Baby Care In The Us With Little Help Or No Help

ngrn · Aug 19, 2016

@blindpup10 Thanks a lot for starting this thread!!!!
I must say very useful info. Thanks everyone for sharing their valuable experiences and suggestions.
This forum has been a great help for me because I am gonna be a first time mommy and I do not have anyone here to help. As i read through the posts I make notes of all the important points and even set a reminder about things to do in a particular month.

Thanks for all the mommies for posting their precious experience !!!

chocolate · Aug 20, 2016

Op, One thing to add is have a laundry basket near sofa where you sit in living room with baby diapers , change of clothes ( lots of them),blankets, Wipes,Napkins to wipe spills on baby. Same basket near bed , dining table and crib. That's something my parents taught me and it worked wonders. We always had everything on hand.

Also never buy clothes which is from newborn to 3 months old.You never know how clothes shrink in washes or fit. Each brand fit is different. I got clothes which is usually for a 6 months old baby. Some fit a new born and some were very loose( my baby is slim).Irrespective the baby shud have enuf room in clothes and not be too snug.

Also never never bend, lift or do stressful activity until your body heals from delivery. Forget what everybody say about healing like oh I was out of it in a week. Each person will recover at their own pace.Otherwise you will end up with aches and pains forever.Good Luck and Congrats.

ngrn · Aug 20, 2016

blindpup10 said: ↑

I started this thread for the new mother with no family support as an encouraging thread to know about newborns. I encourage other mothers @Bubbles. @ILUser07 @viki123 @momsky @dc24 @MindVoice to contribute and share their experience.

I am sharing my experience and my knowledge about handling my baby. I am not a pediatrician or an expert who has dealt with babies other than my own. Being a first-time mommy- I am limited to my experience with my own baby. I am here just to share my experience/ struggles and my parenting style.

I didn’t follow certain Indian methods- just because my DH and I live in the US and if anything happens to the baby, as parents we might repent. DH and I made a pact to follow the US method to be safe and efficient. Without an elder around to encourage or to give guidance in every day babies life, this is an option that worked for us. However, I have to stress that DH and I are Indians.. and our ways just seeps in directly or indirectly.. Having MIL/ SIL/Mom/ Aunts can't really hold on to doing everything American.

In the end whatever is convenient, safe, healthy and best for our baby is what all parents do.

I have made a list of things one must be aware of if you are in the US-

Things to be Aware of Before EDD
Things Hospital Teaches
Before You, are Discharged
Feeding
Health and Medication
Bath time/ Clothing
Lifestyle Adjustments

Things to be aware of before EDD -

1. Get in touch with the local pediatrician- Start the search at 7- 8th month. I insist because some pediatricians have a waitlist and may not be taking new babies. Pick a pediatrician closer to your home.

2. Get a questioner set up for Pediatricians interview. I will share some links which may help you to get an idea.

Interviewing A Pediatrician

Checklist: Questions To Ask the Pediatrician You're Considering

Questions for Your Potential Baby Doctor | What to Expect

How to Choose a Pediatrician

2. Get a stroller/ crib set up/ drawer set up for your baby. Shop for the first set of clothes 0-3 months or have 10 of newborn size clothing. Because babies put on weight in the initial 1 month period. You can go for 0-3 months clothing at that point.

3. Make space for baby items in the kitchen. Allot a space- I didn’t do this and after I got the baby home is when I realized that I need a sterilizer/ baby bottles/bottle warmer. I had to re- arrange a little bit of things to fit in my kitchen.

4. Have an idea/ plan for your child’s sleeping place. I wanted my DS to be independent and I don’t co-sleep with him. I placed the crib in my room- at 0-3 months there will be feeding almost ever 2 hours. If you are placing in a different room.. make sure there is a bed in the other room. The better alternative is to have crib set up in your room and change into a separate room after 6 months.

5. Get a breast pump at around the 7th month of pregnancy. All insurance will give one for free. Go for Medela. It’s the best on the market. It is easier to pump BM, on days you are extremely tired your DH can take over for you. As I had low-BM flow- I had made a routine that I would formula feed at night and pump at night and Breastfeed in the morning. On certain evenings my DH has bottle feed the pumped BM. I have posted a link which will help you to store the BM after pumped. Breast milk storage: Do's and don'ts - Mayo Clinic

6. Do your research about formula. There are 2 different major brands- Enfamil and Similac. There is also ready to feed formula and powder formula. My SIL had advised me to have Enfamil ready to feed at around 8th month of pregnancy. I had got a couple of boxes. It helped me big time, after coming from the hospital my DH didn't have to run around to get baby formula. Usually, it takes 3-5 days for milk to be produced after delivery. My aunt who gave birth a decade ago was very surprised to see "ready to feed formula". My Pediatrician highly encouraged ready to feed formula- coz it doesn't gas in infants. I would highly recommend you to include these question during the Pediatrician interview

7. Make a decision about circumcision. We didn’t go for it… This is something to think about with your partner. If you get your baby circumcised in the hospital.. your insurance will be charged as hospital expenses. If you do decide to get circumcised later on- might have to pay out of pocket- as it is considered cosmetic.

