I have a 14 month old tiny toddler She is amazing, wonderful, fun, and has been a very easy baby. I can’t take credit for her being easy, we just got lucky, but I’d like to think not being stressed out because we felt well prepared have helped.
This is as messy as I ever let the living room get. Otherwise I’d go BONKERS!
Here are some items that have helped us feel like prepared, confident new parents. I’ll try to list them in age order of when they’re most useful :)
PREGNANCY
Congratulations, you have a baby growing in your belly! Bshaa Tovah (all in good time), ptoo, ptoo, ptoo! I’m not going to tell you what maternity clothes to buy, you do you, but I will tell you that after around 20/22 weeks those giant stretchy-paneled pants are amazing and the only thing that didn’t roll down below by watermelon belly
Also, be careful with exercising, you have LOTS of extra relaxin in your body now (and will continue to as long as you are breastfeeding), so it’s important to work with a trainer/instructor who has studied WOMENS body mechanics and related issues. I have LOVED working with the instructors at my local Baby Boot Camp, a franchise of mom-focused fitness classes.
At home, these things helped me feel like less of an uncomfortable freak of nature:
- Bulk coconut water and sparking mineral water from Costco, regular water (unless it was 90% ice) wasn’t appealing to me but I felt much better when I was well hydrated. I also ate fruit, especially watermelon, like it was going out of style.
- Tylenol, for when water and a nap just wasn’t enough.
- Graham Crackers. Yum. I ate a ton while pregnant. And string cheese too. Come to think of it, I still do!
- Trader Joe’s Cheddar Rockets. Yum! They’re less salty than Goldfish.
- Kirkland Signature’s Dried Plums Pitted Prunes, 3.5 Pounds
- I ate 2-4 every morning with breakfast and never had any blockage issues while pregnant. I kept eating them until I was a few weeks postpartum and didn’t have any issues then either. Trust me, prunes are where it’s at!
- Snoogle Chic Jersey – Snoogle Total Body Pregnancy Pillow with Jersey Knit Easy on-off Zippered Cover – Teal
- Sleep is so important, well supported sleep so you don’t wake up with sore hips is the best. Buy this pillow. It’s the biggest cockblock in the middle of the bed, but your partner will start snuggling it too from the other side and you won’t have to shove them off for being too close and making you feel all hot and sticky! I found having two pillow cases to be a nice luxury (wash one, use one!). The pillow is also fully washable, dry with dryer balls in the dryer to keep it from getting lumpy.
- Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy: 2nd Edition: Fully Revised and Updated
- I had the original edition, but it was SO nice to be able to feel nominal. Normal. Unremarkable. I was also +/-3 weeks of whatever symptom I felt while pregnant. It was very reassuring!
- A clean sock tucked between your boobs, while wearing a light sports bra, overnight. Pregnancy boob sweat and chest acne are no joke!
Postpartum
Everyone’s birth story is different, I had a traditional birth in the hospital with midwives. It was not all sunshine and flowers, but nothing went terribly wrong. If any of your local hospitals offers Nitrous gas in L&D, go there! The gas is amazing. Walking epidurals are amazing too, as long as you don’t push the button to “see what happens” and end up with an accidental full epidural. Oops. I regret NOTHING. I could walk an hour after the baby was born and then used the toilet unassisted! Then, I was hungry AF. Order delivery or have someone on standby for food if at all possible!
- Bring snacks and drinks to L&D. You have no idea how long it will take or if the nurses have had time to restock the snack room (hint: they haven’t).
- We also brought a humidifier, it was a really nice plus. It’s SUPER dry in the hospital and you’ll be doing a lot of mouth breathing.
- Your own towel (dark colored), hospital towels are tiny, thin, and scratchy.
- Your own hand soap. I have sensitive skin, but I like washing my hands a lot. So, I packed soap and a hand towel. It was really nice to have my own!
- Slippers!
Once your home you’ll want these things:
- Nursing bras with clips to let those boobies out quickly
- “Sleep” bras to help you contain your newfound jumbo boobies at all times, but really just to hold the nursing pads in place when you don’t feel like wearing a real bra but also don’t want anything touching your nipples that’s not velvet
- Bamboobies Washable Reusable Nursing Pads with Leak-Proof Backing for Breastfeeding, Ultra Thin, 12 Count
- Even if you’re not breastfeeding your nipples will be sensitive. Be kind to them! If you are breastfeeding, change them as needed (daily is enough for me, but I don’t really leak). (Thanks for the suggestion, WAJR!)
- New Mama Bottom Spray, 4 OZ by Earth Mama Angel Baby (Pack of 2)
- Dermoplast was too strong feeling for me. This was perfect. My friend Lindsey is a NICU nurse and was kind enough to have a bottle sent to me before baby was born. THANK YOU, LINDSEY!
- Always Infinity Size 4 Overnight Feminine Pads with Wings, Unscented, 28 Count – Pack of 3 (84 Total Count)
- You might not need this many, but there’s safety in numbers! And wear them with some big ol’ granny panties that you won’t miss if they end up in the trash. (Thanks for the suggestion, Shayna, it was nice to “graduate” from the cheap banana pads from the hospital to something more normal feeling!)
- TUCKS Medicated Cooling Pads 100 Each (Pack of 2)
- If you end up with stitches down there you’ll want them. The real deal, never the generic ones (they have rubbing alcohol in them, ouch!). Lay 2-3, folding in half, on top of the pad the long way so they have direct contact with your stitches. Aaah, feel better now?
- Motherlove Nipple Cream Certified Organic Salve
- Apply as needed if breastfeeding. Aaaah. (Thanks for sending this, Alisha!)
- Nursing PJs/gowns that you can breastfeed in but area also machine washable. Seriously, why do they sell things that aren’t machine washable at all anymore….
- Jersey/knit bathrobe.
- Lots of water bottles. Water bottles everywhere. You will be thirsty.
- Ibuprofen.
- Prunes, keep eating ’em.
- Snacks, snacks everywhere.
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