Babies
I was recently looking at a blog post I found on pinterest about things you should get ready/have before you have a baby. This post then lead me to read a couple of other posts about visiting new mothers and babies and decided that I wanted to consolidate both lists to things that I would want to remember. Pretty much this post is just so I can have a place for it in the future :D
Things to do/bring/have at home or the hospital:
1. Stock up on pads at home BEFORE the baby comes. Also, buy Depends and thank myself later!
2. Know how to add the new little one to your insurance beforehand so it can be as quick as possible.
3. Make a Daddy survival kit for the hospital. Include: Magazines/books, snacks, drinks, toiletries, travel size cologne (Bryce will love this one!!), and his clothes.
4. Put plastic trash bags in the car. I never would have thought of this one and thank goodness my water didn't break in the car when we were driving to the hospital!
5. **I don't know if I will do this one for sure, but I thought it was a good idea** Keep a plastic trash can next to where you change the baby with water and detergent in it. This way, when there are late night blow outs or any accidents at all, the clothes get instantly pre-soaked.
6. **Again, not too sure if I would do this but it is a great idea!** Layer bed sheets and pads (or waterproof sheets) where the baby is sleeping so when there are accidents in the night time you can rip off one layer and have a clean one underneath.
7. Make a sign for the front door saying the baby is sleeping, please knock quietly. Or in my case, put a sign on the door where the baby is sleeping so that those in the house know as well.
8. Bring a gift for Aaron to the hospital so he can be a little distracted. I know most people do this and say that it is from the baby, Aaron, however, will not really understand this so I figure we will give him a car so he doesn't get upset.
9. Make up a "nursing basket" with lanolin cream, pad and pen, reading materials, little snacks, water, nursing pads, to have on hand and carry with my boppy.
10. Bring a quirt bottle to the hospital. I know many hospitals have these, but when I had Aaron they didn't give me one and I desperately wanted one! Also, my hospital gives out numbing spray, and many don't, I would recommend it to EVERYONE! It is amazing.
11. Get a jersey robe. I would have love to have one of these in the hospital. I might not get one but it is a great suggestion.
12. Buy nursing bras and tank tops. I wish I would have had my nursing tank top in the hospital, but I didn't bring it. I am bringing it this time!
13. Padsicles. That is a technical term. I've heard of people pouring witch hazel on a pad and freezing it or cutting open the pad, pouring ice in, and then taping it back up. They sound wonderful. I had the numbing spray and witch hazel wipe things and they were wonderful, but I think I would have liked to have had these too.
To read the original post... click here ... she has a lot of suggestions that are great but aren't things that apply to me right now, so I didn't write them :/ A a lot of the things I wort are also from the comments, not just the post.
Visiting new moms and babies. Even having been a new mom I wouldn't have thought of many of these. It was good for me to read and remember!
There are 2 posts, the original and the inspired by post that I got these ideas from. Some of the things they suggest would be appropriate depending on how well you know the person FOR SURE!
1. Wash your hands and don't go over when you are sick. **One of the posts I read said that new moms should have lots of soap on hand or hand sanitizer for people to use when they come, and to have that all ready before the baby comes.**
2. Make sure mom doesn't get up off the couch. Offer to bring her water or a drink and let her sit.
3. Don't kiss the baby on the lips, cheek, moth, etc. Kiss them on the top of the head.
4. Don't bring small children unless the mom says its ok. It just lessens the intensity of visits and they are big germ carriers. They can wait to see the new little one. (This was one that I learned the sad way. Aaron got pink eye the day my sis-in-law had her sweet little baby and we didn't get to see her for a while. We definitely did NOT want to bring that anywhere near, well anyone really. haha)
5. Tell the mom that in no way do you want a thank you card. I thought this was an interesting suggestion! Its a nice way to take pressure off.
6. Try not to give advice unless she asks for it. This is one I find myself remembering often with first time moms. I only give what they ask for because all the advice can be overwhelming and everyone's situations are different.
7. Try to remember that there are a lot of visitors and help in the beginning and remember that maybe in a few weeks or months she would still appreciate some help. **This is a great thing to remember for visiting teachers!!!** I need to remember to bring meals and help as time goes on, just to show love and help.
8. Try to tune into the mom.... Stay if she needs to talk, offer to hold the baby so she can nap, see how she is feeling (baby blues, postpartum) and see if there is any way you can help her.
9. If bringing a meal, bring healthy things like veggies and fruits and salad. Bring disposable dishes so they don't have to do dishes or worry about returning them.
10. Maybe bring some snacks with your meal, just to be extra helpful!
11. If the family wants to eat right then, put the food in the oven for them and then go.
12. Don't show up unannounced. Make sure the mom knows you are coming, even double check with a text. Set a time and be on time because she will most likely be trying to work her feeding schedule around when you are coming.
There are quite a lot of other suggestions on the lists. I have never brought a meal to anyone, or had one brought to me, so it was awesome for me to read these things and think about the little extra mile you can go to help out new moms!! I have been greatly blessed to live with my mom when I have newborns so those two posts were awesome for me.