8. Pick out a name for your baby. It will be easy for SSN and Birth certificate. You will get your Babies SSN with in 2 weeks. You have to go to the County’s Public Health Department to retrieve the birth certificate. I had to pay $20 for each copy. Make an appointment at early morning (don’t have to wait in line) and it's an easy process.

9. Be aware of all the vaccination your baby and you will get during the hospital stay. Talk to your OB or the pediatrician you pick. My blood test showed that I did not have the measles Vaccination and I got MMR before I was discharged. If there is a vaccination that mother has to get hospital will give it to you before you are discharged.

10. Lactation- Ask your OB or your birthing class instructor about lactation videos/ classes. My hospital offered online classes and encouraged mommies to take these classes before giving birth. This helped me quite a bit to help my baby latch on.

11. Car seat classes, There will be free car seat classes from your hospital, please make sure you register for it and You need to have bought a car seat at around 8th month and have installed in the car. You and your baby will not be allowed to go home if you don’t have a car seat. On the day of discharge, your DH should be able to get the car seat to the discharge area and will be monitored if you and your DH can correctly latch the baby in the car seat.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the valuable info @blindpup10 . I didnt know that insurance pays for breast pumps. I called my insurance guys and got to know that I am eligible for a free pump at around 28 weeks and all they need is a letter from my OB. Keep posting good stuff!

Bubbles · Aug 21, 2016

blindpup10 said: ↑

Please inform more on the cord blood banking.
Click to expand...

Sorry couldn't post till now.. weekend is hectic.. will pucca post by Monday.

blindpup10 · Aug 21, 2016

@Bubbles- No worries take your time.
@ngrn-No worries. Good that you spoke with insurance people for the breast pump. Good start. Although one can get it at 28 week. The return period is one month ( if you don't like it/ defective) . So, was my case with my insurance. So find out what the return policy on the breast pump and make a call.

ngrn · Aug 22, 2016

blindpup10 said: ↑

@Bubbles- No worries take your time.
@ngrn-No worries. Good that you spoke with insurance people for the breast pump. Good start. Although one can get it at 28 week. The return period is one month ( if you don't like it/ defective) . So, was my case with my insurance. So find out what the return policy on the breast pump and make a call.
Click to expand...

Sure will check on that!

blindpup10 · Aug 22, 2016

Before you are discharged-

1.After delivery, your body will produce Colostrum before breastmilk. Breastfeeding colostrum is highly encouraged as it has antibodies. My experience- Right after C-section (after they check the baby and give him shots) in the recovery room nurses place the newborn and encourage to breastfeed my DS. This is when I used the latching techniques that I had learned from lactation videos. Even with colostrum, my DS lost 10 oz in just 2 days, hence my DS was put on formula.

2. The hospital will do Apgar evaluation- where babies will be checked for heart rate, breathing activity and muscle tone and skin color.

3. Baby will receive eye drops right after delivery.

4. Vitamin K shot will be given to the babies. I forget when my DS got Vitamin K- usually, it would be given right after the birth.

5. A blood test will be done for your baby to know if at all there is any health related problem. These things happen so fast- new mothers will not even know.

6. Hep B vaccine is given to the newborn.

7. The hospital checks for infant jaundice, I will post few links pertaining to this. Some newborns have it, some don't. There are limited things mothers can do. Please don't fall into the things like use less turmeric and newborn will not have jaundice crap- my MIL try to do this with me. Turmeric is very helpful after c-section. My DS didn’t have jaundice- I have less experience on this matter.

During the initial pediatrician's visits, newborns will be checked for Jaundice.
Jaundice in Newborns (Hyperbilirubinemia)-Topic Overview
Newborn jaundice: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia

8. Your baby will receive hearing screening test. In my hospital, this was done by a different specialist, they even gave my DS a certificate for passing the test.

9. I know I wrote about swaddling in the previous post- Yes I am a big fan of swaddling babies. It is easier for babies to be in our world with swaddling and easier for mommies to handle babies when swaddled. I will post a link on benefits of swaddling. It took me a week to master the swaddling. Benefits of Swaddling with 7 Swaddle Safety Tips (Plus a Giveaway!)
Swaddling a Baby - Benefits of Swaddling | Nested Bean
To swaddle or not to swaddle? That’s the new parental question

Please stop swaddling at 3-4 months- How and When To Stop Swaddling Your Baby

10. As I had GD after giving birth my DS was also monitored on his blood sugar. The hospital checked my DS blood level after 1 hour of feed for the 3 days after his birth. I am very thankful that my DS didn’t get diabetes.

11. SIDS- I had no clue about SIDS during my pregnancy after I gave birth the hospital nurses constantly told me about this. I had re-do a bit of shopping after being discharged. I will post few link pertaining to SIDS.

