Labor/Delivery & First 48 hours with baby

Shave "down there" before you go into labor, or at least trim. Why? There is so much blood and gunk after birth that it will literally dry and your hairs will stick together

After a vaginal birth, your vaginal lips will be swollen so badly that you can feel them between your legs. Don't worry, it only lasts for a couple of days, and motrin helps.

If you get an epi during your vaginal birth, be warned that the nurse will ask you to get up and go pee a couple of hours after the baby is born. And by "ask", I mean that she will threaten to cathetorize you if you don't. It hurts, and it's hard....but do it anyway!

If you don't want an IV during your labor, make it known QUICKLY. Its the first thing they try to do when you check in to the hospital.

After a vaginal birth, the first time you get out of the bed, the room will look like a murder scene- blood everywhere. Totally normal and temporary.

Icy pads are a GOD SEND for the first few days after a vaginal delivery. Make sure that your nurse brings you a new one every couple of hours.

Make sure to use the peri bottle after a vaginal delivery. You don't want to have to wipe or touch down there, and spraying water is the easiest way. It will burn a little bit when the water hits, but its not too bad.

If you have the IV during labor (without or before epi) you will have to pee like a race-horse. Beware....it HURTS to pee during labor! Every time I peed, it started a contraction and had to get through it while still on the toilet. Its just part of the process....you'll never hate peeing more than when you are in labor!

If you have an IV, and especially if you get an epi (they pump you full of liquid to prepare for the epi) you will BALLOON. Your fingers will be sausages, your face won't look like your own, and your feet will be huge. It goes away

Take EVERTHING from the hospital- diapers, wipes, nasal aspirator, pacifier, pads, mesh undies, bedpads, blankets, hats, etc. You paid for it, so take it!

The first times that you breastfeed (for a few days after baby is born), you will get painful uterine cramps. The baby sucking will stimulate hormones that will naturally cause your uterus to contract, helping it get back down to a normal size. Cool in theory, but they HURT. Like horrible period cramps. I found mine so unbearable that I requested painkillers (600mg Motrin AND Tylenol with Codine....) This stops after a few days and is only really bad while you are nursing.

Don't wear anything at the hospital except for the provided gown, undies, and socks. Why ruin your own clothes? Just bring one outfit to wear home. I suggest cotton, stretchy pajama pants and a t-shirt.

If you are staying at the hospital for a day or two, try to get up and take a shower. It feels wonderful to clean yourself, and the warm water does wonders on a wore back and belly. Have your DH help you and BE CAREFUL as you may still be wobbly on your feet because you are sore. I had my DH use the removable shower head to have the water massage my lower back and he also helped me wash my hair.

Your baby's first couple of poops (meconium) are like gooey, black tar. Don't feel like you are screwing up if it takes you 12 baby wipes to clean. That stuff is crazy!

Once baby is home

REMEMBER TO EAT. Seriously. You will feel like poo if you don't, so force yourself.

Get some fresh air. Cabin fever isn't good for anyone. Go on a walk, take baby to grab a coffee/tea, visit a friend, etc. It will be scary to leave the house at first, but with each little excursion, it will get easier. And trust me, the worst that can happen is that you will need to change a diaper in the back or your car or whip out a boob/bottle.

Start a basic sleep "routine" early. The first few nights when you get up with baby, make sure not to turn on lights or move him/her around too much. They will start to learn that a dark, calm, quiet enviornment = sleep time.

If you have a little boy, don't panic if there is a creamy, salmon colored discharge in his diapers. I forget what its called, but it's normal and temporary.

If you're going to introduce a pacifier, I highly suggest the Soothie brand, or any other kind with that shape of nipple.

Get a mirror that allows you to see your baby in your rearview mirror while driving. It gives you the peace of mind that baby is crying just because he/she is pissed, and not because they hand is stuck under the seatbelt, etc.

Don't let your baby's head tilt too much to one side (in the carseat, swing, etc). It can lead to Torticollis. Try to keep their head from leaning too far over, even though they look comfortable with their ear on their shoulder

Once you find a brand of socks that actually stay on, buy 20 pairs of them.

Baby jammies with zippers are your best friend. Who wants to try and fasten 8 snaps in the middle of the night on 2 hours sleep? This is of course if you use jammies instead of a swaddle, and I reccommend a swaddle for the first couple of months.

Have clothes for yourself that are smaller than pregnancy clothes, but larger than your pre-pregnancy clothes. It's totally worth the investment to spend $20 on a pair of "transition" jeans so that you can leave the house in something besides sweats!

Walking may wear you out for a few weeks after you have the baby. If you tore or had stitches, your vajayjay might ache too. Take things slowly.

Accept any and all offers to help out around the house. The best gift anyone can give you after you bring baby home is to watch the baby (at your own house of course) for an hour or two so that you can sleep. You probably stayed up for over 24 hours straight during labor and delivery and you're not sleeping much as night. You NEED your rest, so don't feel like you are a baby mommy if you need a couple hours of solid sleep. Just have them bring baby into you if baby needs to nurse.

