New mom to be needs some questions answered

[ArielRae]

Hi,

I'm going to be a new mom in the next couple of months and I have some questions for you experienced parents. I have read quite a few books but nothing beats some experienced advice so I have a couple questions right now but may post more if I can think of any.

1) How long does an infant need to wear mittins or outfits with cuffs for?

2) I have a bassinett for the bedroom to have the baby in but was wondering what was best when I am hanging out in the living room. I have a Baby swing and a playmat either of those good for a newborn or should I lug the bassinett out every day? Can I use the playmat and use the baby sleep wedge or do you think I should use the swing and get a head support for the baby to use in the swing?

3) I heard that baby's can go thru alot of outfits during the day but was wondering if this sounded ok. Can I put the baby in an outfit in the morning and not change it until the next morning unless it gets dirty or messed up. Basically do I need to put the baby in a new outfit to sleep in if what he is wearing is clean and comfortable enough to sleep in?

I know these may be minor questions but just something I thought about. Any advice you can offer is greatly appreciated. It may help with thinking of more questions not covered in mom to be books.

 

[acename]

First of all congratuations! As far as the questions, I'll just tell you what I did, and plan on doing for our next baby (due in February it's getting closer!)

1. I didn't ever do the mittens with my daughter. she never scratched herself. I just made sure her fingernails were cut.

2. I think this depends on how big your house is. Our living room is right next to our bedroom so I just left the bassinet in the bedroom and I could hear her if she woke up. If your's aren't that close I would still probably let the baby sleep in the bedroom but put a monitor in there so you can hear the baby.

3. I don't see why you can't leave the same clothes on the baby all day and let him sleep in them. However, the chances of that happening are slim to none. Newborn baby diapers are pretty gross and make a mess pretty easy. With that plus spit up and all the other yucky stuff babies due, I'm guessing you won't make it through the day without at least one costume change.

Hope this helps. Congrats again!

 

[ToTLaugher]

Congratulations! I hope all is going well so far.

I am mom to 3 kids (15, 13 and 5). I will say - there is seldom one right answer when it comes to babies, but you will be surprised how fast you being to figure it out as you go along.

1. I would only use the mittens if you find your baby scratches his/herself. (Mine never did.)

2. For convience it is nice to have something in the familyroom for the baby to sleep in. Lots of babies like to sleep in the swing, the car seat or bouncy seat. I used a Moses basket for my last child and loved it because it was easy to put anywhere. By the time he was getting too big for the basket I was comfortable with him sleeping upstairs with a monitor on.

3. Only use as many outfits as needed. You will be doing enough laundry already! But as the pp said, babies have a tendency to mess up the outfits quickly!

Feel free to ask all the questions you want. Moms love being able to share with new moms!

 

[amykay9377]

Hi,
1) How long does an infant need to wear mittins or outfits with cuffs for?

2) I have a bassinett for the bedroom to have the baby in but was wondering what was best when I am hanging out in the living room. I have a Baby swing and a playmat either of those good for a newborn or should I lug the bassinett out every day? Can I use the playmat and use the baby sleep wedge or do you think I should use the swing and get a head support for the baby to use in the swing?

3) I heard that baby's can go thru alot of outfits during the day but was wondering if this sounded ok. Can I put the baby in an outfit in the morning and not change it until the next morning unless it gets dirty or messed up. Basically do I need to put the baby in a new outfit to sleep in if what he is wearing is clean and comfortable enough to sleep in?

I know these may be minor questions ...

Congrats!!!! Get a good whiff of Baby Head for me - my "baby" is turning twelve next month. Remember NO QUESTION is minor when it comes to stuff like this!

1) I never put my DD in mittens - as long as you keep her nails trimmed, she will be fine (the mitts are supposed to keep her from cutting her skin with her nails or something like that - I never got it).

2) Thinking back, when DD was brand new Jelly Baby, we just kept her in her car seat! If we weren't holding her, she was either in the car seat (in the room with me, not in the car!), in a bouncy-seat kind of thing, or (I think, don't call me a bad mom!) face-down on a blanket. Once she got some motor control, we used the Baby Swing a lot, but she loved the bouncy-seat! I don't think they had a "Baby Wedge" when DD was born, so I will say, NO you don't need it.

