Hellobee Boards

@shopaholic: I didn't see any at Target on sale last time I was there. I did find 3 crib sheets on clearance for day care. But a friend told me that they need the pack n play crib sheets not regular crib sheets. Boo! I never find good deals anymore. I guess that means I am not shopping enough these days.

Please pass on any knowledge from the breastfeeding class. We were planning on taking one but now I don't think we have time. My friend has a book that she said was really helpful, so she is going to let me borrow that.

@Adira: @Smurfette: So the class seemed to reiterate a lot of what I've read, but being visual and hearing things explained really helped me get the whole picture. And I think it was really beneficial for the partners to be there as well! The Lactation Nurse basically told the men, "you do this at this time and that at that time, help mom, etc... "
I didn't really understand before why you have to try and BF on both sides if the baby seems to be falling asleep. I didn't know that you should burp in between the sides and not to burp over the shoulder on the in between burping (they tend to fall asleep that way). I didn't know the process of after the last side is done feeding, you should change diaper, swaddle, and then burp so they can fall back asleep. Maybe total "beginner" stuff, but glad to have had the whole process shown to us and practiced. I'm really glad DH went, and he even took a few notes and was trying to help me position the practice baby when I wasn't holding it correctly.

@Smurfette: Oh I wish I had kept that one for you then! Maybe try a couple of different Targets if you have them? I have seen the Pack & Play crib sheets there on sale, and I bought a 2 pack Bassinet Sheets on sale for like $3.88 today. I don't know how much we'll use the UBV bassinet, but the 2 pack was so cheap! I forget how much the pack & play sheets were. I want to say about $10 or $8 for 2 pk?

@NaturallyCathy: OMG, that book is hilarious!!

@shopaholic: I am heading to Target this week, so I will see if they have the pack n play sheets on clearance. I don't care what they look like since they are for day care. I need 5, cause they send one home every night.

@Smurfette: I seriously keep the book out even though we're still packing - hopefully to move but it also makes renovations easier - in case I ever need a pick-me-up. I like knowing that someone else has been through something I'm having trouble with and they were able to come out on the other side with a more realistic, if not always 'happy' gushy, take on things.

@shopaholic: The book is worth the twelve bucks and if you ever have someone with a dry sense of humor throwing a baby shower, it's a great addition to the mix of regular registry items. Something thoughtful.

-Especially- the coffee warmer! Seriously, about month 1 and on, you'll have to actually start interacting beyond the usual just change, feed, sleep routine that will happen a lot in the first. You'll get so distracted with the cute and teaching new things and just being a mom that suddenly you go - coffee? tea? I had that already? Crap, it's cold and if I put it in the microwave, it's gonna burn my tongue... mutter mutter mutter.

So save yourself some sanity and buy a five dollar, plug into the wall, has a simple on off switch coffee cup warmer and keep it in whatever room you intend to spend the most time with your little one. You'll need it.

@katiew92081: I am SO not ready yet either. I haven't even thought about packing the hospital bag. That is the plan the week after we move. Right now the bag I am going to use is full of her clothes to move. I don't have her coming home outfit yet either. Time is slipping away from me. I just hope she is nice and comfy in there and stays for a while.

@naturallycathy: Thanks!

What is your notebook for?

@naturallycathy: ah, yes, that is very organized!

@naturallycathy: I will probably have my insurance card in my purse and the stuff on the midwife list. They didn't list too much paperwork, but that's probably cause all my info is already at the birth center. She'll bring it with her if I end up going early and having to go to the hospital.

I worry more about remembering things like my toothbrush and hairbrush, cause I use them all the time at home. I won't be packing them ahead of time, you know?

@Smurfette: Bleh, it's not, haha. Or maybe it is and if I wasn't using it, it'd be so much worse! I have a couple new small stretch marks and the older ones are getting bigger. I still don't have a ton - maybe 5 or 6 total, but a couple of them are pretty unpleasant looking. Oh well... baby will be worth it I hope.

@katiew92081: My post tomorrow will be about my hospital bag, because I've been obsessing over it and I've finally got it almost completely packed. I'm going to try and explain everything in the bag and why I packed it so whoever looks at it can decide if it's right for them or not...

I just like having everything ready at a moment's notice even though my water had broken a full day before I went into Labor and Delivery. I would have had plenty of time to pack but since I can't predict how everything will work out this time, I'm making sure everything's ready at a moment's notice.

And we're delivering at the same place we delivered last time - Vanderbilt. That means I'll be bringing in an extra copy of everything. As for the insurance card, I have a wallet that's usually in my son's diaper bag. I don't use a purse so having the information written down just in case - even though I'm already in the hospital records - is a must for my peace of mind.

@Smurfette: Thank you! Our furnace was FINALLY fixed today, just in time! It's supposed to get close to 0 degrees F tonight, so I was worried about pipes freezing, but the furnace is up and running and it's finally not cold in our house!

