Tips for your two days

March 2, 2016
Once your baby is born, the clock starts ticking on your 48 hours in the hospital. Some people are anxious to get out of the hospital and check out the moment the doctors and nurses will let them. Others of us like to take advantage of the quiet room, nursery, food prep and clean up, etc.

Having had three babies now and three stays at the hospital, I've come up with a few tips for those of you who are like me and stay at the hospital the full 48 hours. These tips will help make your time in the recovery room more organized, productive, and restful. That's right. Both productive and restful because you can only sleep so much.


Sleep
Having a baby is hard, tiring work, especially if you've had a really long labor. It's hard, tiring work for the baby, too. Take a leaf out of her book and sleep.

Nursery
I didn't want my first baby out of my sight (or Andrew's) even for a moment. I think she went to the nursery once, and not for very long. With Alexa and Barrett, I decided that I needed my sleep and I had a whole slew of very capable, trust-worthy nurses at my fingertips, just waiting for me to send them my baby for a few hours before he got hungry again.

Write
If you've had enough sleep for the moment, spend some time writing down your baby's birth story while you've got some down time and it's all still VERY fresh in your memory.

Thank you!
I'm sure there are people in your life who have recently stepped up to help you out with babysitting or gifts (perhaps from a baby shower?). Write them some thank yous!

Photo op!
If you're feeling up to it, grab your camera and snap some pics! If you have a nice camera, awesome, if not, use your phone. Either way, you're capturing moments.


Drink, relieve, repeat.
The more you drink, the better your milk will flow. The emptier your bladder, the quicker your uterus will shrink back down to size. I didn't learn that until my third baby.

Something you can Depend on
Those mesh panties are... nice... or you could buy and bring some grown-up diapers. Very convenient.

Extra Bag
When I packed my bag for the hospital, I made sure I had all the essentials for after baby. Comfortable clothes, toiletries, etc. but I also packed an extra bag for all the paperwork, diapers, wipes, pacifiers, baby bath sponges, and other stuff they send home with you. Whenever they brought me these things, I would stow them away in my extra bag.

Take everything
If they tell you that you can take it home with you, take it. Diapers, wipes, pacifiers, mesh panties, enormous pads, those blue bed liner things for just in case your pad didn't catch everything... take it all.

Keep your pen handy
I'm not kidding, they bring you SO. MUCH. PAPER WORK. The best thing is to just get that paper work filled out right after they bring it to you.

Visitors
I didn't get many visitors this time around because all of my friends were sick, but my Bishopric came, which was really fun, even though they came right after I had sent my baby to the nursery and gotten all ready for bed! So decide whether or not you want visitors, then tell your potential visitors to call or text before they come so you can be prepared and actually have the baby with you when they come by!

Snuggle. Duh.
You've been waiting nine months to meet this tiny, squishy, soft, warm little person! He won't mind the snuggles one bit, and you deserve it!

To me, those two days in the hospital with your brand new baby are so special and precious. It's almost like a honeymoon in my mind. You spend two days with this brand new little love-of-your-life, just the two of you (or three depending on how much Dad is able to be there), getting to know each other and creating a bond that will last a lifetime. You don't have to worry about making dinner, cleaning up, or even doing your hair and makeup if you don't want to. This time is for you and your baby. Take advantage of it.


Is there anything you would add to this list? Leave a comment below, and thanks for stopping by!

4 comments

  1. Yes to taking everything! I took everything in the room!

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    1. Basically, if it's not nailed down, take it. ;)

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  2. I'm so glad some people are able to have a nice, restful experience in the hospital! Yes to the Depends! So ugly, but so much more comfortable and trustworthy if you know what I mean. I hate the hospital. I can't sleep at ALL - uncomfortable bed, noisy hallways, nurses coming in all the time, it's awful. I am a total and complete ZOMBIE by the time I get home. It's awful. Plus, our hospital doesn't have a nursery. They believe in the "room in" philosophy, so the new baby is at my side at all times and most of the time I'm on my own with no husband, grandma, or friends to relieve my tired state! It is lonely, boring, and exhausting. I am so glad it's not that way for everyone! Home is my happy place. :)

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    1. TOTALLY feel you on the nurses coming in all the time! I promise I'm not going to die in the middle of the night.

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