3) Regarding clothes, DD lived in those footie jammies and onesies for MONTHS (unless she was going somewhere and I couldn't resist dressing her up al cute!) You can PLAN to have her wear the entire outfit for one day, and if some crusty formula or spit up doesn't bother you, don't change her into different clothes! Save your time, energy and SANITY! HOWEVER, be advised of the NUMBER THREE diaper. #1 is a pee diaper, #2 is a poopie diaper. NUMBER THREE is a diaper that explodes so much that it goes up her back like when you used to ride a bike in the rain! They don't happen all the time, but it's one of those things that when it rains it pours! In that instance, i'll venture a guess and say that you should change her clothes . However, one note about sleeping - if the baby has on clothes with ribbons/bows/etc that could be ANY kind of hazard, put her in jammies. Never put a baby to sleep in something or near something that could be hazardous.

Remember that NO question (I'm repeating myself, but I digress) is minor. If you wonder anything at all, other moms will help you!

Here is one final piece of advice that you probably will never think to ask and would never think to DO - there will probably come a day when you have HAD IT UP TO HERE and you are alone with the baby and exhausted and haven't had a shower in a week and your legs are Caveman hairy and you haven't slept in four days and you are going nuts and the baby WON'T STOP CRYING.... Take a break. Put the baby in the crib (or somewhere safe) and go elsewhere for a moment (meaning the front porch, the other story of your house, whereever she is still in earshot but quieter) and vent (I cried). You will be AMAZED at how this works. This happened to me one day - DD had been crying for HOURS and nothing was working and I was at my wits end, so I put her down for a nap, stepped outside onto my porch steps and cried for 5 minutes until my inner voice changed from "I can't do this" to "Okay, let's do this".

Okay, way longer than I thought, but hopefully this will help you!

 

[T16GEM]

Congratulations!


1. We used mittens with our DD and DS for around 8 weeks I think, I remember DS pulling them off a lot though so you may find that the sleep suits with pull over hand parts (sorry don't really know their official name)
2. our house is 2 storey so I would bring the bassinet downstairs and put it on our dining room table! I never really liked to rely on the baby monitor, even though it was an angel care.
3. Nope nothing wrong with that but your chances are almost zero! I used to find that there was always milk leakage down their necks - no matter how many bibs I used on them! New borns also have a fantastic way of leaking poop, so they will get you to change their clothes one way or another!

 

[ORMom2Four]

Congratulations!!

1) How long does an infant need to wear mittins or outfits with cuffs for? I never used them for any of my babies.....

2) I have a bassinett for the bedroom to have the baby in but was wondering what was best when I am hanging out in the living room. I have a Baby swing and a playmat either of those good for a newborn or should I lug the bassinett out every day? Can I use the playmat and use the baby sleep wedge or do you think I should use the swing and get a head support for the baby to use in the swing? My babies liked to sleep in their swings or in a bouncer. When we had a one story house, I let them sleep in their bedrooms. With the current 2 story house, I like to keep them in the family room with me when they are napping... You could use the playmat, it would work fine.

3) I heard that baby's can go thru alot of outfits during the day but was wondering if this sounded ok. Can I put the baby in an outfit in the morning and not change it until the next morning unless it gets dirty or messed up. Basically do I need to put the baby in a new outfit to sleep in if what he is wearing is clean and comfortable enough to sleep in? Sure, if they are not messy, you don't have to change them. Odds are you will though, newborns/babies spit up a LOT. Their early bm's are very loose, and their diapers tend to leak a lot too. I like to put small, velcro closure bibs on my babies when they eat and for about an hour afterwards. Saves a few outfit changes that way

 

[justhat]

Congrats! Come join us on the Moms To Be thread!

My 1st did wear mittens, but really only cause she was born in February and it was cold. My son was born in August and I think he would have been hot in mittens. Neither kid really scratched themselves much.

We had a pack n play in the living room with my 1st 2 kids, but I hardly ever used it so it's not even getting set up with this one. We use the swing or playmat when we're in the living room, or someone is holding/wearing the baby.

I usually changed mine at bedtime but only cause I preferred the baby gowns for nighttime changes as opposed to unzipping the footed PJs and prying legs in and out. My kids didn't really need too many daytime outfits in the beginning as the spit up didn't really start till a bit later and, with my daughter anyway, the drool was incessant by 6 weeks so she wore a bib all day long.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Hi,

I'm going to be a new mom in the next couple of months and I have some questions for you experienced parents. I have read quite a few books but nothing beats some experienced advice so I have a couple questions right now but may post more if I can think of any.

1) How long does an infant need to wear mittins or outfits with cuffs for?

2) I have a bassinett for the bedroom to have the baby in but was wondering what was best when I am hanging out in the living room. I have a Baby swing and a playmat either of those good for a newborn or should I lug the bassinett out every day? Can I use the playmat and use the baby sleep wedge or do you think I should use the swing and get a head support for the baby to use in the swing?

