Both teams won their regional championships, so it ws fun picture taking. It’s so weird, on the court they move so fast and such that you forget that they are KIDS, and then they win, and I’m up close taking pictures and you see the braces and the pimples and the sheer YOUTH of the players, and it’s just… weird. Those are my favorite pics to take during the tourneys, though, and I definitely got some good ones. I also saw a girl I used to babysit for and her mom — the girl isnow 18, a senior, going to college in the fall.. so odd. Her mom said "I sw you from the stands and thought, ‘Here I am, finishing up, and she’s down there just getting started!’" I guess so.
Had a major breakthrough epiphany today. I’ve been stressing out having to defend seventeen million choices we’re making in regards to this baby to my ILs, not the least of which is our very mutual decision to have our children carry my surname. But, I realized today that, DUH — that’s basically what MIL did in giving Dave a surname. He doesn’t have his father’s last name, either. AND, the widget’s surname will have 100times more meaning for our family, and for the widget, than Dave’s surname has held for him. SO. Settled, if we get any flak, I’ll just turn it around and point out that we’re actually FOLLOWING her tradition.
We visited the MIL today, and my SIL called while we were there and she came down for a while. It was actually the best visit in a long time — I asked MIL about the new practice, and how I needed to switch from my current PCP doc, and she filled me in on that, and my SIL just bought a new Impreza, so she and Dave talked Subaru for a while. It’s rare that we have much to say when we’re there, so it was nice to have an actual conversation.
I used our Baby Depot giftcard today, too. I personally don’t spend any money there, but the giftcard came from Dave’s coworkers. I went with the intent of looking for a crib mattress — some way to spend all of the giftcard, and the minimum of cash — but they didn’t have the cheap ones. I did get a My Brest Friend nursing pillow and LilyPadz nursing pads, two products raved about on IM/ADL for nursing moms, and products that I can’t get anywhere else in town. I left havin to spend less than 8 dollars of my own money, so YAY.
I then went to Target and had the most pregnant woman purchase ever: Tums, a nipple shield*, and two boxes of thank you notes.
*I’m stocking up on random nursing supplies that I’d hate to try to describe to Dave in a postpartum haze — so far, I have the MBF, nipple shield, Lansinoh and reusable gel packs (courtesy of searching for relief of the Funky Nipple), disposable nursing pads (courtesty of kb! thanks!), Lilypadz, and an Ameda Purely Yours pump. I have the Isis and some sterilizer bags on my registry (the Ameda has a seal that hasn’t been broken yet, in case the Isis would be enough as the Ameda is my "if I get a job and need to pump a lot" backup idea…) Any other nursing supplies I might want, o experienced nursing moms? (Oh, and I have some bottles on the registry — and I have an Avent bottle, and some lansinoh storage bags that I’ve received as well) And what about postpartum? I keep worrying about diapers and sleeping gowns and stuff for the baby, but I probably need some, uhh, pads anyway, right?
If you mean pads for yourself, just stock up at the hospital. They leave large packages of them in your room. I just took those and actually asked for more. Same with the Tucks-type witch hazel pads and tubes of the Lansinoh. I also lived in stretchy, baggy pajama pants while my body was readjusting to life after baby being inside. Oh! you might also want to buy a pair or two of pants in a size or two up from what you wore pre-baby. That’s what I wore when I would actually leave the house and face the public. I just bought some pants on clearance from Old Navy. You’re not going to want to deal with shopping or clothes for a while after the widget comes.
Going to disagree with kb (sorry!) about using the hospital pads. They end up costing you more than what you’d pay if you bought them yourself, plus they probably won’t be as comfortable. I am pretty dang picky about those types of products. I like a particular brand/style/size that is proven to work with my body and is comfy (as comfy as those things can be at least). I’d just get about a month’s supply and then once you have the ones you want you can send Dave to the store for them (and show him the package) as needed.
