We should all share the tips n tricks in this thread for new mothers..Or something like I wish had known this…
I will start first..
Breastfeeding is hard, you will need the help of the lactation consultant or someone wise in your family who knows about it..establish that relationship in the hospital ndont hesitate to call whenever needed.. I have found them to be very helpful!
You don’t need a wipe warmer but babies do prefer warm wipes..I wash wipes under warm water n use them.. That way I get rid of the chemicals as well as he likes the warm touch at his bottom..no fussing during diaper change ( unlessn until I take forever to deep clean him, dry him, put on ointment etc)
Newborns can use up to 3-4outfits in a day..be prepared! Especially if it’s a boy..they are armed n dangerous during diaper change..keep it covered with a wipe or two to avoid accidents!
Don’t worry about pregnancy weight gain, it will come off right away if you eat healthy.. At my sons two weeks a ppt.I wore my pre pregnancy jeans..I was the happiest mother on earth that day!
get the dad to bond with the baby as well, if the baby gets some feeds from a bottle, have the dad do atleast one of them daily. it will help immensely a few months down the line. (small risk of baby liking dad way more and never coming back to mom exists).
^ true indeed.. I express milk n when I m exhausted in the evening, his dad feeds him from bottle..both of them enjoy that! My husband loves the faces baby makes during feeding..it's such a bonding time for them!
Stay away from gas causing foods (especially if you are BF mom ) also constipation causing foods.
Mix equal amounts of saunf and methi dana. Grind them and have 1 tspn 3 times a day. This is a wonderful totka for increasing milk production. You will notice a change in 24-48 hours.
-during those early days after delivery specially after c -section ,try to sit in a proper posture, no slouching or bending at odd angles coz it may save u big time from having back ache issues.
-keep a good supply of comfy clothes n undies for urself as well
-apply lanolin cream religiously n feed from both sides
-also when u see/feel that ur newborn is having a bowel movement dont rush immediately to chnge him /her ,give it a good 5 mins after u think that the baby is done coz newborns tend to do no. 2 in intervals ,at least mine took 5- 10 mis to get done n i used to change her after 2- 3 mins n had to do it again n again
it will get busier and busier as baby grows and both of you adjust to new life. it is CRUCIAL that you take time off for yourself and do something on your own, even if its just a walk around the block.
also, please continue to take care of your own health as you did while pregnant. your precious cargo might be out now, but he/she won't be a happy camper if mama is not healthy, active and feeling good herself. this is also when eating habits can slide and the weight can come on! i was back to my pre-pregnancy weight by week 4 post partum but now, almost 6 months later, i find i have gained weight and am struggling with time management and eating well.
if you've had a C section, GIVE IT TIME TO HEAL. rest when you need to, try not to be too active or life too many weights all at once because there will come a time about 2-3 weeks in when you'll feel like you can conquer the world. be careful then! you are NOT healed and if you push yourself, you will hurt yourself. it actually does take 6 weeks to recover from the major abdominal surgery you've just had so take that time.
If the baby doesn't latch on, don’t give up on breastfeeding. Invest in a good electrical pump and enjoy. I actually find it very easy and manageable to pump only. Another benefit of it is that if you are tired someone else can take over the feedings.
Know that what worked for your friend’s baby isn't necessarily going to work for yours.
Hey Automne77 mentioned a nuskha to increase milk production..a friend of mine just delivered(normal) its been 3 days and her milk production hasnt started yet..so i told her about this nuskha she said methi dana garam hota hai n her baby has jaundice so methi dane se jaundice increase to nahi hojaega? Any other tips to increase milk production?
^ Cream of wheat...its avlb in the breakfast aisle. Fenugreek Seed pills, i got mine frm gnc. Make sure you tell your friend to massage her breast to stimulate the production.
Sahr..it's been only three days..it can take unto 5days for milk to come..mine did! For now tell her to keep nursing her baby, the colostrum(pre milk) that she is getting right now is the most important for her baby..keep nursing n milk will come right in. :)
I just want to add that first month is the hardest.. I am guilty of crying non stop and at one point I asked my mom in the middle of night thst what happens if you don't want to do it anymore ( parenting, I mean) and she just laughed at me n said that it will get better! I used to cry if my baby cried n felt like a horrible mother but now I don mind if he cries for a minute or two while I go wash my hands after diaper change or while I make his formula..i just feel like it's all about getting used to each other.everything is new for the mom n the baby n it takes ti e n effort to adjust!
two questions
how often did u wash ur newborn baby's clothes?
please also suggest what we can cook n freeze(for hubby) for a week or two after delivery....its my 35th week should i start preparing now?
Akmoti, I froze meat salan (we added water to make it like a soup for me while hubby had it in salan form). I also froze chicken stock (yakhni) I had lots of that after delivery. I had measured and chopped nuts that would be added to milk. I made ghee from butter (not too much just a little bit). I even made parathas and froze them. Desserts for hubby (keep him well fed he is gonna take care of you and the baby)
Also made the saunf and methi dana mixture.
I had washed the new clothes and arranged them from new born, and bigger sizes till 1 month. Had a few swaddle blankets, and burp cloths, washed his towel and also bought bath gel for baby ( I bought aveeno). Also got vaseline, olive oil, coconut oil to keep for massaging the baby. Caps, mittens and socks for the first few weeks were all washed and kept together.
I was washing a lot of clothes and if you don't have access to a washing machine just make sure you have lots of clothes. On average kid goes thru at least 3-4 changes in a day. They throw up a lot, also you have other accidents so you will have to do laundry regularly. Also I bought laundry detergent that did not have any chemicals (an all natural one) Because I didn't know if my baby would be allergic to regular detergent (so better be safe than sorry).
We had everything washed up till 3 months before his birth..and niw we wash at least 2-3 times a week! Sometimes we just hand wash the bibs, burp cloths,onesies, etc in the bathroom sink right after the change but most of the time it just goes in the washer. Also, if there is an accident leak, spit up etc, I wash that right away just so his laundry bag doesn't stink!
Cooking..dunno much, my mom was around to help so I didn't worry about it. Now tat she is leaving soon n I will be going back to work, she is going to freeze stuff so we can just warm it up.. She even experimented with freezing roti/paratha n it works!
What you can do is in couple of weeks or even now whatever tou cook, make extra n save in a plastic or glass container for one meal..later you can just defrost n warm that up! This way you won't have to cook separately so less work. :-)
