Getting ready for Little One's Arrival - Hospital Checklist

Few weeks ago, at one of my company monthly outing, 2 of my colleagues and I were chatting about our little ones. 1 of them is a mother of 2 , and the other is getting ready for her little girl's arrival. So we talked about what to expect in the delivery ward, epidural or not, confinement nanny, massage lady etc. My 1st question to her was, " Have you packed your hospital bag?"

Being a kiasu Mommy, I packed my hospital bag at week 32 for Jewel. Yes I know it was way too early! What to do…Mommy Chloe was excited and eager to welcome Jewel. As for Ian, I packed it at week 34. I was reading the daily updates in the Mommies forum and 1 of the Mommies back then kindly uploaded an hospital bag checklist. Pretty useful I would say. I remembered some Mommies was so exaggerated that they brought a luggage to the hospital! A luggage?! Is there a need?? What is there to put inside?? Your familiar stinking pillow or teddy bears??

For me, I use a sports bag and off I went!

Hospital Check List;

For Mommy

• Camera/ Video Cam with Tripod - No need for elaboration. 

• Lip Balm -  Scratching your head? I didn't bring it along for my first delivery. I regretted big time! As I didn't take the epidural, my breathing was deep and heavy. The pain was too much for me to bear that I couldn't how I breathed till my lips were dry and cracking! I think I breathed through my mouth. So for my second delivery, I make bloody sure I brought it along. And I brought 2! Haha.

• Newborn clothing's, beanie, mittens, booties and swaddling blanket- You have been buying and buying baby's clothes and commenting, 'Awwww…. look at that??? Such a cute and tiny piece of romper. I want to buy!" At the day of discharge, the nurse will change your baby's clothes for you and put on the beanie. Newborn are afraid of cold so wear something over the head to provide warmth.

• Front buttoned pyjamas - This is for breastfeeding mommy for convenience sake. It will come in useful even when you are back at home.

• Nursing Bra - It should not happen during the first week but some may experience leaking from the other breast when you are breastfeeding your baby. Getting a nursing bra with a breast pad stick on is safer.

• Nipple Cream - High Importance for Breastfeeding Moms.

• Toiletries - You want to smell nice when friends and colleagues come and visit you and not feeling sticky and itchy all over. Forget about not bathing for 30 days. Those are meant for people who stayed in the mountains during winter. As long as you dry yourself thoroughly after showering it is ok. For hygiene purpose for breastfeeding, you have to bathe. Can you imagine having your breakfast, lunch and dinner by the drain?? Smelly and unhygienic. Tsk Tsk.

• A set of clothes for yourself for the discharged- After baby is out, your tummy will not deflate back to your pre-pregnancy size. It will be about probably when you were 5 months pregnant. So bring some suitable dress or maternity shorts/pants during the day of discharge.

• Sanitary Pads - You will have menses for the entire one month and the flow will be heavy during the first week. If you are unable to find maternity sanitary pads, it is fine. Go ahead with normal sanitary pads, but you may want to get longer pads ( for night use) as you will be, and should be laying down all the time.

• Disposable maternity undies - Your undies may get stained. For convenience and hygiene purpose, better to throw away your undies after use.

• Personal documents - NRIC of you and your spouse, Marriage Certificate, Hospital Registration documents

• A Jacket - For those taking epidural, I heard from my friends that one of the side effects is that you will shiver and tremble when the medication starts to take effect.

• Phone / Camera Charger - Bet you will keep snapping your cutie's photo. 

Optional Items;

Breastpump - Honestly, there is no need to bring it along. No need for any stimulation or whatever. 10 out of 10 Mommies who brought it along to the hospital had feedback that there is no need for it. If you are really really worried then go ahead.

Makeup Kit - "Wow, you look so good after delivery!" You feels shiok after seeing this comment in your FB photos right. 

An ultra big bag - Probably that is where your luggage comes in handy now. If you didn't drive, you may have to think how to bring back hampers that was sent to you.

A small note book - To record down the timing of the milk feeds. You can record using your phone though.

Perfume/ Body Spray - For those who don't intend to bathe and expecting lots of visitors.

For Daddy;

A Jacket - There is nothing for you to do except to wait and wait and wait for that moment. Practically there is no movement required from you so you may feel cold while waiting.

Snack - In case the labour is long and it is at midnight. 

Toiletries - While staying over with your amazing wife.

Phone Charger - Snap Snap Snap

Phone list - List of friends and relatives whom you want to announce when your cutie is out!

Take note;

- If you do not intend to breastfeed, check with your hospital if they provide bottled formula milk. If not, you will have to buy milk powder and bring it to the hospital with you.

