I received an email today with some questions from Mommy2B. She had some great questions that with the answers will help her be more prepared for when baby arrives. These questions might be similar questions that you have on your mind. Or maybe after your own experiences you can give a different recommendation than what i have. Her quesitons are below.
Do you recommend a bottle sterilizer or is that a waste of time?
As far as the bottle sterilizer...I don't recommend the sterilizer, i think it might be a waste of time and money. I recommend some clorox, (check cloroxuses.com) and fill the sink with hot water and depending on amount of water, mix the appropriate amount of clorox and let them soak. And after the initial sterilizing you won't need to do it after each use, just soak in warm water and dish soap, i recommend washing by hand instead of dishwasher because dishwasher breaks bottles down faster and doesn't clean as well. .
Do I really need to get an ugly swing?
the ugly swing....some babies don't even like them. The little guy i watch doesn't have one and never has. i would recommend if you don't get a swing to get a bouncy seat. you will want something for baby to hang out in when food is settling and when she's content. there are some seats out there that rock and vibrate and play music...that might be something you'd want to look into.
What size bottles for newborns especially if not breastfeeding?
The size of bottles...i'd get mostly 8 oz bottles, but having a few 4 oz bottles would be handy. but i wouldn't get more than 3 small ones. you won't use them after 3 months of age
Should I get a high chair now orwait for later?
You probably won't need a high chair til about 5 months of age. if you want to wait, i'd wait. it'll just be sitting there collecting dust if you get it now. and when you pick out the high chair think of convenience first....they aren't the cutest things, but you'll want something that is easy to clean. no matter how well behaved your baby is she WILL get messy.
How to interview a nanny? Pros and cons of live-in versus live out. When to hire nanny (before or after baby is born)?
As far as live in versus live out...its honestly what you are wanting from your nanny. but i personally think that your nanny will last longer if she has a seperation from work and her personal life. i can help you with the interview process if you are nervous about it. or i can help with questions to ask. if that would help. i would start the interview process now or before baby is born. to get a feel for what you have out there to chose from. it might take a while to find someone to fit the criteria for your perfect nanny. every family is looking for something different...and every nanny offers different outcomes. Check out http://www.nannies4hire.com/ to find nannies in your area.
When to pick pediatrician and what to look for?
This is something that you will know when you meet the right pediatrician. i would look online on people's comments on various doctor's offices in the area. you're lucky because there are many in the LA area that are highly sought after and are staffed with some of the best pediatricians.
Unfortunately i don't have experience in this area. i would suggest doing research before baby arrives. so that if there is an unfortunate situation that baby would need to be looked at shortly after arriving home, you would want to have someone familiar with the situation and someone you are comfortable with ahead of time.
One other thing i would do for my own baby is shop around. go and meet the pediatricians that have had good comments made or that people have recommended. someone that might be good for a friend, might not work well for you. so go and get a feel for the doctors in person. i'd even call and see how you are treated over the phone. feel out the staff. you will be working with them every three months for the start of your baby's life, and for years to follow if you stay in the same area.
definitely find someone before baby arrives.
Instructions on products to use when bathing a baby. Can you use baby lotion, etc. right away?
For bath time. You'll want to get a moisturizing wash. i like Aveeno and Arbonne. My friend sells arbonne (mainly only because she gets the discount for herself) and she swears by it for babies. And her baby boy has the softest skin and has never had problems with dryness. Arbonne also uses all natural ingredients and its for sensative skin as well. They also have a great rash cream. If I were you, i'd get small bottles of both and see how your baby reacts to them. Every baby is different. Aveeno has a nice sweet smell where arbonne is scent free. Thats something else to think about. After bath time, baby will need lotion. Baby's skin is adjusting from the womb and tends to dry out very easily. Its common for baby's to get dry spots that look like rashes but its simply because their skin is extra dry. So be sure to lotion up every day, this will help keep those rash looking dry spots away, even if they don't have a bath, lotion before getting dressed. As far as lotion right away...it is recommended, just make sure that its a good, all natural ingredient lotion that is made for babies. Oh and for the wash, its nice to get one bottle thats for hair and body, less items to worry about on the sink/tub. For a seat, in the beginning, wash baby in the kitchen sink, it'll be easier to hold her. I would recommend the sink until she's too big for it then move to the tub. And in the tub you'll want a seat (this is my favorite one). there are a lot to choose from out there. The seat that I like allows water to flow into the seat with tiny holes in the lining of the seat, and its very supportive for the tiniest babies and comfortable too.
The Tourtillott twins. NV Photography. Fort Scott, KS. http://nvphotoedge.blogspot.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment