So while I was looking up a baby registry for a coworker in November, I stumbled upon a gift registry for one of those friends, S., and I took a chance and sent a very short but polite note to her parent's house (I didn't have a current address) along with a gift card for the baby and one for her to pamper herself. I received a nice thank you note. Door wasn't closed with this person, but I didn't take the opening to catch up and hopefully get together. I would need to mend 2 other bridges before I got to that point.
Anyway, while looking up another baby registry, this time for my cousin, I find out that J., the person I really hurt the most, is expecting. I am thrilled for her. She will be a great mother. But now I am stuck. Do I send her a gift as well, even though she closed the door? I don't want to stress her out, especially when being pregnant is not the best time to add to the emotions.
So in lieu of sending a long note (like the one I wanted to send S.) I will give my short list of mommy-to-be recommendations, because I have no other outlet to do so and hopefully, this will get it out of my system. Decision to send a gift will be made later.
Pregnancy:
- Get a body pillow. Meet your new husband.
- Get a prenatal massage as often as possible.
- Keep up pedicures, preferably by someone else doing it.
- Don't buy too many maternity clothes. Stick to the basics and check out the line at Target.
- Have the boogie bag ready early.
- Bring the boppy to the hospital for the delivery. It makes breastfeeding easier.
- The maternity floor is nowhere near as great at L&D.
- Get familiar with the breast pump.
- Don't register for everything. The expensive bottles that you like might not be the ones junior likes.
- Same goes for binkies.
- Skip the diaper holder thingy.
- Get the BEST glider/rocker/ottoman set that you can afford. You will be spending a lot of time in it.
- DO get the bottle warmer. I still use mine as I never microwaved bottles or baby food for my kids.
- Get a bottle sterilizer if you don't have a dishwasher.
- DO get blanket sleepers (kids kick off blankets).
- Don't bother with baby shoes until the kid is starting to walk. Get the leather booties (at an outlet or discount store)and progress from there.
- GO TO THE OUTLETS AND TARGET! No reason to pay full price for stuff the kids will outgrow in nanoseconds. Both of my kids didn't even wear 9 month clothes.
- Use Craigslist, Zwaggle and other site wisely for used stuff. Don't buy car seats or cribs used.
- Don't expect to get your hair or body back right away.
- Check out baby movies at a local theater. They allow babies and keep the sound lower, and no one cares if you happen to be breastfeeding in the middle of it.
- Get a 529 account set up right away (and link a Upromise account to it). Start early saving for college!
- If family members give you US Savings Bonds, have the bond made out to your name and SSN with the child as the beneficiary. This wont count again the child for financial aid for college.
- Keep up with the baby book as often as possible. Print pictures as you can. Preserve memories as soon as you can. The first birthday will be here before you know it.
- Don't save everything (like the umbilical stump). Be selective. Save the firsts, but don't get crazy. Too much clutter will make you nuts.
- Get help for the first few weeks. You wont be yourself for a while.
- Donate or sell stuff that you won't need as soon as you can. It will free up space and you can feel good about helping others.
- Find a lullaby CD that you can stand to hear over and over again.
- Realize that you cannot control everything and that people only mean well when they give unsolicited advice.
1 comment:
Great tips! I didn't know you had been updating your blog either. Mine has been rotting away. I'm still going to try to be better. Hope you're doing well! Your girls are beautiful! I'm expecting number two in June and I'm terrified!
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