- Diapers and wet wipes will be provided. ( Will be billing you of course. In case you thought they are free. )

While blogging about all these, it just felt like yesterday that I just packed my hospital bag and waiting anxiously for the cue to admit to the hospital!!

When to Change Milk Bottles?

Milk bottles nowadays are mostly BPA free or should I say most things made of plastic are BPA free. BPA stands for Bisphenol-A. How is BPA harmful to us? It has Estrogenic Acitivity which means it mimics the hormone estrogen in our body. Too profound? Alright, BPA is a chemical found in plastics that can behave the similar way how estrogen and hormones in the human body. It can imitate our own body's hormone in a way which could be hardazous to our body. And it is found that babies and young children are especially sensitive to the effects of BPA.

Some parents, I am one of them, will say," We grew up drinking from bottles that were not BPA free and look, we are still looking good." BPA free bottles will cost a little bit more. My philosophy is, if you can afford, why not? Hub will say," If you can just put off buying another Chanel bag, you can buy tons of whatever baby stuff." Make sense right? But Hub say say only la, he never deprive me before. Muahahah. 

According to a sales promoter who sell milk bottles, she advised changing Non BPA Free milk bottles every 3 months and BPA Free bottles every 6 months.

Tommee Tipee Anti Colic Plus Bottles

Frankly, I am a Pigeon user. Jewel uses Pigeon. From bottles to nail scissor. I had initially prepared Pigeon milk bottles for Ian too. But he refused to drink using that bottle. As mentioned earlier in my post, being a colic baby, I decided to try anti colic bottle. Was comparing Dr Brown with Tommee Tippee. In the end, I chose Tommee Tippee as their slogan says, Closer to Nature. After done a fair bit of research, it was said that their teat mimic the natural flex and movement of Mommy's breast. The teat is designed to be like a breast like shape nipple which allows baby to latch on easily and further support the transition between bottle and breasts. That attracted my attention. Ian likes it and I was glad that there wasn't any confusion between  my breasts and the bottle subsequently.

Look carefully at which bottle you are buying. With a Plus sign, it means it is for sensitive tummy . This range of bottles provide optimum venting during feeding via a unique tube and valve system. They also help provide a continual feeding action via an easy latch on nipple. 

Now at 1 year old, he starts to gulp drink faster so the opening of the teat needs to be bigger. Some may use a toothpick to wider it. I use this.

Bought it at Kiddy Palace. It comes with 3 hole sizes. 

My Breastfeeding Agony

Before Ian was on formula milk, he was exclusively on breast milk. I was proud for being a breastfeeding mommy.  For the first four months, he was exclusively latched on. I didn't want to express as I finds it troublesome. From my previous experience I had with Jewel (exclusively on expressed breast milk EBM), expressing is not as effective to build up the supply, inconvenient and lots of washing and sterilizing. Thus, I was very determine for Ian to latch on. The only con I feels about latching on is that Mommy doesn't know the quantity of milk they drank.

During the first two months, Ian yelled for milk at every hour. My nipples nearly fell off! I gritted my teeth at every feeding session. Imagine an open wound being rubbed against with salt at every hour. It was extremely painful. I am not trying to scare off anyone who is planning to breastfeed but it is really excruciating . Nipple cream does helps and I diligently applied on it after every feed. This is the nipple cream that I used, Earth Mama Natural Nipple Butter.

Earth Mama Natural Nipple Butter

It works miracle! It is lanolin free, zero toxin, not sticky and best of all, SAFE FOR BABY. I recommended it to my friend and she had the same review too. Right Janice (if you are reading it)?

Two months of grueling sessions, my nipples got seasoned at the third month. Ian is still pretty demanding. Interval was every two hours and at night, it will be the same or every one and a half hour. 'Huh? Really anot? Then how you sleep?' I was a walking zombie. I didn't have sufficient rest. It was affecting my work. A weary soul, I couldn't see any glimpse of light in the tunnel. My Mommy consoled me, telling me to endure and that things will improve eventually. But when? Nonetheless, I persisted and persevered as I want to provide the most nutritional food to my little one.

After a satisfying feed.

When Ian was ten months old, I had mastitis. It was awful. I had high fever and my body kept shivering. I felt chilly, so cold till my teeth rattled like castanets. It was one of my worst experiences in my life! Finally, I called it an end to breastfeeding. Apart of me felt sad that I couldn't continue however Hub comforted me saying formula milk is fine too.

It is coming to two months since I stopped. I do miss those days when he latched on but not the sleepless nights. As of current, he is only waking up once at night. I hope in time to come, he will be able to sleep through the night!

Loves his smile!