Have about 5 cheap sports bras to wear after baby comes home (3 pack at Wal-Mart for $9.99!) Even with breast pads, you will probably get milk on your bra, if you use Lansinoh nipple cream, it is greasy and gets all over....don't ruin a perfectly good (expensive) nursing bra. Save those for when you venture out or after your engorgement has gone down.

Stock up on cheap grannie panties. You WILL ruin underwear after you have your baby, even with the gigantic pads that you will wear. Also, since you will need to wear pads instead of tampons, you can't stick pads on all of those cute little thongs that you have You need big undies!

Constipation is a very common thing post partum. Be prepared by having both stool softeners and laxitives at home, but make sure to ask your doc before you take them. My constipation was so bad that I was literally rolling around in a fetal position in pain.

Feel free to add to this list!!

[midnight_starr]

Thanks for sharing this!! I just love this list!!!

[A*LOT*OF*HOPE]

Thats a great list!! I will have to remember this when Im pregnant!!! Thank you for sharing!!

[soImarriedAnerd]

Labor/Delivery

After a vaginal birth, your vaginal lips will be swollen so badly that you can feel them between your legs. Don't worry, it only lasts for a couple of days, and motrin helps.[/b]

ice in a hospital glove helps a TON with this also! (steal a few for home use!)

[..Christine..]

That is a great list! I think I'll bookmark it so I can reference it for when I'm pregnant! I'll take all the tips I can get- keep them coming!!!

[Adriana's Mommy]

Get a mirror that allows you to see your baby in your rearview mirror while driving. It gives you the peace of mind that baby is crying just because he/she is pissed, and not because they hand is stuck under the seatbelt, etc.[/b]

The mirror is a great idea.. I have to use one with our Recaro Signo. It's so big (sits about 2 inches higher then the Britax) and with the side impact protection I cannot see her when I'm driving. If you have a convertible car seat with side impact protection, I highly suggest the mirror..

Here's ours and it's anchored and tethered to the car.

[LaLaRose3]

GREAT list Breanna! I love it! You are seriously doing us first time preggos a great service!

I found something really cool at the pregnancy spa today- pads that are really ice packs. They are soft, flexible and about the size of an overnight pad, but you can put them in the freezer. I think its pretty genius!

[Frozendesire]

Keep your pads (even normal ones) in the freezer and NEVER EVER EVER forget to snag the spray bottle, ask for extras even.. this is a HUGE must!!!! You wont want to be wiping down there for quite a while haha.

[~* Helen *~]

Fab list Breanna!!!

*scared*

But it's true, the labour/delivery things, no one tells you about them. This may be a TMI question but did you leak blood on your clothes during your hospital stay? I'm paranoid about this and want to make sure I have enough clothes with me incase I do leak... but don't want to take too much either as I'm out of space in my hospital bag.

I plan on taking 3 or 4 pairs of PJs, I have 2 pairs of jogging trousers for daytime wear should I wish to get dressed. Plenty underwear as they are only small so can stash them

[soImarriedAnerd]

Fifi--just wear the ugly hospital gown (bring a jacket to cover for pictures and visitors) and ruin their stuff! LOL Wearing your own clothes isn't a great idea. So you'll get a pair of netting panties (oh yes they are ugly!) and they hold the pad in place but your going to leak/soak these all the time (and any pants your wearing), it will literally run down your leg everytime you stand up that first day--this is also why I make sure moms aren't wearing their own shoes/slippers (plus you have to have the non-slide ones on). even if you don't get the pants dirty to change the netty underwear you need to take the pants on and off. Pants will have to come off every nurse check (for us it was every 2 hours-4 hours). Breastfeeding is easier to learn in the gown (has slits so that the boob has easy access) then your shirt tops are going to be (because your already going to be fumbling with BF at first and trying to hold up a shirt only makes it more frustrating). Many hospitals don't want you to take "contaminated" things out of the hospital so you would have to throw them away anyway, and your going to be changing your pads alot!!!! Heck the first 12 hours you will not have anything under your butt but a absorbent sheet/pad to collect the post birth stuff...most women don't opt for the netty underwear and pad for a few hours. If for some reason your end up with a c/s you will NOT want them rubbing on your fresh incision. The netty underwear are ugly but actually not to uncomfortable (yes i have worn them myself!). I would bring one pair of sweats (something your fit at 6months) to wear home, but wearing clothes while in the hospital post baby---isn't a great idea.
I do think a little jacket is fine though-your temp is going to be all off at first and it will help you cover up a little with company so when your nipples are sticking straight out from the hormones and irritation of BF your not all nipped out in your gown in front of everyone and their camera! LOL

[ANGWife]

Oooh the joys of motherhood.

But I appreciate the list!

