We took a newborn care and breastfeeding class. It was very helpful for first time parent and we learned many things.
- Don't use baby powder! It has talc ingredient (good for preventing little ants) that can cause cancer and pneumonia. The powder can cause asthma. Use ointments or cream instead.
- Baby is used to be close to you and hear your heart beat during pregnancy, so sometimes the baby wants to be held all the time but you need to do some work. Baby sling is very useful.
- During bath, it's very important to stay with the baby all the time. Baby can move in split seconds.
- Don't buy used "open-system" breast pump because pathogens like Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis, cytomegalovirus (CMV) and others can be found in the breast milk of infected women and there is no way to guarantee the pump can be cleaned and disinfected. "closed system" are okay giving that you replace all the tubes.
Breast pump is good for woman who needs to go back to work and still wants to provide breast milk for her baby, or to store extra milk in the bottle. If it's possible, breast feed directly is preferred, baby's sucking increase the supply and baby is better at sucking than the machine. 20-40 mins per side until the baby get the hind-milk after several minutes of nursing. It has the highest concentration of fat.
After delivery, it's important to have skin to skin contact between mom and baby. Don't feel rushed by the nurses, the baby will find his/her way to your breast. Check out this video:
http://www.youtube.com/user/breastfeedingbabies?blend=1
Good video on latching:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zln0LTkejIs&feature=channel_page
- Ameda purely yours breast pump works very well. I called both Medela and Ameda regarding how to sanitize the bottles and parts. Both of them did NOT test it in microwave, but rather recommend to start with cold water and bring it to boil the first time using it. Then the future uses, wash with hot water and let it air dry. Handsfree technique.
- Breast milk has nutrition that formula can't reproduce. Breast milk helps your baby be healthier and have higher IQ. It's possible for woman to produce breast milk with help of lactation drug, natural herbs (Gaia), good healthy diet, rest and replenish fluid. Breast feed exclusively for the first six months, and that nursing should continue after the introduction of solids for at least 12 months, and longer if mother and baby wish. Cabbage can reduce the milk supply or help with engorgement.
DAY 4 TO WEEK 6 — SETTING YOUR MILK SUPPLY
http://www.ameda.com/breastfeeding/stages/day4.aspx
Good tip from our Bradley method instructor:
Milk is a supply and demand thing. The more the baby nurses, the more prolactin your body will make. The more prolactin your body makes, the more milk you will make. Frequency is important. A woman who nurses 12 times a day for 11.6 minutes each time will have more milk than a woman who nurses 7 times a day for 20 minutes each time. (They both are nursing 140 minutes in a 24 hour period.)
- Use correct latch and holding techniques to breastfeed so it doesn't hurt. Find your local La Leche League group. It's a wonderful mothers support group that share good helpful tips on variety of topics.
~ Even though you're recuperating, the FIRST FEW days are critical to get the demand going. If you can, feed every 2-3 hours, at least 15 minutes per breast. Feed until the baby un-latch. If the baby and you are not in sync yet, at least pump to get the demand up. Expect some nipple tenderness.
~ Nurse as soon as possible after birth. Don't give up, keep trying! It'll get easier as you recuperate and as you figure out baby's needs. More milk will come as the baby breastfeed more often.
~ The first few days, you'll produce colostrum (thin milk, rich in proteins and antibodies) that are good for the baby even though the amount is not much. Later, you'll produce more milk for the baby as she sucks more. After the second week is when I see a larger flow.
~ There is nothing more important that you need to be doing right now. Everything else can wait.
~ Mom and baby tummy to tummy, or football hold.
~ Use pillows to support mom's arm and back.
~ Lean back on the seat instead of hunch over and get a back ache.
~ Baby cues that she's hungry: stick out tongue, Oooh mouth, sucking, hand in mouth, etc.
~ Getting the mouth to open - hand express few drops for the taste, touch the baby's lower lip and chin with your nipple.
~ When baby's mouth is open wide, bring the baby in closer to you, with one hand doing the sandwich hold on the breast. Your nipple will be in the top half of the baby's mouth.
~ Correctly positioned, the baby's chin is against the breast, the lips make a seal at the breast, and the nose is close to the breast. There is more of the darker areola showing near the nose than the chin.
