Landon's officially 2 weeks!! Yes we survived 2 weeks. I have no idea how people don't kill themselves or each other after just a few days, more so, how on earth do people go on to have 2...3..4 kids.
Now, I have a really good baby. I mean REALLY good baby. He doesn't really cry, he's pretty laid back. and he's pretty relaxed, yet the first few days after we were discharged from the hospital... I had an overwhelming feeling.
I assume its because he was 4 weeks early... and I didn't have much ready for him.
So here is my recipe for surviving the first few nights..
1. have a support system... which should include spouse, parents, cousins, aunts, friend.. neighbor.. just anyone that can come to make sure you don't blow your brains out. We didn't have anything set up for Landon in our room, so after we arrived home- My parents came over and put together our pack n play, moved some furniture around, helped us set up bottles, cook dinner for us, My parents were MY rock on our first night. Also, make sure if you're particular about how things are done, show your husband MONTHS & MONTHS (if not years) in advanced how to do stuff. My husband has been doing laundry and dishes for years so he naturally picked up how to clean, sterilize and prep bottles and the breast pump items. its VERY HELPFUL!
2. learn how to swaddle... swaddle that baby until its tight... first night with Landon, I was sOOOooOOo overwhelmed and tired that no matter how I swaddled him, he kept getting out... not to mention, We went through 20 different swaddle blankets to get him to sleep. he was a houdini when it came to getting out of the swaddle and he was the king to peeing all over us. Daddy's, please focus on changing diapers. We went through 1 pack of diapers the first night lol. Diaper fast & furious until you master that shit!
3. Be prepared to be thrown a curve ball and take plenty of notes and PAY CLOSE ATTENTION to what the nurses say!!! About 8 hours before we were discharged, we were informed that Landon wasn't getting any breast milk yet. our feeding plan went out the window when they made my husband a list of items to purchase before my discharge. we got a quick lesson on how to use our breast pump, which bottles to buy, which formula to buy, how to clean the pump items, how to clean bottles etc... I mean, I was so deliriously tired I feel blessed that my husband caught on quick. My poor husband's job was to do EVERYTHING and my job was to just breast feed him for 15 minutes on both sides, feed him 1 ounce of formula, pump for 15 minutes on both sides. talk about 1 hour of my life down the drain every 2 hours. Luckily after the second night home, My milk supply came in and he started to reject formula! woohoo!
4. try not to kill one another.. and embrace help. Our in-laws arrived a day after we came home from the hospital. they basically took over laundry, dishes, and went around fixing up the house and making it more handy for us. My Father in-law is a handy man. he really checked every inch of our house to help us move faster.. example: Installing a door stop in our garage so we can keep the door propped when we need too. My mother cooked meals for me EVERYDAY. which was super helpful. and my sister came by everyday the first week to help us function and mainly to hold her nephew while I napped.
5. get plenty of sleep... and NAP when baby NAPS. I've been hearing this statement for months. and its so TRUE. mid afternoon naps are very helpful because it helps me wake up in the middle of the night to feed my baby. without an afternoon nap, I start to function like a zombie. I get emotional, moody, want to stab people... etc.
So here is the fun part. Items that you will need (Maybe)...
we used our Medela Breast Pump from day 2 until our lactation consultant told me I could stop pumping. We received extra compartments for our pump at the hospital and it was very helpful! You can also rent one at the hospital and it cost $80 a month.. but after 3 months, you can already own the little portable pump!
Since we had to supplement 1oz of formula with every feeding, we opted for these Breastflow bottles. They're easier to clean than dr.Browns and they're "Slow flow" nipples so they work great to transition him from breast to bottle and back to breast. Also, when I started to actually pump milk, the medela bottles were also slow flow. Luckily, he is such an easy going guy, Bottles changes don't really bother him!
The Belly Bandit.. pretty amazing. between breast feeding and this little sucker, My belly went from Bulging to minimal in about 2 weeks! I still have some work to do, but I'll take all the help I can get! You want to get it true to size (from pre-birth). I got a small at first I couldn't close it, but then I realized, if I had someone to help me strap it in, it fit nicely. Now it closes all the way!
These are A MUST have if you're breast feeding... because before you know it, you've got 2 giant WATERMARKS on your tank top. before I got a chance to purchase these, I had to change my top 5-6 times a day. lol.
I love our Pack'n Play! Its the S1 by Safety 1st Satellite Premier Playard - Pegasus. It has a little night light and storage space. We opted for the pack'n play over a basinet.
Lastly, these swaddle blankets from aiden and anais are pretty awesome. We also have a more affordable version from summer infant. It functions just the same. Since we have dogs, we use it to lay out on the couch and stuff before we lay the baby down. it keeps him fur free, even though our pups are hypo-allergenic and they don't shed. it gives my parents peace of mind.
BTW- I love being a mommy!! he is my everything and now that he's here, I can't imagine life without him!
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