Last weekend I went with Maecy to the Newborn class that I've been wanting to take at Shawnee Mission. I couldn't remember how to swaddle (and it was never my gift either - I always made Aldo do it with Luke). Since I'm stay-at-home now, I thought a refresher course wouldn't hurt. I'll be the one with baby girl all day. I better know what to expect. Time to get out the books! Here's some notes I took:
Baby girls may have small bleeding in their diapers for 1-2 days because of the hormones from Mommy.
Babies don't need bathed every day - more like every 2 to 3 days. But you can wipe down their neck (where the milk gets in the folds) and around their ears every day. Use non-fragrant soap. Don't use lotions or oils. Diaper rash cream is alright, but make sure it has zinc oxide in it and of course airing out will help it too.
Only swaddle your baby in a blanket when you will be in the room. If you're going to be out of the room, the only SIDs approved garment is the Halo sleep sack (which I think SMMC is going to give me).
Don't have a binky? Or it's too early to introduce? Use your finger. But put the fingernail against their tongue so you don't hurt the roof of their mouth. Pacifiers and bottles shouldn't be introduced until at least 3-4 weeks of age. They don't get food or water until at least 6 months of age.
Baby sleeps in the same room as you until she's about 6 months.
I need to see if our car seat is expired by calling the manufacturer. And as far as car seat safety - the best place for it to go is in the middle, rear facing. Fire stations will inspect them for you to make sure their installed right, but you may have to make an appointment.
I need to pick a new pediatrician (don't care for this one in Leavenworth anyway) that is off of the SMMC list and in our network.
Babies don't need much to eat. Their stomachs are marble-sized at birth. That's why they wake up every 2-3 hours to eat (eating about 8 to 12 times in a 24 hour period).
Don't use tap water in formula. You need to use fluoride free water.
When feeding burp half-way and then switch sides. Same even if you aren't breastfeeding, that way their neck muscles etc. develop correctly and your arms don't hurt as much either.
A trick for siblings - anything that can fit through a toilet paper roll is not a safe toy to give a baby.
Today we went to an all day Childbirth class (lunch provided), but it didn't even go to noon. So Maecy and I were both disappointed when we didn't get free lunch. Maecy was the one who found out about the class through her breastfeeding meeting with WIC. It was free so we decided to go. As we looked on the website (www.uzazivillage.com) to register, it looked like it was going to be "ghetto" and we would be the only white girls there. Today, when we were searching the block for the building, Maecy was like - Is it in a garage? Eventually we did find it, but parking took us a while - we passed by about 10 times to find a spot for the car or turn the correct way on all the one-way streets. (White, country girls…)
Surprisingly it wasn't ghetto. It was a really nice class. And I would go back again. The instructor was super informative and personal. There was only one other girl in the class with her doula (I had to Google it - a doula is a non-medical person who helps women before, during and after birth - they help with birth plans, positions, breathing, massage, and can visit you at home after baby is born).
I kind of remember getting on the ground in different positions with Aldo when we took the Childbirth class for Luke. She didn't do that. We covered other things like - how you got pregnant and how baby grows, what happens to your body during labor, pain relief, and breastfeeding. Still good info though. Here are some of my notes:
You should be taking prenatal vitamins with "methylated" folic acid in it. Also, if the vitamin doesn't dissolve in water after an hour, then your body isn't absorbing anything. If your pee is super yellow, all the vitamins and minerals you're taking are going right through you. (Flintstones chewables clearly aren't a good vitamin.)
On packaged foods, you want to eat things with low sodium (salt). But also low sugar (less than 4g). If it's low in salt, it'll be high in sugar to make up for the flavor.
You should be drinking half your weight in water. More so when pregnant. And more so when it's hot outside. Right now, for me, I should be drinking 120-150+ oz. of water a day. If you drink soda, then you need to drink the same amount of water to balance the soda out. *So let's say you drank 100 oz. of water one day, then a 20 oz. soda. You still need to drink 20 oz. of water to make up for the soda AND another 20 oz. of water to hit your 120 oz. of water goal for the day.
Get a prenatal yoga video.
Having acid reflux? Take four papaya enzymes.
Practice breathing with phone apps. So you are ready for the day and you don't forget how when you are pushing.
Make a birth plan. Take it to your doctor to get it checked over. Plan for if you can't have an epidural. (The things that help me deal with pain are - dim lighting, Tye Tribbet's "I Can Make It" song, having my head rubbed, my hand held, a rice bag, water, and plenty of blankets and maybe a pillow to squeeze. How other people can help me - with the above, affirmation, DO NOT be on your phone and ignore the entire thing, DO NOT be playing games or cards and again ignore the whole thing.)
Braxton Hicks is when your body is hard in ONE spot. It is preparing your body. (So yes, that pain that I'm feeling on the upper, right square-ish portion of my belly is Braxton Hicks.) In active labor, you cannot talk; you cannot walk; and it changes your cervix.
Medicines - With IV drugs, you won't be able to walk. They go straight to baby's blood, so you'll have a drowsy baby. With an epidural, you can only push laying on your back. No other positions. So basically before you get it, ask What are the effects? Will it make me nauseous? How long will it last?
Ask about late cord clamping. You don't want it cut until after the cord stops pulsating. Baby is getting very good blood, oxygen, etc. from the cord at that time, so wait a few.
Everyone has "baby blues". Postpartum is when it is still going on after 2 weeks.
Some Breastfeeding 101 - Don't lean forward. Get in a comfortable position first. Bring baby to you, baby must be up and down or side to side in a straight line. Make sure you have support for your arms.
We didn't do much today, but I was and am still exhausted. Thursday we took Luke to book club with us at T-Rex and then at 10pm saw the new Jurassic World movie. I felt like the irresponsible parent - the one who took their 4-yr-old to a graphic movie and kept him out way past his bedtime. The next morning I had to go to a camp meeting. BUT, my wonderful husband had his alarm going off at six in the morning and didn't shut it off. He just kept hitting snooze every 5-8 minutes. Some day this week I woke up at 3:30am and couldn't stop thinking about the merchandise table at camp and how to run it. Then today I had to get up early to meet Maecy at this class. I'm so tired. My brain can't think. It just wants to shut down.
Some news -
Me: I've already caught up on what's happening to my body - that sore spot I get sometimes on my belly and acid reflux in the early mornings. Still working on camp things. Taking Luke to appointments, getting him ready for school enrollment. And random things here and there like ancestry, baby shower planning (which will be the next big thing after camp), and house searching.
Luke: His birthday is this Wednesday. He's turning 5! He wants a wrestling ring and hermit crabs. Odd combination. Haha! Jurassic World was part of that, but on his birthday I think we're going to pick out his crabs, maybe swim (depending on weather - it's been rainy this past month), and have cake with the Gutierrez fam. Then on Friday, we'll celebrate with his cousins and possibly Maecy and her nephews at Chuckie Cheese. I hate not being able to have a big party or at least one that has some sort of theme.
1st Birthday - Sprinkler Party
2nd Birthday - Elmo
3rd Birthday - Trex
4th Birthday - Mario
5th Birthday - Trex again, Crabs, Swimming, Chuckie Cheese (all random)
Aldo: ?? Who knows ?? Camp mode.
Maecy: She's having a boy. Her names so far are Sebastian or Andres (pronounced "ON-Dre"). So all that knitting of girlie things (even the weird elf-shaped booties, berry hat, and purple cocoon that mom made) are going to Mila. Knitting overload!
Almost time for Aldo to come home. I'm going to relax for a little bit and let this back of mine "let go".
