[blparent] Newbie Introduction

Thu Mar 19 17:41:35 UTC 2015

The things I used most were a roomy diaper bag with a long strap so I could 
carry it over the opposite shoulder from my guide dog, a half a dozen 
bottles and an insulated carrier for keeping them cool on the go, a bottle 
warmer that you filled with water and plugged into the wall to heat up, and 
a bottle and nipple sterilizer for the microwave.  I would have liked to 
nurse exclusively for the entire first year or longer, but my body wouldn't 
cooperate.  If nursing works for you, great.  If it doesn't or you decide 
not to do it, don't feel guilty.  If you want to nurse but you are going 
back to work, you'll need a pump and milk storage bags.

Don't buy a lot of bottles ahead of time because you won't know what works 
for your baby till you try some out.  We went through many, many bottles 
before we finally settled on Dr. Brown's with the slow-flow nipples, but 
every baby is different, so what works for one could be a total fail for 
another.  Same goes for diapers.  My baby, who is now an active 
seven-year-old who thinks she knows everything, did just fine on Kirkland 
diapers, which are much less expensive than the name brand Pampers or 
Huggies.  Luvs leaked like crazy and gave her wicked rashes.  But Luvs 
worked like a charm for other babies.  You won't know till you try, so don't 
stockpile diapers and then find out you can't use them.  Don't buy more than 
a handful of newborn outfits because they'll be outgrown in a few weeks, 
especially if you have an eight- or ten-pound baby.

There's a correspondence course through Hadley that's available.  Sharon 
Howerton on this list can give you more information.  I went through it when 
I was pregnant and gleaned valuable information from it about what to expect 
during labor and delivery and in the first few years.  There were a few very 
helpful tips from blind parents.  The ones that stuck with me most were how 
to talk calmly and sensibly to people at the hospital during the delivery 
process--mostly just reassuring them that you know how to ask for help when 
you need it, and that sighted moms also ask for help because believe me, all 
new moms need assistance from time to time, not just blind moms--and 
offering toddlers and kids snacks in small bowls so you know how much they 
are eating instead of just tossing them the bag of pretzels or popcorn.

The biggest thing is, enjoy your pregnancy, and enjoy your baby.  These are 
exciting times, and they go by so fast.  I've said this before--I can hear 
the eyes rolling throughout cyberspace as I type it because practically 
everyone on the list has heard it so many times--but a favorite aunt quoted 
me a Baby Blues comic when my little one was about ten weeks old, and I 
didn't know how true the words were at the time.  I do now.  She said, "The 
days can be long, but the years are short."  I can't believe my little girl 
is already seven years old.  We've had a lot of fun together.  There have 
been some bumps in the road.  A few pretty big ones, actually, and I'm sure 
there will be more as she gets older.  But raising her has been the most 
awesome thing I've ever done.  I try really hard not to take it for granted.

Jo Elizabeth

Truth is tough. It will not break, like a bubble, at a touch; nay, you may 
kick it about all day like a football, and it will be round and full at 
evening.--Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.
-----Original Message----- 
From: Nevzat Adil via blparent
Sent: Thursday, March 19, 2015 11:18 AM
To: Star Gazer ; Blind Parents Mailing List
Subject: Re: [blparent] Newbie Introduction

Exciting times for you both. Congratulations!

On 3/19/15, Star Gazer via blparent <blparent at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> For stuff you want, you do need a carseat and a
> crib. You will need clothes, I found the one piece sleepers very easy to
> use.
> Without knowing your house, it's difficultto say what you need. For
> example,
> we only had one changing area in our old house because the bedrooms and
> living area were on one floor. Now we have the bedrooms on one level and
> the
> living area on another. This means two changing areas with two sets of
> wipes, diapers changing pad, that sort of thing.
> You'll probably want a bouncy seat only because the angle helps babies
> poop.
> I'm not sure why. We had a rockn play for our second mostly because it
> looked so cute. J.E. is right though in that a lot of stuff they outgrow
> quickly. Still that doesn't mean that you won't need or want or enjoy it
> while they can use it. We all have good memories of our second baby lying
> in
> her rocknplay while our older daughter had a stuffed bunny do shows for
> her.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blparent [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Jo
> Elizabeth Pinto via blparent
> Sent: Thursday, March 19, 2015 12:09 PM
> To: Kristi Wilkins; Blind Parents Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [blparent] Newbie Introduction
>
> Congratulations on your coming baby.  My advice is, most "must have" baby
> items are not must have.  Take it easy on buying things.  You'll be
> overloaded with stuff before you know it, and then you'll be trying to get
> rid of what's outgrown in no time.
>
> Jo Elizabeth
>
> Truth is tough. It will not break, like a bubble, at a touch; nay, you may
> kick it about all day like a football, and it will be round and full at
> evening.--Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Kristi Wilkins via blparent
> Sent: Thursday, March 19, 2015 9:23 AM
> To: blparent at nfbnet.org
> You will probably want a Costco membership because it pays for itself in
> diapers and formula if you decide you need or want formula.
> Don't worry too much about the future as you tend to not enjoy the present
> when you do it that way. That's one reason I don't like the advice on
> "they'll grow out of it quick" because everything is short-lived. It'd be
> like saying "Don't eat a nice meal, soon it will be over".
>
> Subject: [blparent] Newbie Introduction
>
> Hi everyone,
>
> I am new to this list and just wanted to introduce myself.  My husband and
> I
> are expecting a baby in October and I thought it would be a good idea to
> get
> a head start on getting advice from experienced blind parents.  I am
> legally
> blind and my husband is sighted.  We both work full time, and I am a bit
> nervous about navigating the world of daycare, transportation, doctor
> appointments, sick days, and so much else with a newborn.  Any advice on
> what to expect, must have baby items, or any other tips and tricks would 
> be
> greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks and looking forward to talking with you all!
>
> Kristi Godden
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-- 
❝"If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his
head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his
heart."❞
‒Nelson Mandela

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