Things to do before the baby arrives part 2

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Choose a pediatrician if you don't already have one. Your obstetrician might double as one but, if she doesn't, ask for recommendations. Also, bone up on what your insurance covers and what it doesn't so you don't end up paying more than you can afford. Your budget is going to be stretched enough as it is! I've had doctors figure out ways to get me care I couldn't afford otherwise-giving me samples of medications, doing a procedure in their office as opposed to an outpatient testing facility, etc. I'm not saying to try to ask your doctor to violate her ethics or get around the law, but many physicians have connections that can save you a lot of time and trouble.

If you're breastfeeding, you might want to learn how to use a breast pump or look into classes or lactation consultants. Many hospitals have them available before and after the birth.

Do what you can to prepare the rest of the family for the new arrival. I'm not talking about the type of mental preparation that starts long before your due date (although this is very important too) so much as making the rest of your household aware of what should and shouldn't be done with and around a baby. Little children might not realize that playing too roughly with a new baby could hurt them. They'll need to know what the baby can and can't eat/wear/play with/etc. Also, sometimes older siblings will resent the baby for taking attention away from them. If they know why the attention is needed, it might make it easier for them to adjust.

Some people will immediately start trying to get their children into the best preschools and kindergartens before the baby even learns to crawl. While I'm not sure this is necessary, it does help to start vetting nannies and day care centers. The process of finding and procuring the right one can take a while.

Let others know what sort of help you need. When I had hip surgery last year, a lot of people from my church did things like bring food, lend or buy various home supplies, drive me places and stay with me so I wouldn't be alone so much. These things were extremely helpful, especially since my family lives eight hours away. In addition to feedings and diaper changes, you're probably going to need someone to run errands, clean house or babysit your other children while you get some much-needed sleep!

Stock up on diapers, wipes, formula etc. You'll always want to have a good supply of these on hand. A lot of people bring these things to baby showers in addition to their gift, so that will help.

I hope I've been able to help. Congrats again on the baby!

Pregnant With Medical Issues? Questions To Ask Your Doctor Part 1

It's been said that pregnancy is one of the most fulfilling and perplexing experiences in life. You find out you're pregnant and suddenly you have a million questions running around in your head. Do I need prenatal vitamins? Should I go to an OB/GYN or will my family doctor suffice? Do we have enough room in our house for a new baby? How will we introduce him/her to the rest of the family? This can be overwhelming for any woman, let alone one with an ongoing condition. We (yes, we) have a whole extra set of questions to ask. For example:

-Can I take my medication/get treatment? One of the biggest questions of pregnancy with medical issues is being able to take your medications. While it's possible to take *some* medications with no harm to the baby, doctors often find themselves having to either reduce the dose or try to switch to a different medication. The problems with this are obvious: What if the lowered dose isn't effective for whatever problem it's supposed to address? What if there is no comparable medication to switch to? How would your health or the baby's health be affected if you went off of medication entirely? How long will you have to be off of the medication before you get pregnant, and how long after the baby is born? Can you breastfeed?  These are serious questions to ask your doctor if you plan to become pregnant.
Women with cancer rarely pass the condition on to their children, but some more aggressive forms of treatment can harm a growing fetus. Your doctor will be able to determine the best course of action.


-How (or if) can I avoid giving my condition to the baby? When I say this, I'm not talking about genetic-related conditions, but things you acquired prior to becoming pregnant. Fortunately, medical science has come pretty far in lowering the risk of mother-to-child transmissions of HIV and other illnesses. Even so, it will be vitally important for your doctor to know you're pregnant as soon as possible so s/he can recommend the best course of treatment for both you and your baby. Depending on the condition, you may also be given advice as to how to have the child (naturally vs. C-section) or breastfeeding.
If the condition is genetic, you'll want to find out what the chances are you'll pass it down. Not all disorders have “dominant” or “recessive” genes like the ones we learned in biology class. If a child does end up with your condition, you'll want to know the best treatment plan for your baby. It might be different from the one you're on.

