As you can probably tell by my other blogs, I am a little OCD and research too much. Luckily for all of you, I typed these notes on my phone and now can just cut and paste them to share. This one will hopefully be super helpful for new moms and turns out to be a great guide for your baby registry as I’ve added all our favorites at the bottom and even a few I wish we had back then!
First Week-
your only goals should be sleep often, drink plenty of water (which won’t be a concern if you are nursing because you will be so thirsty that you may consider toilet water), eat as much as you’d like, and feed your child when necessary
accept help and do not feel guilty about it, you just pushed (or had an invasive surgery to remove) a child out of you
you may need pain medicine because of cramps… just try to focus on the fact that contraction-like cramps are squeezing your uterus and making you skinny ;))
avoid pacifier and bottles as they may cause nipple confusion
2-3 wet diapers a day, 2-3 stools a day
Second Week-
6-8 wet diapers a day, 2-5 stools a day
start eat every 3 hours, play 15 minutes, fall asleep without assistance
Pump once your body has established schedule (2-3 weeks)
bottle feed 2nd to last feeding of the day- keep baby somewhat elevated
Dr. Brown bottles (link below) helped with gas problems- do not heat up milk with all attachments
Sterilize all items in boiling water for 10 minutes before first use
Clean with soap and warm water and/or dishwasher after each use
Heat up bags of milk under warm water. Do not put in microwave. Swirl\ do not shake
Storage Bags (link below): 5 months in freezer, 5 days in fridge, 5 hours at room temp
Changes to be aware of-
feed and readjust schedule during growth spurts around 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 2 months, and 4 months
Feeding-
do not touch areola, touch nipple to cheek, nose to breast, baby’s ear/shoulder/hip in line
*start at same time everyday, try not to let baby skip midnight feeding at 6 or 9 weeks growth
7-30 minutes on first side, burp, other side for 5-10 minutes/ pump leftover; start with 2nd side next feeding
*focus on full feedings, so that baby doesn’t try to snack later
*once u know how much baby needs (around one month), try to squeeze in during the day
*Use hunger cues: fists to face, squirm, tongue out, open mouth when touched, head to breast
keeping awake: rubbing their palms/ feet/ back of neck, blow on face, change diaper, talk, remove clothes, use cool washcloth
satisfaction: relaxed baby, open fists, sleep
inadequate: clicking sound, dimpled cheeks
engorgement: pump for 3-5 minutes before feeding; use ice packs 15-20 minutes after feeding, massage with warm cloth; use cabbage leaves to reduce
during feeding: massage under babies eyes to avoid blocked tear ducts (start under eye, toward nose, down nose, and back under eye in a circle, 15 times), massage your breast to avoid blocked ducts, and do your kegels once it doesn’t hurt
after feeding: poke around to ensure breast is soft; if not, use warm cloth and massage out white plugged ducts
Play-
*try to keep baby awake (start with 5 and work up to 30 minutes) after eating, unless overstimulated (shorten time)
once on a 3-4 hour eating routine, play for 30-60 minutes
rock, sing, watch mobile, walk, errands, bath (link below), near window, read a book, car ride (suggested car seat below), swing (awesome one listed below), dance
Fussy-
Burp, check diaper, swaddle (link below), wrap in used shirt that smells like milk and mommy, pacifier, knees into belly, feed early, quiet and dark room while shushing, take temperature, take clothes off and check for tourniquet or rash (our favorite cream below), gripe water (link below), heated bed buddy (link below) on my stomach and lay baby over, let cry it out if above are OK
*By my 3rd baby, I was confident that babies are going to cry for 2 hours every day. So I scheduled times during the day that didn’t bother me as much to let her get it all out. It worked and she barely cried during our scheduled sleep times. Right after typing this, I read an article given to me by our pediatrician by Dr. Berry Brazelton. He did a study with 80 babies and discovered how many are misdiagnosed with colic based on symptoms. Between 3 and 12 weeks, babies have an inconsolable fussy period. Parents that avoided all the typical attempts to stop it, reported that those babies slept better, longer, and more effectively. Their immature nervous system can take in and utilize stimuli throughout the day, but reaches a point of overload and must “blow off some steam!” Ensure your baby isn’t wet, in pain, hungry, then avoid adding to their overloaded nervous system with more handling and stimulation. Parents that abided by this (including myself) testified that these babies have more organized sleeping, eating, and alert rhythms. If this period increases in timing and intensity, contact pediatrician to determine if its actually colic, reflux, or an allergy.
