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Jen Miller

Hey Mamas - Pregnancy & Postpartum

Published about 2 years ago • 5 min read

Hey mamas!

Happy Valentine's gals! If you’re new here, welcome! Here’s the quick story behind this newsletter - As a new mom, I’ve created a lot of systems to keep my life somewhat sane. Rather than let these lie idle in my Google Drive I’d rather as many moms use them as possible. I have quite a lot to share so I’m dishing it out bit by bit each month.


This month is dedicated to all the brand new moms and mamas to be. If that’s not you, be sure to check out the newsletter archives where you’ll find loads more tips, lists, and spreadsheets. Now, onto the good stuff…


BOOKS & BLOGS FOR PRACTICAL ADVICE

Everyone has their own approach to pregnancy and parenting. Whatever your style there is a book or blog out there for you. I tended to look for advice that was grounded in data, super simple to follow, and when possible, free. Here are a few of the resources that I found to be very helpful.

Expecting Better by Emily Oster

Emily is an economist who digs into all of the research around the dos & don'ts of pregnancy and presents the facts so you can make your own informed decisions about how to act.

Cribsheet by Emily Oster

Another Emily Oster selection. This one addresses the questions that come up in early parenting. I appreciate her evidenced-based approach to sharing information rather than simply telling you what to do or not do.

The Baby Owner’s Manual

I found the format of this book to be really approachable and digestible. It uses a lot of illustrations and diagrams to show you the basics for things you might be embarrassed to admit you have no idea how to do- like changing a diaper or burping a baby.

Kelly Mom

Kelly is an international board certified lactation consultant. Her site provides a lot of good information on breastfeeding but also has additional evidence-based information for new parents.

Modern Pediatrics

Disclaimer, this is our personal pediatrician. I found them by looking for parenting advice and classes and discovered they offered a wealth of free information. In addition to their articles Dr. Tim offers free monthly webinars which cover things like newborn care and infant sleep.

HOSPITAL BAG PACKING LIST

There are a ton of lists out there with recommendations for what you should bring to the hospital. The important things to consider are this: you’ll need to pack for you, baby, and whomever is coming as your support person (dad or other). I also highly recommend labeling your bags with your contact information. When I delivered, I lost the bag with Libby’s going home outfit in the shuffle between hospital rooms. I was so disappointed but, without any label on the bag, they immediately got rid of it. The last thing I’ll say is, pack before you think you need to. You really never know when d-day is going to happen and it’s better not to have to stress about packing in the 11th hour.

Anyhow, here’s the list of things I would recommend you bring along with some of my favorite products.

Find the list here.

INSURANCE FREEBIES

When I was pregnant a very good friend, who also happens to be on this email list : ), gave me the heads up that insurance will cover the cost of several pregnancy and postpartum items. If you have insurance it’s worth checking out before you pay out of pocket. The great news is, there’s a website that will do all of the heavy lifting for you. It’s called Areoflow and, not only do they have the products that insurance will cover but they will also get in touch with your insurance for you. Items include a breast pump, belly bands, and more!

FSA ELIGIBLE ITEMS

If you have an FSA, there are quite a few products for both you and baby that are eligible for coverage. I find that shopping the FSA store is the simplest way to discern what items are in fact covered. That said, you can also get these items on Amazon and benefit from the faster delivery. If you choose to do the latter, I’ve created a list to let you know which items to look out for.

Find the list here.


POSTPARTUM MUST-HAVES

I found that I was thoroughly underprepared for my return from the hospital after delivering Libby. So much so that I found myself on more than one occasion, desperately trying to get a Doordasher to urgently pick up extra absorbent pads from 7/11 for me. As you can imagine, not the order most Dashers want to pick up 😂 . My hope is for you to be much better prepared than me!

Here’s the list of items I wish I’d had!

(The Perifit was a surprising thing I really didn't know I needed!)

REGISTRY ITEMS WE ACTUALLY USED, A LOT

You can find countless recommendations on what to fill your baby registry with. For that reason, I’m not here to provide an exhaustive list but rather give insight into the handful of items I didn’t realize we would need and in hindsight can say were some of the most useful purchases.

I’ve compiled the full lot here but let me call out a few items in particular:

Lovevery subscription

I am such a fan of this brand. They send out a kit of high quality Montessori based play things specifically directed toward your baby’s development stage. You get a new kit every 2 months along with guidance on how to interact with your baby to support their growth.

Stroller bassinet

Whichever stroller you opt for, I highly recommend getting the bassinet attachment. We did not think we would need it and then ended up using it more than we could have ever imagined. Not only was it great for outside walks but it was a helpful place to put the baby in while we wheeled her around the house.

Preemie diapers

Liberty was 5 lbs 11 oz when she was born. We thought the newborn diapers would suffice but they just led to blowouts. Have a pack of preemies on hand just in case your little one is in fact quite little.

Baby shusher

This gadget is surprisingly effective for putting your baby into a deep sleep. You can attach it to the stroller/bassinet/ car seat and let it lull your baby to sleep while you’re pushing them around the house or out and about.

Baby pillow

You’ll hear a lot of talk about preventing your baby from getting a flat head. We picked up a little pillow designed to do just this and it really seemed to do the trick.

If you have any questions about other items I’ve included in my list, just hit reply and ask!

TRACKING

When you first get home from the hospital there will be a lot of things you’ll want to track - how you’re breastfeeding, when the baby has dirty diapers, and your postpartum medication.

I started off by using this set of spreadsheets to track everything. I then converted to using this app, just for Libby. Choose your own adventure.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST

Having an app at the ready to time your contractions when they start can be extremely useful. I figured this out in the throws of it all (not the best timing!). Here’s the app I used. Whether you choose this one or another, I highly recommend being more prepared than I was!


Missed previous newsletters?

  • November (nanny job descriptions & checklists)
  • December (travel tips part 1)
  • January (travel tips part 2)

Do you know mamas who would love this newsletter? Send me their email and I’ll add them to the list!

Got a tip / tool / document you want to share? Email me and I’ll loop it into a future newsletter.

Thanks mamas!

Jen Miller


Jen Miller

Proud mama passing along tips & tools for other new mamas and sharing loads of free resources I'm creating along the way.

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