For brevity's sake, the list will be continued in Part 2. 

What Should I Eat While Breastfeeding?

In this post, I told you what you shouldn't eat while breastfeeding. Here are a few ideas about what you *should* eat. A lot of these are similar to/the same as what you were doing during pregnancy, so you probably won't have to make any major adjustments just yet. Plus, it's just healthy in general.

-Most doctors will tell you to continue with your prenatal vitamins, or suggest another multivitamin. Also essential are calcium, folic acid and zinc. Make sure you consume plenty of dairy items; you have to *have* milk in order to *make* milk!

-While they don't suggest counting calories, some doctors will say that you should increase your caloric intake by about 500 calories. This probably isn't much different from what you did during your pregnancy. *What* you eat is much more important than how many calories, so this is an estimate.

-Drink plenty of water. It doesn't *have* to be filtered because the EPA requires the local tap water supply to meet high standards for cleanliness, but some people prefer to lower any possibility of contaminants.

-You shouldn't have a problem with rare steaks, although some doctors will advise against eating tuna steak very often due to the possiblity of mercury in the fish. Trim any excess fat off of your meat because the fat is where most of the chemicals your meat comes into contact with are stored.

-Work in about 3-5 ounces of 'good fats" into your diet each day. By 'good fats', I'm referring to mono- and polyunsaturated fats, not saturated or trans fats. The 'good fats' can be found in things like olives, olive oil, avocados and vegetable-based oils such as peanut and canola. Whole grains, nuts and seeds are also good. Again, this might have been what you did during your pregnancy, so it shouldn't be much of a 'stretch'.

-As usual, eat lots of fruits and vegetables. It's a good idea to get them from a local farmer's market or similar place because they usually don't have the pesticides and preservatives that might be added to 'shipped-in' foods. Plus, you will be helping out local growers. While it may not be possible to remove *all* traces of pesticides, wash your fruits and veggies the best that you can.

-If you want to lose your 'baby weight', don't start 'dieting' until your baby is at least two months old. Otherwise, your milk production could be affected and you could suffer from a lack of energy. Anyone who has been around a young baby knows that you're going to need all the energy you can get! Also, it's estimated that babies consume about 1,000 calories from their breast milk each day; that *alone* will probably help you lose weight.

Basically, eat what's healthy for *you*. It won't harm your baby if you 'slip up' and down the occasional bag of Cheetos, but it's best to keep on a healthy track. It's better for you in general and can help with any weight loss you are trying for.

For more information, visit
http://breastfeeding.about.com/od/breastfeedingbasics/a/nutritionalneed.htm
http://www.babycenter.com/0_diet-for-a-healthy-breastfeeding-mom_3565.bc
http://www.parents.com/baby/breastfeeding/basics/nutrition-tips-for-breastfeeding-moms/
http://kidshealth.org/parent/growth/feeding/breastfeed_eating.html#

What Shouldn't I Eat While Breastfeeding?

One of the first questions many women ask after giving birth is, 'What should I avoid while breastfeeding?' While every baby is different, here are some basic guidelines.

-Sometimes certain foods will make a baby 'gassy' or disrupt his/her sleep. If you notice this about any particular food, avoid it for a few days before introducing it back into your diet. That way, you have a better idea of the cause of the problem-that food or something else.

It's also possible that a baby may be intolerant or even allergic to something you're eating. If your baby seems to be in a lot of pain from gas, gets a rash, or has hard and/or bloody stools, check with your doctor.

-Caffeine. There's nothing wrong with a cup or two of coffee a day, but don't overdo it because it could disrupt your baby's sleep patterns. Ditto sodas, energy drinks and certain teas.

-Avoid artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and saccharin. Personally, I avoid them because I think they're disgusting, but your mileage may vary. :)

-There are a few types of fish that have a higher concentration of mercury, which isn't exactly good for *anyone*, let alone a baby. Swordfish, king mackerel and shark should be avoided. Canned tuna is usually fine in moderation-perhaps one or two cans a week.

