Strange things you were glad you had after baby was here

[Free Thinker]

Last time I liked having a flashlight, and a small one is on my Christmas list :LOL It's great for the middle of the night, when you don't want to turn any lights on, but need to change a diaper or check baby's latch. A nightlight just doesn't give off enough IMO.

Another thing, plenty of snack foods that you can eat w/ one hand. My DH said for months all he saw me doing was nursing the baby.

Lots of stuff to drink! You will be dying of thirst for a month or so! Get Gatorade type stuff, and water

[TwinMom]

Bendy straws! Dh could hold a glass for me and I could drink no matter what position I was in so that I could nurse. I could never have imagine how dehydrated I would be for weeks!

[HelloKitty]

Similar to the flashlight thing - I liked those stupid push lights that they use to sell on tv and now sell at like discount stores - they are round circles and you push them to turn on the light. I had a small one near the changing area and it was the perfect amount of light - not too bright and not too dark like a nightlight, had another one in the bedroom on my nightstand so if I needed to see baby for some reason (we co-sleep) I wouldn't wake everyone else up.

Kitty

[Pinoikoi]

My 6 yo! LOL! He is great for grabbing the phone, letting the dog out, bringing me a diaper or towel when I am washing babies, scrubbing baby puke off the carpet, he will even read to a toddler (well, until said toddler tries to grab the book and run away with it or turn pages before he's ready)... I swear, I should rent him out to new moms!

[woolfairy]

In the same vein as the flashlight - a booklight! This time I want a sit up pillow with booklight attached for in bed so I don't have to use the crummy college sit up pillow and fumble with the book light.

Closed captioning on the TV so you can do something besides look out into space during middle of the night nursings and not disturb anyone else. Plus it also offers some light, but not tons in case that booklight thing doesn't work out.

I would also like "The Force" So I can gesture and get the remote control, the phone, etc. I think all new mothers should be issued that at delivery. And I am no Star Wars fan.

[wtchyhlr]

oh the push light idea is great. must make mental note.

[threeforme2005]

Originally Posted by alaskanteach

My 6 yo! LOL! He is great for grabbing the phone, letting the dog out, bringing me a diaper or towel when I am washing babies, scrubbing baby puke off the carpet, he will even read to a toddler (well, until said toddler tries to grab the book and run away with it or turn pages before he's ready)... I swear, I should rent him out to new moms!

AMEN! My 11 year old daughter last year was such a huge help when daddy was at work or wasn't available. Of course when she was in school I was on my own, but man those older kids are a lifesaver

If you don't already....and have longer hair....keep a scrunchy around your wrist at all times. My hair was constantly falling in my face and getting in the way when I was trying to nurse or eat or whatever and didn't have any hands free to push it out of the way. Headbands and scrunchies were my best friend for those first couple of months when both hands were constantly holding the baby.

[sparklemom]

A big yoga ball!!!!
I got it for labor, which it was nice for, but the big rewards came after my dd2's birth! I can't tell you how MUCH we bounced, but boy did we! For years! You sit on the ball holding the baby and bounce lightly up and down. You can nurse the baby while you bounce, or just hold him/her. It worked like magic in soothing her....and every other baby I've heard of as well. Get one!! You may get sick of bouncing sometimes, but hey,...it works!

[TwinMom]

woolfairy--I forgot about the closed captioning thing; that was great last time! Actually, in our bedroom we have a set of wireless headphones so if someone is up late watching TV in bed the other people won't be disturbed. Maybe I should figure out how to work those without dh's help.

sparklemom--that ball was a LIFESAVER for me with Alec! I would put him in the sling and bounce while nursing or singing or whatever. It was the only way to get him to sleep for *months*, until he was big enough to put into a swing. Then it was dh's job to either take him out in the backyard and swing him or take him for a walk to the park to swing. I'd venture to guess he was the only infant swinging at our park at midnight!

Okay, WHY are we doing this again??? 'Cause it sure isn't sounding like much fun!

[justmama]

Ooooh I'm so excited I have an older child to help out this time around. She's just 4 but she's so excited. She's constantly going on and on about how she's going to grab diapers for me and tickle her sister's toes while we nurse and wash my hair while the 3 of us take a bath, etc etc etc. She's going to be a HUGE help I'm sure. I like the idea of one-handed snack foods and individual drinks. I will be putting them on a low shelf in the kitchen for dd to run while I nurse or to get for herself when I'm unavailableto help.

Moms remember to set up a nursing station or a nursing basket that's portable. You won't really be able to get up and you will spend tons of time in your station so equip it well. I put a table next to my rocker/glider and will equip it each morning with a water bottle or 5 or 6 and some snacks and a few books for my older dd and some breastpads for leakage/spurting. Goes well with the portable diaper basket that's equipped with diapers, covers, wipes, spray bottle with wipes solution in it, rash balm, doublers, liners, etc. Great to carry around the house for changes anywhere at any time with minimal fuss. Also, it's lightweight enough for the 4 year old to grab it for me without too much direction or mess-ups. She knows just to grab the basket and everything I need is there!

Meg

[Boobs]

Great idea, Meg! Burpcloths, too. Can't forget burpcloths.

[kimbalicious]

Home made trail mix! DH would make a huge batch and bring it up to me in the bedroom while I nursed and nursed and nursed and nursed. So delicious and helped keep me going!


I, too, wish for "the Force"!



Of course the sling was the greatest thing EVA! My favorite use -- I worked nights when ds was 4-7 months old (after that I couldn't handle being away from my guys fulltime) and used to love to come home to dh and ds crashed out in the bed while both still in the sling