~ press or massage breast to get more flow going.
~ Nurse baby whenever she's hungry. Baby may go through occasional growth spurts (around 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months).
~ After the baby is full and after you burp her, try to keep her at about a 45 degree angle for 10-20 minutes so that the milk won't come out. When the babies are laid flat, the milk can escape from the stomach, come back up the throat.
~ Mom's diet - eat healthy as you do during pregnancy, no specific food you need to avoid. and drink plenty of fluid. Caffeine some does pass through breastmilk though. If baby seems excessively fussy, mom can try removing cow's milk from the diet.
~ Do not hestitate to contact La Leche League leader or a lactation counselor if you have any concern! The sooner you fix the problem, the sooner your breast milk can satisfy your baby.
~ Introduce solid foods 6 months or later. Avoid allergey trigger foods. Do not give new infant honey, peanut, egg, or items that can trigger allergy.
- This natural herb can help increase milk production. http://www.gaiaherbs.com/product.php?id=63 This website has good info as well. http://www.kellymom.com/herbal/index.html
- Do not use a microwave to heat formula or breastmilk. Use warm water or bottle warmer.
- Do not prop up a bottle in baby's mouth or place in bed with a bottle in baby's mouth - it can suffocate the baby and the baby can't breath.
- Always wash hands before picking up the baby, or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- To reduce the risk of illness or fever, avoid taking your baby out in public (such as to stores or church) for at least the first two months of life.
- Before the baby arrives, stock up on your favorite frozen food and get the house ready. Because when the baby comes, you won't have time to cook. You'll be in recovery and busy taking care of the baby. Be sure to continue to eat healthy and drink plenty of fluid so you have the energy to take care of your baby.
- Nurture your baby by holding, cuddling, rocking, talking and singing. Spend time playing with and talking to your baby when he/she is awake. It is never too early to read to your baby.
Birth to 6 months books with black and white illustrations are excellent because of their eye development. Books with round corners and photographs of baby faces with no or very few words are excellent as well:
~ Baby Dance by Ann Taylor
~ Black on White; White on Black; What is That? by Tana Hoban
~ How a Baby Grows by Nola Buck
~ Hush Little Baby by Shari Halpern
~ Me and My Bear or other books by Margaret Miller
~ Peek-a-Boo; Smile by Roberta Grobel Intrater
Useful guides:
- New Parent Guide to the First 10 Days (PDF)
- Newborn Sleep Guide 0-3 Months (PDF)
- Infant Sleep Guide 3-6 Months (PDF)
- Baby Sleep Guide 6-18 Months (PDF)
- Toddler Sleep Guide 18+ Months (PDF)
- Developmental Feeding Guide (PDF)
- Guide to Inroducing Solid Foods (PDF)
- Transitioning to Toddlerhood (PDF)
- Books that were helpful for us - pregnancy, birth and beyond
~ What to expect when you're expecting. by Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel (this was like our bible)
~ The BabyCenter Essential Guide to Pregnancy and Birth. by Linda J. Murray, Leah Hennen, Jim Scott, and BabyCenter Editorial Team
~ The Baby Book: Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby from Birth to Age Two by William Sears et al.
~ Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy by Mayo Clinic
~ What's Going on in There? : How the Brain and Mind Develop in the First Five Years of Life by Lise Eliot
~ Your Child's Growing Mind: Brain Development and Learning From Birth to Adolescence by Jane Healy
~ Baby 411 by Denise Fields and Ari Brown. This book is very useful! The baby is not even a month old yet and we already had to look up to see if the eye goop and poop are normal, before we run to the pediatrician.
- Another resource with pregnancy & birth info: http://www.mothering.com/articles/pregnancy_birth/pregnancy_birth_main.html
Be flexible, because anything can happen during the delivery. This website has some helpful tips if you had c-section. Also, drink plenty of fluid, especially if you're breastfeeding. http://www.babycenter.com/0_postpartum-constipation_11707.bc
- Once the baby's teeth have begun to come in, it's important to clean baby's teeth with a soft-bristled brush after eating to prevent tooth decay. baby bottle tooth decay (BBTD), a major cause of dental cavities in infants that can also cause serious damage to permanent teeth later on. it most commonly occurs among babies who are put to bed with a bottle. once the baby fallen asleep, wipe the gums and teeth with a piece of gauze or a damp cloth after feedings and before bedtime. to stimulate healthy gums and good oral hygiene, it is a good idea to wipe the gums at least once a day, beginning at birth, even before any teeth have erupted in the child's mouth. once the baby has several teeth, start using water and a soft bristled, child sized toothbrush for daily cleaning. fluoridated toothpaste is not recommended until after age two.