3) I heard that baby's can go thru alot of outfits during the day but was wondering if this sounded ok. Can I put the baby in an outfit in the morning and not change it until the next morning unless it gets dirty or messed up. Basically do I need to put the baby in a new outfit to sleep in if what he is wearing is clean and comfortable enough to sleep in?

I know these may be minor questions but just something I thought about. Any advice you can offer is greatly appreciated. It may help with thinking of more questions not covered in mom to be books.

Answers will vary--

1) when the silly things kept coming off, I stopped. Usually it's about the first 6 weeks or so, when their nails are shop and they just can't control their hands. I know I phased my out probably before I should have...so I don't know the real answer.

2) Again, it varies based on your baby. I would suggest doing whatever works for you. Sometimes where we plan for baby to sleep--isn't where baby wants to sleep.
-- If you have a pack n' play, you can use that for a secondary bassinet.
--Other naptime places in our home--have been the swing. If they fall asleep, we don't move them.
--The bouncy seat--really convenient when they move much. Floor works as well if you can put them down.
--Moby, Hotsling, other sling or equivilant. In the very early days, it seemed it was the only way I could get around.

DON'T get upset if you feel your baby needs you all.the.time. Not all a babies are like this--but it is common. You have to train them for schedules and such. Slings were a nice filler when you had to do something, needed your hands, and they just would not be put down. I remember complaining with my first about not being able to put her down. By the 2nd and 3rd, I actually cherished those moments b/c they soon get big enough to where they don't need you as much.

3) My babies did not wear lots of outfits. They were usually in a onesie. With a good fitting diaper, it wasn't much of a problem unless they had a massive explosion. We found that huggies were best with our girls and pampers for our boys. It seemed that for the opposite, ours would leak regardless of what we did. Remember to carry an extra outfit--mine were usually just a onesie as we live in Florida. With some sweatpants if it was chilly. I also carried extra socks in case they lost one while we were out.

Only if the outfit was nasty with spit up, or stains from eating did I bother changing them into a clean one for bed. Unless it was a day for a bath. Then I changed them automatically. I liked having my newborns sleep in the sleep "dress" things--where the bottom is elasticized, to not be open--but easy access for nighttime diaper changes with no buttons or snaps to worry about.


Just go with the flow.

 

[nmmom95]

Congratulations! My favorite smells in the entire world are baby neck & formula breath! My boys are 11 & 6, but this is what I did:
1. Never used mittens, just kept their nails short. I used an emery board because the clippers scared me.
2. I kept a bassinet in the family room, but my DS6 really liked to sleep on the stroller, so I used that a lot!
3. I agree with PP's on this one. They can stay in the same outfit, but it never stays clean.
Good luck!

 

[kacaju]

it's been 10 years now since I have had a baby.

I never used mittens, but I was also good at cutting their nails so they never scratched themselves.

You will probably want that baby of yours close to you for those first few weeks. Then as time goes on get him/her used to sleeping in their crib!!


Outfits, only change when needed!! you will do enough laundry!!

Also, don't tip toe around your sleeping baby. Vaccuum, keep the TV/radio on so they get used to sleeping with noise!!!

 

[Ride Junkie]

I agree with the previous posters.

I think I only covered DD's hands when we were in the hospital. She was born with long fingernails & we didn't have any clippers to cut them with. She loved grabbing her face and kept scratching herself! But she loved putting her fingers in her mouth at night, so she hated having her hands covered after that.

The baby nail clippers scare me as well. I can never see how close I am to cutting her skin. Instead I use the little scissors that came in the red cross baby kit. You can cut the nails close & see what you're doing much easier than with clippers.

 

[Ohiodislover]

Congrats-

Just wanted to add that sometimes instead of trimming babies nails with clippers, you can file them down w/ a baby nail file. This will prolong the inevitable feeling of being a horrible parent the first time you get one of their tiny little fingers w/ the clippers.

I had a cradle out in my family room. But a swing/playmat is also fine. I think it helps to get baby used to sleeping during a bit of action/noise. Keep in mind, if they are comfortable enough to be asleep, then they are good. Don't try and move them because you think they look uncomfortable. I learned this one the hard way...took several times.

The outfit thing will be whatever it is. Some babies are messier than others, but most are fairly messy from my experience. Its fine to keep them in the same outfit if it is still clean, and appropriate for sleep.

 

[3prettyprincesses]

Ooooh, congratulations! I LOVE babies, love them! I have 3 kids ages 10, 8 and 6. Here's what I did:

1. I never used the mittens on any of them. They didn't really scratch themselves. I did trim their little finger nails often though so maybe that's why. Oooh, their finger nails are so tiny and cute! Be sure to use baby clippers though since they're nice and small and you won't have to worry about clipping their finger.