You may also want to avoid shellfish because they are 'bottom-feeders'-in other words, they eat all the nasty stuff you'd find at the bottom of the ocean. Since some areas have more of a mercury or water pollution problem than others, check with your doctor. You might not always be able to know where your fish comes from, but I come from a coastal town where a lot of the fish in restaurants and grocery stores are caught by local fishermen. I love it, but your doctor might not. :) For more information, visit this site-http://www.breastfeeding-problems.com/fish-while-breastfeeding.html.

-Alcohol. This really should be obvious, but don't drink to excess. It's okay to have an occasional drink but, if you are planning to have more than one in a sitting, wait at least two hours per drink before nursing again. Two hours for one beer, four for two...you get the idea. Better yet, nurse your baby *before* you have that merlot. It's best to wait until your your baby has been on a 'pattern' for at least three months.

If you're going to a cocktail party or otherwise think you may want more than a couple of beers, you may want to 'pump it and dump it'-pump the milk and toss it out.

Of course, you could always store breast milk and give *that* to your baby.

-There are a lot of prescription drugs that you shouldn't take while breastfeeding, so talk to your doctors-all of them-to see if they can find any alternatives.

Essentially, you should remember that your baby 'eats' everything you do while breastfeeding. I'm not a doctor, though, so you're going to want to check with yours to see what is right for your particular baby.

For ideas on what you *should* eat, check out this post-http://www.momsnewbaby.com/2013/06/what-should-i-eat-while-breastfeeding.html

Items Every New Mother Needs

When my friends (I'll call them Bryan and Julie) found out they were going to have their first child, they were so excited. Excited, and scared. Suddenly they found themselves in this 'world' they knew nothing about, a world filled with diapers, car seats and 'onesies'. They didn't know what they would need for their new addition, so they got advice from everyone around them. Unfortunately, they were told so many conflicting things and ended up registering for items they had never heard of before and ended up not needing. Is this you, or someone you know? Are you wondering what you really need for your new baby, as opposed to the random things your cousin has been telling you? Never fear, I'm here to help (cue Mighty Mouse theme)! Here are a few of the things you need for your new baby; it's not as long of a list as you might think.

Are you going to breast-feed? Make sure you get at least one nursing bra. That way, you don't have to go topless to feed your baby. Also, get some good nipple cream. Your nipples can get pretty chapped by nursing, so it's important to get something that can soothe them. You can find it at most drug stores. Also, some women have a problem with embarrassing 'leakage', so get some nursing pads you can wear in your bra to keep any excess milk from showing and staining your tops.

Many women like to use breast pumps so that they can fill bottles and feed their babies on the go. A good one is worth its weight in gold!

Since you probably won't be staying in one place all the time, you will need a good car seat. The best ones will have a detachable 'seat' so that you can carry your baby around without having to unbuckle him. Trust me, if your are able to get your child to sit still or sleep in the chair, you won't want to disturb them if you can possibly avoid it! There is a right and a wrong way to install a car seat, so either follow the directions from the box or have someone show you how to use it properly.

Also, find yourself a good diaper bag big enough to store diapers, wipes and lotions. Another thing that is helpful is a pack of disposable changing pads you can cover public changing tables with, or use to keep other surfaces from getting dirty. Huggies makes both washable and disposable changing pads.

Above all, you will need something that is just for yourself! Having a new baby around can be very stressful, so you will need some way to relax. In addition to getting your husband or other family members to help with the baby so that you can actually get some sleep, it might do you well to get a pedicure or some comfy slipper socks; the ones I have have shea butter inside them to help soften your feet as you wear them. Julie had a really hard time doing things like pedicures, toenail painting or leg shaving for herself at first because she still had some of the 'baby belly' left. Not only did a gift of a pedicure do well by her feet, it also saved her sanity by getting her out of the house with 'just the adults'!

I hope I've given some good ideas for things for your baby registry or wish lists. It can be overwhelming with so many options, so it's good to know where to start!