Things to do/bring/have at home or the hospital:
1. Stock up on pads at home BEFORE the baby comes. Also, buy Depends and thank myself later!
2. Know how to add the new little one to your insurance beforehand so it can be as quick as possible.
3. Make a Daddy survival kit for the hospital. Include: Magazines/books, snacks, drinks, toiletries, travel size cologne (Bryce will love this one!!), and his clothes.
4. Put plastic trash bags in the car. I never would have thought of this one and thank goodness my water didn't break in the car when we were driving to the hospital!
5. **I don't know if I will do this one for sure, but I thought it was a good idea** Keep a plastic trash can next to where you change the baby with water and detergent in it. This way, when there are late night blow outs or any accidents at all, the clothes get instantly pre-soaked.
6. **Again, not too sure if I would do this but it is a great idea!** Layer bed sheets and pads (or waterproof sheets) where the baby is sleeping so when there are accidents in the night time you can rip off one layer and have a clean one underneath.
7. Make a sign for the front door saying the baby is sleeping, please knock quietly. Or in my case, put a sign on the door where the baby is sleeping so that those in the house know as well.
8. Bring a gift for Aaron to the hospital so he can be a little distracted. I know most people do this and say that it is from the baby, Aaron, however, will not really understand this so I figure we will give him a car so he doesn't get upset.
9. Make up a "nursing basket" with lanolin cream, pad and pen, reading materials, little snacks, water, nursing pads, to have on hand and carry with my boppy.
10. Bring a quirt bottle to the hospital. I know many hospitals have these, but when I had Aaron they didn't give me one and I desperately wanted one! Also, my hospital gives out numbing spray, and many don't, I would recommend it to EVERYONE! It is amazing.
11. Get a jersey robe. I would have love to have one of these in the hospital. I might not get one but it is a great suggestion.
12. Buy nursing bras and tank tops. I wish I would have had my nursing tank top in the hospital, but I didn't bring it. I am bringing it this time!
13. Padsicles. That is a technical term. I've heard of people pouring witch hazel on a pad and freezing it or cutting open the pad, pouring ice in, and then taping it back up. They sound wonderful. I had the numbing spray and witch hazel wipe things and they were wonderful, but I think I would have liked to have had these too.
To read the original post... click here ... she has a lot of suggestions that are great but aren't things that apply to me right now, so I didn't write them :/ A a lot of the things I wort are also from the comments, not just the post.
Visiting new moms and babies. Even having been a new mom I wouldn't have thought of many of these. It was good for me to read and remember!
There are 2 posts, the original and the inspired by post that I got these ideas from. Some of the things they suggest would be appropriate depending on how well you know the person FOR SURE!
1. Wash your hands and don't go over when you are sick. **One of the posts I read said that new moms should have lots of soap on hand or hand sanitizer for people to use when they come, and to have that all ready before the baby comes.**
2. Make sure mom doesn't get up off the couch. Offer to bring her water or a drink and let her sit.
3. Don't kiss the baby on the lips, cheek, moth, etc. Kiss them on the top of the head.
4. Don't bring small children unless the mom says its ok. It just lessens the intensity of visits and they are big germ carriers. They can wait to see the new little one. (This was one that I learned the sad way. Aaron got pink eye the day my sis-in-law had her sweet little baby and we didn't get to see her for a while. We definitely did NOT want to bring that anywhere near, well anyone really. haha)
5. Tell the mom that in no way do you want a thank you card. I thought this was an interesting suggestion! Its a nice way to take pressure off.
6. Try not to give advice unless she asks for it. This is one I find myself remembering often with first time moms. I only give what they ask for because all the advice can be overwhelming and everyone's situations are different.
7. Try to remember that there are a lot of visitors and help in the beginning and remember that maybe in a few weeks or months she would still appreciate some help. **This is a great thing to remember for visiting teachers!!!** I need to remember to bring meals and help as time goes on, just to show love and help.
8. Try to tune into the mom.... Stay if she needs to talk, offer to hold the baby so she can nap, see how she is feeling (baby blues, postpartum) and see if there is any way you can help her.
9. If bringing a meal, bring healthy things like veggies and fruits and salad. Bring disposable dishes so they don't have to do dishes or worry about returning them.
10. Maybe bring some snacks with your meal, just to be extra helpful!
11. If the family wants to eat right then, put the food in the oven for them and then go.
12. Don't show up unannounced. Make sure the mom knows you are coming, even double check with a text. Set a time and be on time because she will most likely be trying to work her feeding schedule around when you are coming.
There are quite a lot of other suggestions on the lists. I have never brought a meal to anyone, or had one brought to me, so it was awesome for me to read these things and think about the little extra mile you can go to help out new moms!! I have been greatly blessed to live with my mom when I have newborns so those two posts were awesome for me.
Great ideas!!
ReplyDelete