2. For my 1st baby, I kept her in her carseat for the first few weeks. Then mostly on a blanket or swing after that. For my other 2 babies, I kept them in the bouncy seat for the first few weeks or so and then on a blanket.

3. Ah, outfits for babies. When mine were newborns, I'd always pack 3 outfits whenever I went out. 99% of the time, I used all 3 or at least 2 of them. Seriously, baby poop is like seedy water. To get a good idea, take mustard and squirt it in a newborn diaper, squeeze it a little and that stuff will seep out the sides. That's what it's like. DH and I used to describe them as levels...level 1 is pee, level 2 is poop and level 3 is a full out breach of poop requiring an outfit change! However, if your little one is able to keep everything contained, then I'd only change the outfit the next morning. They do spit up a bit too and that can stink up baby clothes. Mine lived in sleepers and gowns unless we were going out somewhere and then I'd break out the cute clothes! Once they were about 3 months old I only used the sleepers for bedtime.

Good luck!

 

[Bren's Mom]

1) How long does an infant need to wear mittins or outfits with cuffs for?

They never HAVE to wear them. They're convenient if baby tends to scratch himself with his nails. You can buy just the mittens themselves, or the onesies with the mittens if they still make those (for underneath a regular outfit) if needed.

2) I have a bassinett for the bedroom to have the baby in but was wondering what was best when I am hanging out in the living room. I have a Baby swing and a playmat either of those good for a newborn or should I lug the bassinett out every day? Can I use the playmat and use the baby sleep wedge or do you think I should use the swing and get a head support for the baby to use in the swing?

Ds loved his swing. He'd hang out in that, did tummy time on the floor. We also had a bouncy seat, for variety. In our basement family room I had a pack 'n play set up to put him in or change him on when I was down there. Baby can sleep for naps in the bassinet in the bedroom even if you're not in there.

3) I heard that baby's can go thru alot of outfits during the day but was wondering if this sounded ok. Can I put the baby in an outfit in the morning and not change it until the next morning unless it gets dirty or messed up. Basically do I need to put the baby in a new outfit to sleep in if what he is wearing is clean and comfortable enough to sleep in?

I think if you think your kiddo isn't going to get poop, drool or spit up on those outfits then you're going to be in for a big surprise! Expect to change clothes AT LEAST once per day, bare minimum.

I know these may be minor questions but just something I thought about. Any advice you can offer is greatly appreciated. It may help with thinking of more questions not covered in mom to be books.

There's ALOT that's not covered in books. And ALOT that you'll only learn by doing!

Here's my advice: If your partner does something to help, keep your mouth firmly shut. NO MATTER WHAT. He or she is learning just like you, and they will have their own style which might differ greatly from yours. That doesn't mean it's not an ok way to do it! If you fix it or criticize too often you'll be back as one of those moms who says 'My dh never helps!'. So trust me, mouth shut. Got it?

 

[Miz Diz]

1) How long does an infant need to wear mittins or outfits with cuffs for?

2) I have a bassinett for the bedroom to have the baby in but was wondering what was best when I am hanging out in the living room. I have a Baby swing and a playmat either of those good for a newborn or should I lug the bassinett out every day? Can I use the playmat and use the baby sleep wedge or do you think I should use the swing and get a head support for the baby to use in the swing?

3) I heard that baby's can go thru alot of outfits during the day but was wondering if this sounded ok. Can I put the baby in an outfit in the morning and not change it until the next morning unless it gets dirty or messed up. Basically do I need to put the baby in a new outfit to sleep in if what he is wearing is clean and comfortable enough to sleep in?

I know these may be minor questions but just something I thought about. Any advice you can offer is greatly appreciated. It may help with thinking of more questions not covered in mom to be books.

I used mittens because my babies would scratch their face. I think I used them for about 6 weeks, or until they wouldn't keep them on their hands any more.

I used a play mat and swing for the baby if he or she were awake, but for naps, put them in their pack n play or I held them.
My ds loved the swing. Not so much the playmat.
My dd hated the swing and loved the playmat.
You will figure out what works best for you and your baby.
My ds fit in the bassinet for 1 week. Seriously. He was 21 1/2 inches long and 10 lbs, 2 oz at birth. DD stayed in the bassinet for a long time.

You can leave the same outfit on baby if it stays clean, but you will find that putting the baby in one of those long gowns is the easiest for late night/early morning changes. You don't want to mess with snaps at 3am. It's the best advice my sister gave me. lol.