More helpful infoBaby Center - Great information about babies’ development from pre-conception to age 8. You can subscribe to get a weekly email with information on your baby's development. After your baby is born the emails describe behaviors your baby may be showing and gives suggestions for activities to do with your baby.
Bathroom every 1-2 hours. Frequent urination during pregnancy and heartburn are because bladder and stomach got squeezed to make room for the growing baby. Tums help with heartburn. The lungs are also squeezed, so pregnant woman sounds like they're having trouble breathing.
For comfort, try not to drink too much water before bed, but drink plenty during the day. It's important to replenish fluid and water into your body. Water forms the amniotic fluid and you need water to flush out waste. The more water you drink during pregnancy, the less water your body will retain. Hence, the less likely you'll have pudgy fingers and swelling feet.
As the pregnancy progresses and the baby settles lower in the pelvis, there are increasing pressure on the pelvic vessels and nerves, this result in swelling in the feet and sometimes sharp shooting pains down the legs and into the vagina, these are normal. To relieve the pressure lie down or recline with your feet up as often as possible.
Sometimes I would SCREAM in the middle of the night because of sudden leg cramp. It hurts like hell. Maybe it's my first glimpse on what pain is like. haahaa. The breathing and meditation technique helps, and Wesley giving me massage ;) Baby is sucking calcium out of me. Baby's head is getting bigger to accommodate growing brain — which is busy developing billions of neurons. Every day, about 200 milligrams of calcium is deposited in baby's skeleton, which is now hardening. With this rapid growth, it's no surprise that baby's nutritional needs reach their peak during this trimester.
Kegel exercises
Kegel exercises — tightening and holding the muscles around your vagina and urethra — can help prevent urinary incontinence now and after pregnancy. By strengthening the pelvic floor muscles, which support the bladder, Kegel exercises can help counteract the pressure of an enlarged uterus during pregnancy. Kegels also improve circulation to your rectal and vaginal area, helping to keep hemorrhoids at bay and speeding healing after an episiotomy or tear during childbirth. As few as 30 Kegels a day can prevent urinary incontinence, according to Carolyn Sampselle, a professor of nursing at the University of Michigan. Get detailed instructions on how to do them.
Stretch marks
I heard from a couple of moms that applying creams do help reduce stretch marks. Apply it day and night! A few moms didn't apply it during the second birth and the stretch marks didn't go away compared with the first birth.
I got Palmer's cocoa butter with "vitamin E" at Walmart. Sometimes, I found Eucerin Aquaphor healing ointment reduce the itchiness better. I read that Bio-oil works very well. I also tried e-ointment with vitamin E and aloe vera from GNC. Unfortunately, my stretch marks were still pretty bad after applying those, I did have a big baby.
After delivery, someone mentioned to me following method works for her (I'll try anything! other than plastic surgery). Palmer's Firming Butter with saran wrap treatment apply few times a day, and Mederma apply on other times. Mederma is pretty pricy $29.99 for a 1.76 oz (50g), but seems like it works as stated by another mom, "I used Mederma on my newly formed purplish stretch marks. I used the product 3-4 times a day for 3 months and my stretch marks diminished 90%. Say what every you want about the product but I would recommend it to anyone."
Funnies :)
I read in babycenter.com weekly e-mail what Moms confess: "What I wish I'd known about pregnancy, birth, and beyond"
- "That pregnancy is really ten months!" — Anonymous - 41 weeks
- "About the constipation and flatulence. My husband was convinced that someone kidnapped his real wife." — Anonymous
- "That when you get further into your pregnancy be careful about sneezing and laughing too hard or you might find yourself needing another pair of underwear." — Carrie
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