Please don’t leave soft toys, blankets or dress your baby in loose clothing. Reduce the Risk of SIDS
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
SIDS: Keeping your baby safe during sleep | BabyCenter
SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) Facts | What to Expect

To be really honest my DH and I are terrified of this word SIDS- we went above and beyond to be very careful. We even bought a movement and sound monitor. I will share the specific product link- https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GU07FLQ/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Pacifiers are highly encouraged after 3-4 weeks. As babies may get hungry and start to just search for mother’s breast, if mothers aren’t close by- during this search some newborns may move their arms and if there is a loose clothing may get suffocated. I know there are a lot of may’s. Let me put it this way- being a new mom with no help. I didn’t mind my baby having some comfort if it helped my DS be alone in the crib.

Bubbles · Aug 24, 2016

Sorry about the delay folks..

Cord Blood Collection/Banking
Baby's umblical cord itself, and the blood flowing through the cord is a good source of stem cells.
Stem cells are cells of the body before they 'specialise' into different organs and tissues.. they are special because they have the capacity the become any tissue/organ under the right conditions - kind of like our babies themselves. As we grow up, these cells diminish in number, and are found in only certain pockets eg. our bone marrow. Unlike these adult sources, the umblical cord (and blood) is a rich source of these stem cells.
The importance of these stem cells lies in their medical uses : they are used in the treatment of a lot of cancers and genetic conditions. The use of these stem cells as treatment - what is called Stem Cell Therapy - is increasing day by day, as are the conditions which can be treated by this.

So, you have an option of collecting and saving this precious source at your baby's birth, which otherwise is just discarded. It is of no harm to your baby, as this collection is done only after the baby's birth:
Usually after the baby is born, the umblical cord is 'clamped' - the cord is held taut, and cut. Your husband maybe allowed to do this in many hospitals.. The baby is handed over to the dad - and onto the baby nurse/pediatrician. Then, the placenta is delivered along with the umblical cord remnant, and this is discarded.
When you opt for cord blood collection, after the cord is clamped, blood is drawn and a sample of the cord collected. That is all. Everything else is the same. So there is no impact on the baby.
What is prohibitive is the cost : it costs a few thousand dollars to store this This varies among companies offering this cord blood collection/storage. Remember, this is not mandatory, and very few babies as of now will actually need this heavy insurance later on (maybe 1 in 10,000 or even less !!).
Usually companies charge upto ~5000$ one time for this (yikes!!!!! ) Some give options of $1000+ with monthly 100$ etc for x years.. You may also opt for storing just the blood and not the umblical cord tissue : that will reduce the costs by nearly ~1500$.
You have the option of saving it for a few years (5-15) or if u need (and can pay), lifelong. Yes, it's a big business..

The benefit of this collected stem cells go beyond this baby - for siblings as well ..or other relatives (there are some caveats here, but that will be too much info).

Or if you and your spouse are philanthropic, you may donate this to public cord blood banks where you don't have to pay anything - but of course, you don't get to use it either.
This will then be used for people in dire need of these cells NOW - usually kids, or sometimes for research.

So think well about this and make a informed decision..

Bubbles · Aug 24, 2016

Adding on to @blindpup10

blindpup10 said: ↑

After delivery, your body will produce Colostrum before breastmilk. Breastfeeding colostrum is highly encouraged as it has antibodies
Click to expand...

Please please please feed your baby this. It had antibodies, and all the essential nutrients your baby needs. You may hardly get a spoonful initially - which is totally fine and normal - and adequate. No hesitations here please!! You do not need to give anything more..

blindpup10 said: ↑

Baby will receive eye drops right after delivery
Click to expand...

Sometimes it's an ointment - so don't wipe it off !!

blindpup10 said: ↑

Hep B vaccine is given to the newborn.
Click to expand...

This is optional, so ask and confirm your baby is getting this.

blindpup10 said: ↑

As I had GD after giving birth my DS was also monitored on his blood sugar. The hospital checked my DS blood level after 1 hour of feed for the 3 days after his birth.
Click to expand...

Baby's blood sugars are monitored as they tend to develop low blood sugars in the initial hours if mommy was diabetic during pregnancy or even before.. so don't be upset about the pricks, it's for the little darling's wellbeing..

You may take back those postpartum panties, cream/salve, witch hazel pads, sprays, spray bottles etc and the diapers with you.. dont feel shy and get as many as you reasonably can. It will be very useful for you back home.

Whatever is in the baby cart is yours as well.

If you have a lactation consultant checking you, do ask for a sample or two of lanolin. Its the ointment for sore nipples. Or maybe even your postpartum nurse.

Ensure that you become comfortable with breastfeeding even while in the hospital - and freely ask ALL your doubts to the nurse. They are there to assist you - yes, even if its 2:30am and its such a silly doubt that you're having..

Train your husband to do the swaddling and diaper changes. .

Rest..rest..rest. Eat well. Rest.

Practise skin - to - skin as much as you can. And once baby sleeps, ask your husband to put baby in the bassinet..and SLEEP. You need it. (Even if he is equally sleep deprived - sounds harsh, but his will be short term only mostly..)

Cuddle and coo to your baby..your baby will be soothed by your voice, smell.. and help boost your milk supply.

Take a newborn family pic. Hospitals give baby handprints/footprints - take them and save them for keepsake.