Sunday, April 19, 2009

first week essentials

I give you my essential items for surviving thriving in the first week at home with a new baby. Notice that all of these products revolve around 3 baby activities: eating, diapering, and sleeping. There are of course other infant essentials (carseat, bed/bassinet, etc.), but these are the products I used the most:

1. Pampers Swaddlers. The best part about these diapers is that they have a little yellow line that turns to green when your little one pees, so it's easy to know when to change his diaper. I never thought I would care what kind of diapers my baby wears, but I am definitely biased towards these now.

2. Hooter Hider. If you are going to have male family members/in-laws at your house after the little one is born and desire to feed your baby in a common room, this makes life so much easier. I am not super modest so I don't mind feeding with my black and white Jelly Bean Hooter Hider ($15 at Target) in front of others, especially since new moms are feeding ALL THE TIME and it is not fun to sit in the baby's room for hours alone.

3. Nursing pads. Cloth pads are my weapon of choice, but I put a picture of the Lansinoh disposable pads because they are not bad. I didn't realize how quickly after Parker's birth my milk would come in, but luckily my mom had a stash of cloth nursing pads waiting for me at home.

4. A quality nursing bra. The one pictured above is from Victoria Secret and it is wonderful (yay for support without underwires).

5. Medela Nipple Shield ($6.99 at Target). I'd never heard of a nipple shield until the lactation consultant in the hospital gave me one, but I love it now. Parker (like most newborns) did not latch on super well at first, so this helped him open his mouth wide enough for a good latch and mitigated the pain of breastfeeding. I haven't done a lot of research on the pros and cons of nipple shields, but I still use it every day even though Parker can latch now without it.

6. Swaddle Me Blanket ($8.50 at Wal-Mart). Parker loved being swaddled so much the first week (and still enjoys it), and spent many hours in this blanket the first week. I have a Miracle Blanket, but it still makes me cringe a little to use it because it is too similar to a straight jacket, so instead the Swaddle Me works well.

7. Lansinoh Nipple Cream. My breasts did not crack or hurt nearly as much as I thought they would (thank you nipple shield), but this cream is still lovely.

8. Vaseline (and 4x4 gauze pads). Gotta keep the little boy's circumcisions clean!

9. Desitin. Parks got a little red from constant diaper changes, and this cream smoothed everything out.

10. An AMAZING helper (aka James). I don't know what I would do without his and other friends and family's help. Thank you!!!

Until next time, love you all!!

8 comments:

Kim said...

i'm obviously not in-the-know with breast feeding, cause I haven't heard of anything you just mentioned! I guess it comes with the territory!

Unknown said...

I didn't know about the hooter hider (is that the offical name for it?) I will have to check it out and that isn't a bad price for one either.

Also didn't know victoria secret sold nursing bras, I guess moms have the right to look sexy too and yes no underwires are very nice.

That shield is a great idea, did they give you any idea of how long you should use it or when to wean him off of it? I'm just thinking you don't want him using it as a crutch or go someplace and accidently forget it and then he refuses to nurse because its not there.
Oh yeah and no matter what always make sure you nurse parker before heading out to the store with or without him nothing is worse then hearing a baby cry yours or someone else and then the milk comes on, especially if you do forget to put in the nursing pads.

Sounds like things are going well and I'm glad nursing is going well for you too and for Parker.

Stella said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Emily said...

I have to agree with Kim on that one. I thought it was cute that you added James' picture to the mix, hehe.

Jenny Clements said...

I've never heard of the nipple shield before! Amazing things they have these days! Do you think that will help Parker with the transition to sippy cups and bottle-feeding? My mom nursed my sister until eight months, and my sister was so used to nursing that she refused to take a bottle when she was with another helper and it was hard for her to transition into sippy cups as well. My mom nursed me for six months, but started me on a bottle once a day from day one so that I'd be used to it. Maybe the shape and feel of the nipple shield is similar to a bottle?

So glad to hear your first weeks are going smooth! He really is such a precious baby! He looks like he has so much character in his pictures! And you look GREAT in all your pictures! Good for you for staying active and going out right away!

Q, La, and Gooner said...

Pretty awesome! I have everything BUT the nursing bra... should I wait until my milk comes or just hop on over to VS and get one...?

sarah beth hawk said...

what great information, i'm so intrigued! are you guys still planning to cloth diaper at some point?

Anonymous said...

OOOOh Nipple Shield. Like Manna from heaven!

I was sooo happy to have that thing when I nursed.



I am happy it is going well Silvy!