Thanks Angela, I appreciate that input. I keep forgetting about the hospital gownies! I'm mortified at the thought of my blood leaking on sheets and things but I'm guessing it happens to so many post-delivery women that it's nothing to the hospital staff

[Mars]

I'm so glad for this list and all the input. I think it should be a sticky thread but I'll bookmark it for sure.

The Birthing Centre here likes to use Depends. If those work well, I will buy a few packs to use at night. I keep getting this weird menta picture of me looking like a fluffy butt in an adult diaper. How sexy!!

Fi, I got some underwear that are really snug to help with keeping the pads secuely in place. That was recommended by someone. She said that if your underwear isn't snug, then you will leak a lot more because it will move around too much.

I also decided against buying new jammies (as you call them) because I couldn't find any in dark colors. I'm going to use some old track pants that I have and a cami with a nightgown or something like that. The ld track pants I have can toss and it saves me from spending money on stuff that I'll most likely have to throw out.

[niknok]

Additions:
Steal the peri bottle to wash your Hoohaa.....steal two of them if you can!
Have pads ready at home. As well as breast pads for leaking. You don't want to stop and get them later, with a 2 day old.
Have a big bottle of the lansinoh breast cream. You will look like a porn star as you stand in the bathroom and rub it on your nipples, but it feels SO good. This is for BF moms.
EAT! Breanna is so right; it's crazy how you are just too busy to get a meal in.
Don't pack up your maternity clothes until you are SURE you are done with them. And this will not be one week postpartum.
Feel free to write the BRU CEO now, and suggest they remain open 24 hours. My mom went there 4 straight days after Drake was born.
Have some microwave sterilizing bags. They are fabulous for quickly sterilizing pacis, and breast pump parts.

ETA: The salmon color in the boys dipes is from uric acid crystals, and normal according to my pedi.

[♥Ashley♥]

Great list Breanna!! Thanks for taking the time to write that out!!!

I got loads of cheap underwear, so I'm not bothered if it gets leaked on. And I got 3 sets of jammies today for £3 each which is approx $6USD, not expensive at all, and like you Mari... I made sure they are dark colours we are so alike

Got more magazines and some snacks. So my bag is going to get unpacked and packed properly this afternoon and that's it done. I got a robe/dressing gown today as well, unfortunately I could only get white but it was soooo cheap I don't care if it gets ruined. I have my snuggly one at home anyway. The one I bought today is very thin as the hospital here tends to be so darn hot, but I feel I'd be more comfy with some type of over garment.

[KellyJ009]

Great job, Bre, I definitely second everything on that list! A couple additions I thought of that I wish someone would have told me:

*Don't freak out if you swell a lot during labor and come out looking almost as pregnant as you were when you came to the hospital! I don't know if that was because I was induced or what, but I was terrified when I looked in the mirror and saw myself! It took longer than I thought it would, but it went away.

*Take *everything* from your hospital room home with you. The nurses told me I'd paid for it all so I might as well, and it all came in handy. Blankets, all the care supplies for you and baby, etc. etc.

*For breastfeeding moms--there may be a period when your milk has not come in yet and your baby is not getting much of anything from you. Just keep putting them on to stimulate it, but don't hate yourself if you have to supplement for a little while. Hallie was getting really lethargic and our ped. said we needed to supplement...she had one bottle of formula and the next morning my milk was in and she hasn't had any since!

*Take people up on their offers to help you those first few weeks. Don't think you need to prove that you can do it on your own. I decided after the first week or so that I was not above asking people to help with dishes, vaccuum, etc.

*It may not be the answer for every single baby, but swaddling has been a miracle for us with regards to sleeping. I stopped for a while because I thought she didn't like it, but when I realized she was flailing around and waking herself up at night, I started again and she's slept through the night ever since.


I'm sure there are more but I have to go get the little one...

[CandaceDianne]

Great list! Some of it scared me lol , but it's ALL worth it in the end!

[IamMom]

Breanna - this is so funny!!!

To tell you all the truth - I've had a baby (a boy baby) and I don't remember half of this happening - for instance, I had a vaginal birth and I don't remember getting up to pee after all that difficult or scary - I also don't remember seeing any blood or birth discharge at all - maybe they had it all cleaned up by the time I had to get up (they gave me some time to lay in the bed and call people and eat gummy bears!). I also don't think DS ever had salmon colored discharge from his penie.....but everyone's experiences are different. I will say that I agree with previous postings that the pads with built in ice packs are great....I took some home with me but ended up not needing them. I actually thought I'd bleed longer once I got home but I cleared up right away. The spray bottle thing for when you go pee isn't bad either. I thought going poo would be bad but they gave me stool softeners and even that wasn't that bad. Maybe I just had a really easy experience or I didn't even notice all the gucky stuff

One thing I wished they would have told me was what to dress our baby in for his first night asleep - DH and I went round and round for like an hour dressing and undressing him cause we weren't sure how much or how little he needed to have on for "bed" HE HE HE