*Update- 3rd baby is 5 months old now and rarely cries. I believe that continued crying is a result of a learned behavior. If they receive attention every time they cry, why wouldn’t they use that method more often?!
Avoid-
excessive rocking, bouncing, carrying, television (except infant shows- YouTube has Baby Einstein videos for free), keeping awake too long
Sleep-
*make sure baby is awake and happy before putting baby into bed
*no sleeping aides to assist in falling asleep
*they will most likely cry to be held, once put in the crib. Ensure nothing is wrong, then Wait 15-20 minutes. This will help them learn to soothe themselves. Quick test: pick them up. If they stop crying instantly, you’ve been played, ;p
*you can check on them every 7-15 minutes and talk to them to offer your condolences! 😉
*avoid long naps during the day, until they are only taking two naps
*babies wake up after the “45 minute intruder,” if permitted to get up each time, will take3-5 days to reestablish routine (i had privilege of experimenting with 5 month old that was confident that crying solved problem. day 1- screamed in fury for over an hour, day 2- whined for over an hour, day 3- whimpered and talk to self for over an hour, day 4- didn’t make a peep and went to sleep!!!! 🙂
during 2-3 hour routine (first 8 weeks), should nap 1-2 hours
~no longer than 5 hours at night during the first 4 weeks
during 3-4 hour routine, nap 2-3 hours
~if 5-7 feedings, can sleep 9-10 hours at night around 13 weeks
Weight Gain-
regain birth weight by week 2
two pounds per month by 3 months
one pound per month by 6 months
three times birth weight by one year
newborns cry 1-4 hours per day, but shouldn’t be during feeding, immediately after feeding, or waking from a sound nap (with exception of 45 minute intruder- typically around 7 weeks and 4 months); usually before feeding, nap time, and fussy time (every night at the same time)
self care: relaxed? enough rest? enough liquids? enough calories? enough vitamins?
avoid: gassy veggies (broccoli, cabbage, onion, garlic), dairy products, caffeine, alcohol
I promise this will get easier. I’m 8 years in and haven’t felt as clueless as those first days! Best wishes and stay strong.
Please note: You will not be charged extra for purchasing though these links, but I may receive a small commission for researching and recommending what I view as the best.
This one is way over my suggested budget, but if you can find used, I love it because that toy bar is removable, making it easier to get your child into/out of the seat. I also would’ve enjoyed the Bluetooth/ cry activated swinging option. Having a dishwasher safe tray is a huge blessing. Finally, being able to use longer than the 3 months they are in the swing stage is awesome. Almost makes me want to have another baby… almost, but not quite!
This one is on sale and has almost 4,000 3.5star reviews. I love that its convertible, again to avoid making 2 purchases for similar items. My children would’ve appreciated all the extra cushions and I respect all the safety standards. You can use from 4-65 pounds, so that pretty much covers their entire childhood!
Graco Extend2Fit Convertible Car Seat, Davis
This is the one we used once the kids turned 4.
We went through several as I wasn’t impressed with how difficult it was to clean them without them literally slipping away. This one was awesome.
We tried to swaddle like they did at the hospital and failed terribly. They explained that it helps your baby because of their startle reflex that scares them. These were life savers for our first and third children.
Not sure how this worked so well, but it was a game changer for all three of our kids.
Again, this is after trying several different brands. I had used one of them on a rash that I had and it burned??? Sorry, son! Even though all of our kiddoes are out of diapers, I still order this cream for random rashes and it heals almost overnight.
Dr. Smith’s Premium Blend Diaper Ointment, 3 oz tube 3 oz (85 g)
Not only is this awesome if your child has gas pains, but you can use it for headaches, neck pains, or any other random aches.
Carex Bed Buddy Heat Pad and Cooling Neck Wrap – Microwave Heating Pad for Sore Muscles – Cold Wrap Pack for Aches and Pain
You can pump directly into these to save you time from washing more bottles. They stand easily, which is huge because if there is ever a time to cry over spilled milk, its when you still breastmilk! You can lay flat for compact storage and they are easy to use with write-on label and convenient pour spout.
Lansinoh Breastmilk Storage Bags, 100 Count (1 Pack of 100 Bags), Milk Freezer Bags for Long Term Breastfeeding Storage, Pump Directly into Bags, Nursing Essentials
Insurance paid for a pump, but it was no where near as powerful and amazing as this beauty. If it’s not too embarrassing, I’d suggest adding it to your registry and splurging on it. Even better, borrow from a friend and just buy new attachments.