Still on the topic of pads, I have said this before and will repeat: Get yourself some oldschool thick granny pads and a bootle of witch hazel. Pour a bunch of witch hazel down the middle of the pad and stick a bunch in your freezer for when you get home. Best thing ever for postpartum, IMO. I would still milk the hospital for all they will give you including pads, Tucks, diapers, the spray stuff for cuts, bottles and nipples (I got a shitload from the hosp). We may as well have just bought an empty suitcase and filled it up there. Of course, I am sure that every hospital has different policies about these things and to this day we haven’t recieved any kind of bill. Maybe you could ask your hospital if they charge and your ins company if they cover it.
Yes, you’re probably going to need lots and lots of pads. I know you had mentioned once that the plastic ones make you uncomfy … that might be especially true postpartum. 🙁 If that’s so, I’d look into GladRags.
I used half cloth/half disposables, because I just didn’t have enough cloth ones.
I *loved* my My Brest Friend. I mostly use a Boppy or just pillows now that she has good head control, but before that, it was MARVELOUS. Also, I found reusable nursing pads to be much more comfortable than the disposable kind, but everyone has different preferences there. I hope you like the Lilypadz, they’re pretty cool.
Postpartum, I most wanted Tucks in every bathroom and ice pads in my underwear. Ahh, and docusate sodium for a little while, too. I love the suggestion of putting witch hazel on pads and freezing them — that sounds brilliant, and I wish I’d done it!
This is foreign mommyspeak to me. Are you really that uncomfortable after birth? I guess I am petrified of the changes my body will go through.
Going back to worrying about catching flack from your families over choices you’ve made, we’re in a similar place. We’re going to be totally freaky hippies compared to most of the parents in our age group in our families. We want to do natural childbirth, breastfeed, hammock sleep, baby-wear, cloth diaper, and raise the kid vegan for the first two years. Some already think I’m terrible for continuing to be vegetarian during pregnancy! My Dave is very vocal, though, and has been very upfront and firm with his family that these are the things *we* want to do, that our decisions *will* be respected, and that is all there is to it… I figure, there’s always going to be something we’re doing “wrong,” since some people will only feel better about themselves and their decisions by tearing down ours.
Make your own withc hazel pads. Buy some of those little glad storage containers, some round face pads (cotton) put in container, and add witch hazel. Leave in bathroom and one in bag. They are GREAT for cleaning your AREA after babe is born. THe squirt bottle they send home, TAKE, and use often. Buy some giant pads. Hosptial ones are big, and affordable when free, but I have found after 3 kids they dont STICK well, and are chunky and boxy, and just, well, Like that song we use to sing about the girl with the tape deck creothc. You know?
Buy that lanolin spray with the numbing stuff in it for crotch. IT saved me. It was the best stuff ever. Unfortunatley didn’t know about it until third one.
Keep bags in bathroom (shopping, or baggies) for your pads. . .they stink worse than anything. . . that after-baby blood is the worst smell. Gross, but really, it frigging stinks. Dave might not want to deal with that stench. I know you can change the garbage every day. . .but let’s face it. . this is your FIRST child, and there is a very big learning curve there for the first few days. . .the bathroom g-can might not be a priority. . sleep will be.
Oh, in case you haven’t heard this yet: Your life is about to change.
Love, Amy
Oh, emailing your mom tonight after I get Rowan from school.
ANd another OH, watched that video clip, forwarded it to everyone I have ever met, and cried for like, I dont know. . .for EVER>
THanks
I also forget to add. . .
YOU ARE HAVING A FRIGGING BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
laughing, like that funerlas are fun kinda laugh!
Only now I piss myself. . .damn that vaginal delivery!
motrin. Get a big big bottle of motrin. take a small subset with you to the hospital. keep it on hand. They’re safe for nursing, and they help with pain. Pain from having your back all twisted to nurse in funny positions, pain from having your body contorted to get that baby out, pain from sore shoulders and arms after holding your baby in that special position for the past three hours. motrin. I should own stock in the company.
A medela nursing stool:
http://www.breastfeed-essentials.com/womanstool.jpg
I found mine at Baby Depot.