired I have been the last few evenings I am glad that he will be here.

[BaileyB]

Originally Posted by CoBabyMaker 

Bailey, Are you doing ok? 

Yes. I had a NST and prenatal this morning. Baby and I are doing great and doctor doesn't think she will be coming anytime in the next few weeks, so that is good. Other than being perfectly healthy and what-not I am having a really frustrating time with my doctors. I will post more later once I cool down because I could write a whole 10 page rant right now about hospitals and their policies, healthcare in general, liability crap. Basically if I hear them use the excuse of "just in case" one more time when they can't tell me what the "just in case" might be my head might explode.

[nstewart]

Originally Posted by BaileyB 

Yes. I had a NST and prenatal this morning. Baby and I are doing great and doctor doesn't think she will be coming anytime in the next few weeks, so that is good. Other than being perfectly healthy and what-not I am having a really frustrating time with my doctors. I will post more later once I cool down because I could write a whole 10 page rant right now about hospitals and their policies, healthcare in general, liability crap.

Bailey, sorry to hear you are dealing with stressful b/s, but I am so glad to hear you and baby are doing well.  You've both been on my mind.