Real quick: I weighed myself today and I am currently NINE POUNDS LESS than what I weighed BEFORE getting pregnant. I can officially say pregnancy was a weight loss plan LOL. I just had to document that here so I don't forget. :)NOW...
My advice (in no particular order) to soon to be moms/myself for the next kid I have when I don't remember. More like observations in these first 12 days:
1. Outfits with lots of buttons SUCK! Instead, go for zippered outfits, gowns with no buttons, or a traditional onesie with only 2-3 buttons in the crotch with socks/a hat if necessary.
3. Let the baby tell you when they are hungry- don't wake them up every 2-3 hours. You both get more sleep this way. Also, (at least for Brodie) when they are still tired/not ready to nurse and you try to make them they will not be able to focus on latching/sucking and will get more frustrated than if you wait til they truly are hungry. They won't let themselves starve, and will cry when they want something to let you know it's time.
4. Relax and chill out with your new baby. The more relaxed you are (with nursing/changing/in general) the more relaxed you baby can be. They sense stress and get stressed from that. Plus, being relaxed helps you stay happier!
5. The baby isn't as fragile as you think. They just got shoved out of a little area and man-handled by doctors...and they didn't break. Just be cautious to how you are holding them and you will be fine. Most things don't phase them as much as you'd think they would.
6. Be noisy around your baby so they get used to normal volumes of every day life. You don't want to tiptoe around them because it will make them super sensitive to noise. Yesterday I threw Brodie in the Sleepywrap (while awake) and vaccuumed my entire house... he passed out during the chore and stayed asleep until way after I was done.
7. Do lots of skin to skin. Babies love it, mama's love it, and it promotes bonding and helps with breastfeeding.
8. Don't give up on breastfeeding. I understand there are circumstances where medically it will not work out (I'm not talking to you guys) but MOST people can breastfeed successfully. I am still new to it, but everyone I've talked to says it takes 6 weeks to be a pro, and those first six weeks SUCK. It was hard in the beginning to get Brodie to latch, and when my milk came in I got SO engorged. The lactation consultant in the hospital told me I had 2 strikes against me (very large breasts and flat nipples) but said to try try try and hopefully we'd get it. With creative manipulation (me holding the breast and aligning the nipple to his mouth during a feeding) and using the manual pump to express some milk while I was engorged so he could attach to my flat nipple we were able to get past a hard hurdle. It was hard though, and a 2:40hr try to get him to eat for 10 minutes was very frustrating. Now he latches on in 10-20 seconds and nurses like a champ!
9. Take lots of pictures, you will never get the day back once it is past. I just sent off to get 93 pictures printed yesterday of Brodie's first 11 days of life. Obsessive, maybe. But I will be so happy to have a book of baby pictures to show people (and show Brodie) in the years to come.
10. Enjoy your baby!!!!!
Now...off to nurse! :o) I <3 my little man!!!!
~Heather
4. Relax and chill out with your new baby. The more relaxed you are (with nursing/changing/in general) the more relaxed you baby can be. They sense stress and get stressed from that. Plus, being relaxed helps you stay happier!
5. The baby isn't as fragile as you think. They just got shoved out of a little area and man-handled by doctors...and they didn't break. Just be cautious to how you are holding them and you will be fine. Most things don't phase them as much as you'd think they would.
6. Be noisy around your baby so they get used to normal volumes of every day life. You don't want to tiptoe around them because it will make them super sensitive to noise. Yesterday I threw Brodie in the Sleepywrap (while awake) and vaccuumed my entire house... he passed out during the chore and stayed asleep until way after I was done.
7. Do lots of skin to skin. Babies love it, mama's love it, and it promotes bonding and helps with breastfeeding.
8. Don't give up on breastfeeding. I understand there are circumstances where medically it will not work out (I'm not talking to you guys) but MOST people can breastfeed successfully. I am still new to it, but everyone I've talked to says it takes 6 weeks to be a pro, and those first six weeks SUCK. It was hard in the beginning to get Brodie to latch, and when my milk came in I got SO engorged. The lactation consultant in the hospital told me I had 2 strikes against me (very large breasts and flat nipples) but said to try try try and hopefully we'd get it. With creative manipulation (me holding the breast and aligning the nipple to his mouth during a feeding) and using the manual pump to express some milk while I was engorged so he could attach to my flat nipple we were able to get past a hard hurdle. It was hard though, and a 2:40hr try to get him to eat for 10 minutes was very frustrating. Now he latches on in 10-20 seconds and nurses like a champ!
9. Take lots of pictures, you will never get the day back once it is past. I just sent off to get 93 pictures printed yesterday of Brodie's first 11 days of life. Obsessive, maybe. But I will be so happy to have a book of baby pictures to show people (and show Brodie) in the years to come.
10. Enjoy your baby!!!!!
Now...off to nurse! :o) I <3 my little man!!!!
~Heather
