Pregnancy
First of all, during pregnancy I really liked The Pregnancy Countdown Book. There's a page for each day of pregnancy. I would read the page for the next day at night before I went to bed. I borrowed this book from a friend but it looks like there's an updated version now.
Another book the same friend lent me was The Pregnancy Bible. (There's an updated version for this one too.) I did not read this one cover-to-cover but what I did read was very helpful!
In preparation for labor and delivery, I read most of Ina May's Guide to Childbirth. It's a bit "crunchy" but I also found it really empowering. I also read parts of HypnoBirthing: The Mongan Method. John read The Birth Partner which I think was really helpful for him. He also researched breathing videos on YouTube which we watched as I was being induced...
I subscribed to a number of websites/email lists, some during pregnancy and others since Ada was born:
- Lucie's List - This is my favorite email list!
- The Bump - I have the app and get the emails as well. Pretty basic but helpful.
- Babycenter - Pretty similar to The Bump.
- Scary Mommy - I love the Scary Mommy weekly emails.
- The hospital I delivered at also has an email list that is really informative.
Since Ada's arrival, The Happiest Baby on the Block book has been our best resource by far! The 5 S's (swaddling, side/stomach, shushing, swinging and sucking) really and truly work! Swaddling is the trickiest of the 5 S's but once you get the hang of it, it's a breeze. We like Bambino Land swaddle blankets. The owner went to my high school! We also have a couple of fleece Halo SleepSack Swaddles for when it's really cold (and we have a cotton one for at daycare as they don't allow blankets).
While we were in the hospital, John found the Feed Baby app. We paid $4.99 to have the full capabilities of the app. It is so helpful! From the beginning, we've used it to track feedings. If you're breastfeeding, it's an easy way to remind yourself which side you fed off last and how long the baby has been eating. For the first month or so, it was also really helpful for tracking output (pee and poop). At those first pediatrician appointments, they ask how many times the baby has peed and pooped since midnight. If you're anything like me, you won't have a clue. We don't track Ada's output anymore but we've started using the sleep tracking function. My favorite thing about this app is the variety of widgets available.
Breastfeeding
If you're breastfeeding, know that it can be a struggle. I thought I was doing OK at first but then Ada wasn't gaining weight. I was producing milk but she wasn't getting it. Breastfeeding hurt. A lot. There were a number of times where Ada was crying because she was hungry and I was crying because it hurt so much to feed her. At one point, I was dreading her waking up because I would have to feed her. It was bad.
Luckily, I have a friend who's a lactation consultant. She came over to help me twice. Ada's pediatrician office also has lactation consultants on staff. I talked to one of them on a Sunday morning while I was in tears and two others during Ada's appointments. I also had a ton of support from my husband, my mom, and other friends.
I was very close to giving up on breastfeeding but a friend told me that it took her a month to get the hang of breastfeeding with both of her children. That became my deadline for Ada. I told myself that if she wasn't breastfeeding well after one month, I could either pump exclusively or formula feed. It worked out for us. By one month, we both had the hang of it.
My cousins suggested coconut oil for nipple soreness. I tried that a couple times but my lactation consultant friend recommended Motherlove nipple cream. That worked really well for me. Ada damaged my left nipple quite a bit in the beginning so I also used all purpose nipple ointment, a prescription strength ointment that my midwife prescribed for me. It did the trick!
KellyMom.com is a fantastic resource for all things breastfeeding!
Room Sharing
The American Academy of Pediatrics announced in October 2016 that:
"Infants should sleep in the same bedroom as their parents – but on a separate surface, such as a crib or bassinet, and never on a couch, armchair or soft surface -- to decrease the risks of sleep-related deaths."We only have a one bedroom apartment so we were already planning to share our room with Ada. Luckily our bedroom is huge and her crib fits perfectly in one corner. My mom (and probably many others) thought we were crazy to stay in a one bedroom apartment but it's honestly been great. We have a sound machine (part of the 5 S's) that I think helps us sleep as much as it helps Ada. And, now that we're used to her little noises, we know which ones means she needs us and which ones don't.
Partner
The most important thing for making these past three plus months manageable and enjoyable has been my husband. He's an amazing dad. Not all moms are as lucky as I am. I'm truly thankful!