@katiew92081: Congrats on still being pregnant!!! It's crazy how your instincts are so right, both with your son and this time around! The fact that you're not ready for the baby to show up just tells me she's going to stick around in your belly for a while longer!

@NaturallyCathy: Oh my gosh, you are so organized! I need to be more like that! And I'll have to read your post tomorrow about your hospital bag! I haven't even thought about that yet! Although during our hospital tour, they basically said they give you everything you could possibly need for the baby for those first few days, so it's more important that I pack stuff for ME than for baby, haha.

@Adira: @cokiezombie: I know our babies will be worth it, but I'm dreading the stretch marks. I'll be shocked if I don't get them on my belly -- I have them above my knees from puberty and on my hips from weight gain after college. There aren't a ton, but I know they're there. I'm watching my belly like a hawk every day, even though there's nothing I can do about it. Just slathering on the lotion anyway

@NaturallyCathy: Oh I need to go over your checklist this week! I'm slightly OCD and need to start working on a paperwork file for the hospital too! I've been editing my hospital bag too!

@Adira: Yay for your furnace getting fixed! 0 degrees? I can't imagine!!!

Ugh on the stretch marks. I think I have one just in between the 2 holes from my belly button ring piercing. For a few weeks, I thought it was a rash or skin irritation, but even with medicine, it's still just red.

I've decided on 2 outfits to choose from for our "Coming Home Outfit" - the 3-piece set I bought in case we need to avoid the umbilical cord and the FAO Schwarz one was a gift from one of our showers. It's got the prettiest crochet lace trim on the feet and all around. The crazy thing is that the size for that is 5-8lbs! I think that it can probably only be worn once or twice!

I've been editing and I think we only have 3 sleepers, 3 onesies, a couple of 2-piece sets and 2 dresses in Newborn. I'm hoping that will be a good amount because everyone keeps telling me how fast babies grow! It's all so cute and new though, but I guess I will wash all the NB stuff now.

When are you ladies going to wash things like sheets, towels, swaddles, etc? DH doesn't want me to put the sheets and mattress protectors on yet - he thinks they'll just collect dust.

I also exchanged some of the baby shoes for a baby book today. They all look kind of cheesy to me, but I guess I can write things down it for record keeping and then make my own photo-book version of a baby book at the end of the year.

@shopaholic: Depending on how big she is, she may only be in the newborn clothes for a short period of time. She may spend more time in 3 month clothing so be sure you have a little wider range just in case.

Since we're using everything from our first LO, Henry, everything - blankets, sheets, etc - are already washed and ready. I just have to pull them out of the bags I placed them in in our closet. And rearrange Henry's nursery - take out the changing table - and rearrange our master bedroom - take out the chest of drawers and put in the bassinet and changing table.

@keepcalmcarrie: Just keep using the lotion! Maybe you'll get lucky and not get them!

@shopaholic: Those outfits are so cute!!! I haven't even thought about our coming-home outfits yet. I'm not sure I have that many newborn outfits - I'll have to go through the shower gifts and check!

Hmmm... I haven't even thought about when to wash stuff. I guess in February? I don't know!! So much to do!!!

@katiew92081: Why won't she have a bath before she gets home?

@smurfette: well, it's a personal preference, but common among birth center clients. It's all about the Vernix, which is on baby's skin (the white stuff). It's good to let it soak in and nourish the baby's skin. Some people massage it in, some just let it go away on its own and bathe baby after the skin is clear (usually a few days after birth). I'll probably run it in and wait about 2 days or so to wash her.

@shopaholic: I have exactly one preemie outfit. It's a gown I got in a gift bag when I had my one and only ultrasound at a boutique. I might as well pack it, even though gowns aren't really practical for a carseat, lol. I thought it was a weird size to put in a gift bag, though. She must get a good deal for buying them that size, lol.

As far as being tired...I've spent my entire pregnancy in a fog. I've never felt more groggy and useless before in my life. For 7 months, now I've been doing the very minimal of housework and everything. Thank goodness for my understanding husband and son, who have both been so sweet and helpful.

My son has been helping with laundry, and tons of little things, and has just been so happy to be helpful. I'm surprising him with a trip to the circus next week, and maybe I'll let him get a souvenir and tell him that the day is to say thanks for the help he's been. I'm thinking about something for my husband, too, but he's already getting a daughter, maybe that's enough, haha.

I've been out of touch the last few days, but hope you ladies are all doing well!

My girlfriends threw me a small baby shower weekend, which was so fun. My husband put the crib together as well. Yay!

Other than that, I'm going to start taking red raspberry leaf. The countdown begins!

@katiew92081: Same here, no soapy baths before we go home. We'll take an herbal bath together, but no soap or scrubbing the first day.