Always keep an extra outfit in your diaper bag. You never know when you will need it. Oh - and more diapers than you think you will need. It also doesn't hurt to keep an extra shirt in the car for yourself. Trust me on that one.

 

[mjkacmom]

I never used the mittens, just cut the nails. I learned after #1 to put them in the crib right away - one less transition. Crib at night, bassinet downstairs during the day, no monitor (babies fuss during the night, without needing to be fed). Changing table with diapers and clothes much more needed downstairs than upstairs (by the time I had the twins, I had one upstairs and downstairs). By the time baby is 4 weeks old, you are on survival mode - what ever works! If baby sleeps well in carseat, carseat, swing, swing, driving around the town, driving, being pushed in the stroller, push. There is no reason not to shower - if baby cries for a few minutes while you bathe, there is no lasting damage to baby (took me until #3 to learn this!).

 

[ArielRae]

Thanks everyone for taking the time to answer my questions. I'll be sure to post again if I can think of anymore.

 

[puffkin]

1. I used baby socks on his hands because those stayed on better. He was quite a scratcher plus it was winter and I was terrified of cutting his nails (actually I still make DH do it and he is 3). I am not scared of cutting him, nails just gross me out to the point of gagging. I have a hard enough time with my own I think we used the socks/mittens about 1 month.

2. My DS was only small enough for a bassinet for about 2 weeks. I started him in the crib right away...much easier for all involved and one less transition. He just was not comfortable in that small of a space. He was a decent sized baby but not huge by any means (born at 8.7 lbs.). During the day I rotated him from the floor mat to the swing, to the pack n play, to the boppy pillow to the bouncey chair (although we didn't use the bouncey setting). He loved the swing but I tried not to leave him in there too much.

3. DS was an extremely clean baby (I know this is unusual). I was actually upset because I really didn't get to use a lot of his clothes since we barely needed to change him. He only spit up twice that I can recall and only had a few blow outs. I did change him into dedicated "sleep" clothes ever evening though. I had a nighttime routine every night with him that included bottle, bath, lotion, changing clothes etc. Even when he didn't need a bath or clothing change I did the routine. I think it really helped him settle in for the evenings because from day 1 he was a fantastic sleeper.

 

[ArielRae]

Ok I thought of anouther question.

What brand breast pump do you recommend. I'm a stay at home mom if that helps. I don't want to spend a fortune as I plan to breastfeed but want one to have around for making an extra bottle later for DH to do feedings or if he fails to latch on I can still feed him breast milk instead of formula. I have been looking at the First Years MiPump Single and Playtex - Petite Double Electric Breast Pump so far. I have playtex ventair bottles from my baby shower so that is one reason I am considering the playtex pump. I like that the MiPump one is inexpensive and has good ratings.

First Years MiPump Single
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10803958
Playtex - Petite Double Electric Breast Pump
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10817661

 

[phillmolly]

First off, every baby is different and every mom is different, what worked for me, may or may not work for you.

I never used mittens, I never saw the need for them and Will never really hurt himself.

We cosleep, I did have a bassinett but he would never sleep in it. He would take naps in the swing though and even slept in it a few nights when it was the only way I could get him to sleep, although I felt horrible mommy guilt over it. I also used a moby wrap a lot during the newborn days.

Will was born in Oct and was a few weeks early so all my newborn clothes were to big for him untill he was about 2 or 3 months old. He only had about 4 or 5 sleepers that fit him and three outfits so I was always running a load of laundry for him. I probally changed him about 2 or 3 times a day.

The first six weeks or so were by far the toughest time so far, we were both trying to get used to each other and I had to learn his cues. It also didn't help that Will spent three nights in the hospital when he was three weeks old (that is how the cosleeping got started). Will was and still is a very high needs baby (he is 14 months old now)he is happiest when I am very close by. He likes to be worn and wants to be near me all of the time. 99% of the time I love this, but there are sometimes when I wish he would let his dad comfort him!

You will learn what works for you, follow your instinct and I am sure everything will be fine. You can read all the books and listen to all the experts (your mom, friends, dr. ect) but you and your baby will figure out what works best for you. Some babies thrive on a very strict routine and others need a less structred routine. Will and I have a routine that works for us, but it also has a lot of wiggle room in it. I have a sister who has always had her kids on a very strict routine and a SIL who has her kids on a more loose routine and both of them have smart, happy, and sweet kids! I like to think I am in between them.

Congratultions to you!!! Remember, even though the first few weeks are tough, you will get through it and you will find that your child will give you more joy and love than you can imagine!