call her blessed

A friend of mine just recently gave birth to a beautiful baby girl :)  She sent me an email about a week after her delivery and passed down some really awesome insider tips about labor and delivery (things she learned, things she wished she remembered etc).  I wanted to share them with you all! 

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While its still fresh in my mind I wanted to send you some things I wish I had known or wish I had bought or brought to the hospital… This is what I learned from my delivery, everyone is different but these are just some things to consider.  If you cruise the baby center chat boards there are lots of helpful hints but somtimes its overkill.

Things I didn’t think to bring to the hospital:
- 1 or 2 bottles with a low flow nipple. If you have to supplement with formula the single use bottles they give you will ocean out formula if your baby is used to breast feeding.

- Cash for vending machines or cafeteria

- Baby nail fille.  They are born with really long nails and clippers can cut your baby (you can also have the baby wear mittens)
- Different comfy cloths for all temps.  You can go form hot to cold, I wore mostly gym shorts and a baggy tees. We kept our room pretty toasty to keep the baby comfy

- An app or device to keep track of feedings and diaper changes, they will give you a chart but at 3 in the morning it is hard to fill out.
 
Things I wish I had bought for when I got home: I thought I would be able to run out and get stuff once I left the hospital, but its really hard in the first few days, so instead I had to send my sister or husband.

-Pads. They will give you the big diaper size ones at the hospital but you may bleed for up to 6 weeks so you will need regular everyday pads, I learned from someone else that you will bleed even if you have a c-section.

-Nursing bra

-Nipple cream.  The hospital gave me a sample tube, but I liked the Lansinoh one better

- Stool softener.  They give you a dose everyday you are in the hospital but you may want to continue this at home.  Ask your doctor what you can take.

- You may want to snag some of the plastic pads they use to lay on while you are at the hospital to protect your bedding the first couple nights.

- Also asked for and took home some heat packs, you will have some pretty strong cramps every time you breastfeed from your uterus going back down to size.  It goes from baby size to the size of an orange in about a week so it can be fairly uncomfortable at times.  I was also give naproxen (anti-inflammatory) that helped a lot.  Try to stay ahead of the pain even if you feel like you don’t need it, it’s non-narcotic and if you wait till you are miserable you may need stronger drugs.

 
Things that I was really freaked out about that are really not that bad:
-Tearing.  I felt like this would be the worst thing that could ever happen.  Most people do tear with their first delivery and for me it wasn’t that bad.  Everything hurts in that area, and I didn’t even notice the stitches.  I also did not feel them doing the stitches.  Everyday things will get better, you wll be more mobile and in less pain.

- The epidural.  I didn’t really feel the stick in my back, they give you some numbing medicine that burns but it is fine after that, if you feel a contraction coming while they are putting the catheter in your back ask the anesthesiologist to wait till you are between contractions.

- Pushing.  It is very tiring but you get a break between contractions and if you get too tired you can wait a little longer and just push on the next contraction.